Khalifa ibn Ruqasa
خليفة بن رقاصة
1302 CE · 701 AH
Khalifa ibn Ruqasa of Fes's covenant Jews; steward of Prince Yusuf ibn Ya'qub's household who rose by pressing his wine and courting his leisure, then — when Yusuf took the throne and the drinking-circle became the privy chamber — monopolised his closet until his ri'asa towered in the state and the great men took their orders from him; his brother Ibrahim, cousin Khalifa the Younger and in-law Musa ibn al-Sabti rose with him until notables, viziers, sharifs and scholars all paid them court — whereupon the sultan, primed by his confidant Abdallah ibn Abi Madyan, swept them up in a single stroke at the Tlemcen siege camp in Sha'ban 701 and killed Khalifa, Ibrahim, Musa and their kin.
At a glance
- Roles
- Official
- Era
- The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks
- Region
- Maghreb
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Life in time
Overview
Khalifa ibn Ruqasa, one of the Jews of Fez who were under protection. In his youth he was steward of the household of the amir Yusuf ibn Ya'qub, who put him in charge of the pressing of his wine and its affairs. 1
Power
When Yusuf came to rule alone, Ibn Ruqasa had exclusive access to him, and his standing in the state grew great, and the elite received their orders from him. His brother Ibrahim and his cousin shared in this, and the Banu al-Sabti became his in-laws. 1
His fall
The sultan took notice of this, and Abdallah ibn Abi Madyan reported against them to him. They were arrested in Sha'ban 701 AH in the camp of the siege of Tlemcen, and Khalifa, his brother Ibrahim and Musa ibn al-Sabti were killed. The Gregorian date is derived. 1
Sources
- Kitab al-Ibar of Ibn Khaldun
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Khalifa ibn Ruqasa”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/khalifa-ibn-ruqasa/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.