Abu al-Misk Kafur

Abu al-Misk Kafur

Abu al-Misk Kafur (905–968), also called al-Laithi, al-Suri, al-Labi was a dominant personality of Ikhshidid Egypt and Syria."Kāfūr , Abu'l Misk al-Ikhsidi." "E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936". Edited by: M. Th. Houtsma, E. van Donzel. Brill, 1993. p. 623] Originally a black slave from Ethiopia, he was promoted as vizier of Egypt, becoming its de facto ruler (from 946). After the death of his master, Muhammad bin Tughj, Kafur succeeded the latter to become the de jure ruler of the Ikshidid domains, Egypt and southern Syria (including Damascus), until his death in 968.Abū al-Misk Kāfūr." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Jul. 2008]

Biography

Muhammad bin Tughj, the founder of the Ikhshidid dynasty of Egypt, bought Abu al-Misk Kafur as a slave from Ethiopia in 923. He is recorded as having a dark complexion and being a eunuch. Recognizing the slave's intelligence and talent, ibn Tughj freed him. The story goes that Kafur was freed because he kept his eyes fastened upon his master, while others kept their eyes on the master's gifts. Thus, historian Philip Hitti notes, Kafur would be generously rewarded for such loyalty.

Ibn Tughj appointed Kafur to be the supervisor of princely education for his two sons. The Egyptian ruler then promoted Kafur as a military officer. As a field commander Kafur conducted a military mission to Syria in 945. He was put in charge of some campaigns in the Hejaz. Kafur was involved in some diplomatic exchanges between the Ikhshidids and the caliph of Baghdad.Ehrenkreutz, A.S. "Kāfūr , Abu'l-Misk ." Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2008. Brill Online.]

Kafur became the de-facto ruler of Egypt in 946. (Since al-Misk was the guardian of bin Tughj's sons, al-Misk ruled in their stead upon the death of their father.) He died in Cairo and was probably buried in Jerusalem. Though subsequent historians have portrayed him as a just and moderate ruler, he owes a great deal of his fame to the scathing satirical poems directed against him by Al-Mutanabbi, the most famous Arab poet.

tatus as former slave

Kafur's status as former slave did not hinder him from rising to power under the Ikhshidids. In fact, his status helped him, as it had become customary for former slaves to enter the military organization and even reach high positions in it. [Kashif, S.I. "Misr fi Asr al-Ikhshidiyin" 2 ed. (Cairo, 1970), p. 255] Kafur's rise to power, from being an African slave to the ruler of Egypt and parts of Syria, is one of the first examples in Islamic history of a sovereign with the lowliest of origins. In Muslim states in general, Africans such as Kafur did not continue to be slaves. They were employed in various occupations and maintained a cohesive culture interacting with that of their hosts. [Jacob F. Ade Ajayi. General History of Africa: Africa in the Nineteenth Century Until the 1880s. University of CaliforniaPress. p. 749]

Policies

Domestic politics

While Kafur held defacto control over Egypt, he operated behind the facade of Ikhshdid rulers. On his deathbed, ibn Tughj had appointed Kafur as guardian over his two sons. In 946, Kafur helped Anūdjūr secure the succession to ibn Tughj. And in 961, he helped ʿAlī ibn al-Ikhshīd Anūdjūr's younger brother (and his late master ibn Tughj's second) secure the Egyptian throne. Only in 966, following the death of ʿAlī, did Kāfūr publicly declare himself as the sole master of Egypt.

Kafur, despite tremendous pressure on him, maintained stability inside Egypt. From 335/947-336/948, he fought and put down the rebellion by Ghalbūn. In 954 successfully averted an abortive coup d'état by Anūdjūr. He also survived the spread of subversive Ismāʿīlī propaganda against him. His ability to resolve internal political complications is considered as having signnificantly prolonged the lifespan of the Ikhshidids.

Foreign politics

One of Abu al-Misk Kafur's greatest achievements is his successful protection of the Ikhshidid establishment from the Hamdanids (in Syria), Fatimids (in northern Africa, to the west of Egypt), Qarmatians (in the Arabian peninsula), and the Nubians (from south of Egypt).

Very early on Kafur's master, Muhammad ibn Tughj, trusted him to handle the military campaigns of Syria and Hejaz (in the Arabian peninsula). His military and diplomatic measures secured Damascus for the Ikhshidids (from the Hamdanids) in 947. Sayf ad-Dawla, governor of Aleppo, had tried to run over Syria, but his efforts were frustrated by Kafur, and the former recognized the latter's lordship over parts of Syria.Hitti, Philip K. "History of Syria Including Lebanon and Palestine". Gorgias Press LLC. p.562-3]

He was also able to delay the Fatimid expansion into Egypt, frustrating the efforts of the latter's agents. So long as Kafur was alive, the Ikhsidid establishment kept the Fatimids at bay; upon his death, the Fatimids took over.

Economy

Kafur generally maintained economic stability in Egypt, despite serious setbacks:
*a fire devastated the business section of Fustat in 954;
*a major earthquake rocked Egypt in 955;
*recurrence of food-price inflation (sometimes resulting in famine), and consequent civil disturbances, in 949, 952, 955, and 963-968.

Excepting the heavy government expenditure, Kafur's administration refrained from extortionate fiscal practices. His gold coinage displayed remarkable stability, though it did fluctuate. Kafur also enrolled the services of competent administrators, and merchants, (such as the famous Yaqub ibn Killis), contributing to his economic accomplishments.

Patronage of the arts

Abu al-Misk Kafur gained popularity by being the patron of scholars and writers. Perhaps the most celebrated patronage (according to A.S. Ehrenkreutz) is that of the great poet al-Mutanabbi. In return al-Mutanabbi praised the former slave. However, after Kafur's failure to reward him with high office that he aspired, al-Mutanabbi ridiculed Kafur. Thus Kafur was immortalized in the poetry of al-Mutanabbi - the greatest poet of Kafur's time, according to historian Hitti.

As he was a pious man, Kafur was more comfortable with the ulema than the poets. He surrounded himself with religious men, some of whom he showered with gifts. He constucted two mosques (in Giza and on al-Muqattam) and a hospital. Nevertheless he still clung to superstitions, abandoning a home once, believing it to be under a "jinn". [Daly, Carl F. "The Cambridge History of Egypt". 115-116]

Kafur also maintained a magnificent and luxurious court. This, however, at times of famine, accorded poorly with the general population. In addition to the mosques and the hospital, Kafur had constructed a number of sumptuous palaces, and the "Kāfūriyya" gardens in his capital. No archaeological remains of his contributions have been thus far found.

ee also

*Slavery in Islam
*History of Egypt

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Abu al-Misk Kafur —  Pour l’article homonyme, voir Kafur.  Abû al Misk Kâfûr[1] ou Kâfûr (905–968) est un eunuque originaire de Nubie au service des souverains ikhchidides devenu lui même gouverneur d Égypte en 966. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Kāfūr, Abū al-Misk — ▪ Ikhshīdid vizier died AD 968       Ethiopian slave who, as vizier under the Ikshīdid dynasty, was de facto ruler of Egypt from 946 to 966 and de jure ruler from then until his death.       Kāfūr was originally a slave belonging to the founder… …   Universalium

  • Kafur (Emir) — Abu l Misk Kafur (arabisch ‏أبو المسك كافور‎, DMG Abū l Misk Kāfūr; † 968) – sein Ism bedeutet Kampfer, seine Kunya Vater des Moschus’ – war ein ägyptischer Herrscher (946–968). Kafur war ein abessinischer Eunuch und unter dem Ichschididen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Kafur — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Kâfûr de l arabe kāfūr, كافور : camphre; eucalyptus première forme canfre Personnalités Abû al Misk Kâfûr ou Kâfûr (905–968) est un eunuque… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Kafour — Abu al Misk Kafur  Pour l’article homonyme, voir Kafur.  Abû al Misk Kâfûr[1] ou Kâfûr (905–968) est un eunuque originaire de Nubie au service des souverains ikhchidides devenu lui même gouverneur d Égypte en 966. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Muhammad ben Tughj — Abû Bakr Muhammad ben Tughj al Ikhchîd[1] (882 946) est le premier gouverneur ikhchidide d’Égypte en 935. Sommaire 1 Biographie 1.1 Gouverneur de l’Égypte 2 Notes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Al-Mutanabbi — Abū l T̩ayyib Ah̩mad ibn al H̩usayn al Mutanabbī (arabe : أبو الطيب أحمد بن الحسين المتنبّي) (né en 915, mort en 965) est un poète arabe. Ses poèmes tournent autour des louanges des rois, des descriptions de batailles, de la satire, de la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Al-Mutanabbi — أبو الطيب احمد بن الحسين المتنبّي Born 915 Kufah, Iraq Died 23 September 965 Abu at Tayyib Ahmad ibn al Husayn al Mutanabbi (Arabic: أبو الطيب أحمد بن الحسين المتنبّي Abū aṭ Ṭayyib ʾAḥm …   Wikipedia

  • Egypt — /ee jipt/, n. 1. Arab Republic of. a republic in NE Africa. 64,791,891; 386,198 sq. mi. (1,000,252 sq. km). Cap.: Cairo. Arabic, Misr. Formerly (1958 71), United Arab Republic. 2. an ancient kingdom in NE Africa: divided into the Nile Delta… …   Universalium

  • Arabic literature — Introduction       the body of written works produced in the Arabic language.       The tradition of Arabic literature stretches back some 16 centuries to unrecorded beginnings in the Arabian Peninsula. At certain points in the development of… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”