Amrus ibn Yusuf
Encyclopedia
'Amrus ibn Yusuf al-Muwalad was a Muwallad
general of the Emirate of Córdoba
and governor of Zaragoza
.
Amrus, a native of Huesca
, and his kinsman Sabrit were servants of Aysun ibn Sulayman al-Arabi
. The kinsmen joined Aysun's brother when Matruh al-Arabi rebelled and entered Zaragoza. In Muslim year
175 (AD
791/2), Amrus turned on his master, and he and Sarhabil ibn Saltan al-Zawagi attacked Matruh with swords, killing him. Amrus then went to Córdoba, where he was rewarded by being named wali
of Talavera. In 802, he was sent from Toledo
as general against another Zaragoza rebel, taking Zaragoza and Huesca, expelling Bahlul ibn Marzuq
and fortifying a settlement that would become Tudela
, installing there his son Yusuf ibn Amrus. Zaragoza again rebelled in December, 802, this time under Fortun ibn Musa, apparently a member of the Banu Qasi
, and Amrus was in the year 188 (803/4) appointed as governor of Zaragoza. He installed his kinsman, Sabrit, in Huesca. In 807, he quelled a rebellion in Tudela, and upon the death of Aureolus of Aragon
, he occupied the county of Sobrarbe
, which was only regained by Aragon
under Aznar Galíndez I in 814. This conforms with the timeline provided by the chronicler Al-Udri
, who reports that Amrus held Zaragoza for 40 days short of ten years, placing his death in 198 (813/4), but al-Udri indicated that others place his death in 193 (808/9).
His family, the Banu Amrus , continued to be involved in the regional politics of the upper Ebro
valley. Grandson Amrus ibn Umar ibn Amrus rebelled in Huesca in 870, capturing his cousin Lubb ibn Zakariyya ibn Amrus , and killing the amil Musa ibn Galind , allying himself with the amils paternal uncle García Íñiguez of Pamplona. However, he shortly was enticed to return to Cordoban loyalty, being made governor of Toledo. Also active at this time were his brother Zakariyya ibn Umar, his uncle Zakariyya ibn Amrus and the latter's son Umar ibn Zakariyya. Mas'ud ibn Amrus , son of Amrus ibn Umar, was the last of the family, being killed in 884 by kinsman Muhammad al-Tawil of Huesca
, a member of the Banu Sabrit, the descendants of the kinsman and ally of Amrus ibn Yusuf. Muhammad founded a family known as the Banu al-Tawil that would rule what was effectively a short-lived taifa
state at Huesca in the late 9th and early 10th century before themselves being supplanted by the Banu Tujibi
of Zaragoza.
Muladi
The Muladi were Muslims of ethnic Iberian descent or of mixed Arab, Berber and European origin, who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. They were also called "Musalima" .-Etymology:...
general of the Emirate of Córdoba
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
and governor of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
.
Amrus, a native of Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
, and his kinsman Sabrit were servants of Aysun ibn Sulayman al-Arabi
Aysun
Aysun was the son of Sulayman al-Arabi Aysun, together with his father Sulayman al-Arabi, joined Charlemagne's army that besieged Zaragoza in 788...
. The kinsmen joined Aysun's brother when Matruh al-Arabi rebelled and entered Zaragoza. In Muslim year
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
175 (AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
791/2), Amrus turned on his master, and he and Sarhabil ibn Saltan al-Zawagi attacked Matruh with swords, killing him. Amrus then went to Córdoba, where he was rewarded by being named wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
of Talavera. In 802, he was sent from Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
as general against another Zaragoza rebel, taking Zaragoza and Huesca, expelling Bahlul ibn Marzuq
Bahlul Ibn Marzuq
Bahlul Ibn Marzuq was a Vascon-Muslim, the son of a local lord named Marzuq ibn Uskara . He rebelled in Zaragoza against the Arab-Muslim government of Al-Andalus in 798, and in 800 conquered Huesca from the Banu Salama. The emir sent the Huesca native, general Amrus ibn Yusuf, and Zaragoza and...
and fortifying a settlement that would become Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
, installing there his son Yusuf ibn Amrus. Zaragoza again rebelled in December, 802, this time under Fortun ibn Musa, apparently a member of the Banu Qasi
Banu Qasi
The Banu Qasi, Banu Kasi, Beni Casi or Banu Musa were a Basque Muladi dynasty that ruled the upper Ebro valley in the 9th century, before being displaced in the first quarter of the 10th century.-Dynastic beginnings:...
, and Amrus was in the year 188 (803/4) appointed as governor of Zaragoza. He installed his kinsman, Sabrit, in Huesca. In 807, he quelled a rebellion in Tudela, and upon the death of Aureolus of Aragon
Aureolus of Aragon
Aureolus is traditionally thought to have been the chief of the Franks in the region of Aragón.Between 798 and 802 the Franks established several positions in the zone: Bahlul Ibn Marzuq revolted in Zaragoza against the central government of Muslim Al-Andalus in 798, and in 800 conquered Huesca...
, he occupied the county of Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe is one of the Comarcas of Aragon, Spain. It is located in the northern part of the province of Huesca, part of the autonomous community of Aragon in Spain...
, which was only regained by Aragon
County of Aragon
The County of Aragon or Jaca was a small Frankish marcher county in the central Pyrenean valley of the Aragon river, comprising Ansó, Echo, and Canfranc and centred on the small town of Jaca...
under Aznar Galíndez I in 814. This conforms with the timeline provided by the chronicler Al-Udri
Al-Udri
Al-Udri or el Odsrí in Spanish , was the descendant of Theodor . Al-Udri was an Andalusian Muwallad geographer and historian. He lived in Zaragoza. He was the author of a geographical-historical compendium about the Taifa of Zaragoza in al-Andalus, in which he gives the annals of the region...
, who reports that Amrus held Zaragoza for 40 days short of ten years, placing his death in 198 (813/4), but al-Udri indicated that others place his death in 193 (808/9).
His family, the Banu Amrus , continued to be involved in the regional politics of the upper Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
valley. Grandson Amrus ibn Umar ibn Amrus rebelled in Huesca in 870, capturing his cousin Lubb ibn Zakariyya ibn Amrus , and killing the amil Musa ibn Galind , allying himself with the amils paternal uncle García Íñiguez of Pamplona. However, he shortly was enticed to return to Cordoban loyalty, being made governor of Toledo. Also active at this time were his brother Zakariyya ibn Umar, his uncle Zakariyya ibn Amrus and the latter's son Umar ibn Zakariyya. Mas'ud ibn Amrus , son of Amrus ibn Umar, was the last of the family, being killed in 884 by kinsman Muhammad al-Tawil of Huesca
Muhammad al-Tawil of Huesca
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik al-Tawil was a muwallad Wāli of Huesca in the late-ninth and early-tenth centuries. Acting autonomously from his nominal masters the Emirs of Córdoba, he carried out his own foreign policy and warfare with both Christian and Muslim regional rivals, including the Counts of...
, a member of the Banu Sabrit, the descendants of the kinsman and ally of Amrus ibn Yusuf. Muhammad founded a family known as the Banu al-Tawil that would rule what was effectively a short-lived taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
state at Huesca in the late 9th and early 10th century before themselves being supplanted by the Banu Tujibi
Banu Tujibi
The Banu Tujibi were a dynasty that were appointed to govern Catalayud in 872, and in 886 were given Zaragoza. This they held as governors under the Umayyads...
of Zaragoza.
Family tree
| Banu Amrus | |
| Banu Šabrit | |
| Banu al-Tawil |