Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd ibn Hakam al Qurashi facts for kids

Abû ‘Uthman Sa’îd ibn Hakam al Qurashi (born December 30, 1204 – died January 9, 1282) was an important leader. He was the first Ra’îs (which means 'chief' or 'ruler') of Manûrqa. This island is known today as Menorca. He ruled from 1234 to 1282.

Early Life and Education

Sa’îd ibn Hakam was born in the city of Tavira. This city is in the Algarve region, which is now part of Portugal.

He went to Seville to study. Seville was the main city of Al Andalus, a Muslim territory in what is now Spain. He studied philology, which is the study of language and literature. He also joined meetings where famous poets shared their work.

At this time, Al Andalus was facing many problems. Its trade with other regions was slowing down. This led to conflicts inside the country and attacks from outside. Because of these troubles, Sa’îd ibn Hakam moved to North Africa. He lived in cities like Bejaïa and Tunis. There, he worked as a secretary for the Almohad governors.

Becoming Governor of Manûrqa

After two years, Sa’îd ibn Hakam wanted to go back to Al Andalus. But the situation there had gotten worse. So, he found safety with the Almohad governor of Medina Mayurqa (modern Majorca).

In 1227, he was sent to Manûrqa as an "al-Motaserrif." This meant he was in charge of collecting taxes and leading the army on the island.

In 1229, James I of Aragon invaded Majorca. However, he did not attack Manûrqa at that time. By 1231, James I had defeated the Muslim resistance in Majorca. He then sent three people to Manûrqa to ask them to surrender to the Kingdom of Aragon.

James I had only a small army. To make his army look bigger, he ordered fires to be lit on the coast facing Manûrqa. This was to put more pressure on the Muslims. After a meeting, the leaders of Manûrqa agreed to become loyal to the new King of Majorca.

The Treaty of Capdepera

The treaty of Capdepera was signed on June 17, 1231. Some people believed that Sa’îd ibn Hakam secretly helped arrange this treaty. The treaty gave Manûrqa a lot of political freedom. It also promised military protection from the King of Majorca. In return, Manûrqa had to pay a yearly tribute. This included wheat, cows, and goats or sheep. Later, butter and money were added to the tribute. After the treaty, Abû ‘Abd Allah Muhammad became the new ruler of Manûrqa.

Rise to Power as Ra’îs

In July 1234, Sa’îd ibn Hakam took control of Manûrqa. He did this through an armed takeover. He then made a new agreement with James I. In this new treaty, he ruled Manûrqa alone. He was given the title of Ra’îs of Manûrqa.

This was a special time for the island. It is believed to be the only time Manûrqa was an independent political area. However, it still paid tribute to the Kingdom of Majorca. Sa’îd ibn Hakam ruled strictly. Under his leadership, Manûrqa became a well-organized state that followed Islamic law.

He built a strong government in Madina al Jazira (modern Ciutadella). This government included a council of ministers, secretaries, and representatives from different clans. He also had a small army made up of hired soldiers.

Manûrqa's Survival

Sa’îd ibn Hakam was very clever politically. This helped his Islamic state survive. Other Muslim lands were being taken over by Christian kingdoms. For example, Cordoba fell in 1236, his hometown Tavira in 1242, and Seville in 1248. Only the Kingdom of Granada remained independent. But it also had to pay tribute to the Kingdom of Castille.

When James I died in 1276, his kingdom was divided. His son James received the Kingdom of Majorca. This included the Balearic Islands. His other son Peter received the Kingdom of Aragon. Manûrqa continued to pay tribute to James II. This division of the kingdom would eventually lead to Manûrqa's fall.

Sa’îd ibn Hakam died in 1282 in Madina al Jazira. His son, Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd, became the next and last Ra’îs of Manûrqa.

A Learned Scholar

Sa’îd ibn Hakam was also a very important Islamic thinker of the 13th century. He knew a lot about Islamic law and medicine. He was also a philologist, a grammarian, and a poet. He had a large library in Madina al Jazira. Some books from his collection are now kept in the library of El Escorial in Spain.

See also

In Spanish: Abu Uthmán Saíd ibn al-Hákam al-Qurashi para niños