Al-Djarrah ibn Abdullah

Abu `Uqbah al-Djarrah ibn `Abdullah al-Hakami ( _ar. أبو عقبة الجراح بن عبد الله الحكمي) was an Arab nobleman of the Hakami tribe. During the course of the early 700s he was at various times governor of Seistan, Khurasan, Armenia, and Arran. He was well-known for his campaigns against the against the Göktürks in Central Asia and against the Khazars (possibly their allies) in the Caucasus.

Early career

Al-Djarrah, whose name means "the surgeon," was born in the latter part of the seventh century CE. His father was Abdullah al-Hakami, a member of a highly-regarded tribe within the Umayyad Caliphate. Al-Djarrah was named governor of Khorasan and Seistan around 720 by the caliph Umar II. While in Khorasan he fought a series of campaigns against the remnants of the Göktürk Khaganate over Transoxiana, imposing the jizya on the conquered population. [Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, The Chronicle (Volume II, The Omayyades), Acts South (ISBN 2-7427-3318-3) p. 215]

In the Caucasus

Yazid II named al-Djarrah governor of Armenia and Arran, placing him in command of the Umayyad offensive against the Khazars and their allies. In 722 al-Djarrah led an Arab army across the Caucasus and fought his way north along the coast of the Caspian Sea. The following year he sacked the city of Balanjar. The Khazar khagan and his court had withdrawn to Samandar.

Possibly fearful of al-Djarrah's successes, the caliph removed him from command and replaced him with a series of ineffectual commanders.

Recall and death

In 729 the Umayyad army suffered a series of defeats in the Caucasus at the hands of the Khazar commander Barjik. Caliph Hisham recalled al-Djarrah and restored him to the governorship of Armenia, which was in the process of being overrun by the Khazars. In 730 a Khazar army led by Barjik invaded northeastern Persia, including the provinces of Arran and Djibal. At the Battle of Marj Ardabil in 730 al-Djarrah was defeated and killed by the Khazars, who thereafter captured the city of Ardabil. Al-Djarrah's head was mounted on Barjik's throne.

Aftermath

Al-Djarrah was replaced first by his brother Hadjjadj ibn Abdullah and subsequently by Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik and Marwan Kru ibn Muhammad. The desecration of al-Djarrah's corpse a tactical error which enraged the Arabs at the subsequent Battle of Mosul (731 CE) and contributed to their victory there, and Barjik's death.

Legacy

Al-Djarrah's prowess and bravery was renowned throughout the Islamic world. He was granted the titles "Champion of the Syrians" and "Defender of the Faithful".

References