The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

A.n. 754-75] RAGDAD FOUNDED 459
called Ar-Rusafa, and there, on his return from Khorasan, A.n. 136-
he welcomed and feted hi.s friend.s and kinsmen. ^
'_
It was hardl}- in the mind of .Al-Man.sfir that his new Ratika and
Capital should become the grand and populous emporium jefe„ces.
which it speedily did. Rather, he founded it purely for his
Court as a strong military position, and enjoined it on his
son not to permit the growth of any suburbs, especially on
the left bank. The same policy led him to establish on the
upper reaches of the Euphrates a strong citadel close to
Ar-Rakka, which he called the Rafika (Companion) and
garrisoned with Khorasanls. He is said to have attributed
(and with reason) the sudden fall of Merwan to his having
had no such stronghold to fly to after his defeat on the
Zab, and hence to have spent the more pains in this
direction. The defences of Al-Kufa and Al-Basra were
also strengthened.^
In the eleventh year of his reign, Al-Mansilr resolved on
Mchdi
a project long in his mind of making his son Al-I\Iehdi, ''Ppo'"^^^
now twenty-five years of age, heir-apparent in place of 'Isa. apparent,
On his nephew refusing, Al-Mansilr was much displeased, !5!^""'
degraded him from the seat of honour on his right, and
treated him with contumely. Trailing in his endeavours, he
told 'Isa that he knew it was for his son Musa he was
desirous of the succession ; on which some of the courtiers
set upon Musa as if to strangle him and 'Isa, alarmed
;
at
his cries, thereupon consented that Al-Mehdi should precede
him as heir-apparent.-
But .Al-Mansur hated 'Tsa the more, and contrived a
•
Both cities were assessed with a poll-tax to defray the expense, for
which purpose Al-Mansur resorted to a characteristic device. Me first
distributed a largess of five dirhems to all comers ; tlien taking the
num1)ers ofthe recipients, he' assessed each at forty dirlienis. A sc|uib
was in everyone's mouth :•—
"Mark, my friends, the Caliph's bounty.
He gives us five, and then takes forty."
This device has 1)een used more than once.
2 The Caliph is even said to have given 'Isa a poisonous drink, from
which, however, retiring for a while to liis government at Al-Kufa, he
recovered. Another story is that the Call])!! got Khfdid the Darmeki
to suborn witnesses who swore that Msa had resigned his right.
.Sucli
traitorous traditions, right or wrong, show wliat a wretched character
for deception .M-Mansfir bore, which allowed lluin to get abroad.