Banu Qasi facts for kids
The Banu Qasi were a powerful family in ancient Spain. They were called "sons of Cassius" because they were believed to be descendants of a Roman or Visigothic nobleman named Cassius. This family became Muslim after the Umayyad conquest of Hispania.
In the 9th century, the Banu Qasi ruled a frontier area called the Upper Ebro Valley. This region was part of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba. At their strongest point in the 850s, the family leader, Musa ibn Musa al-Qasawi, was so powerful that people called him 'The Third Monarch of Hispania'. However, in the early 10th century, family fights, rebellions, and strong rulers from the north and south caused them to lose all their lands.
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How the Banu Qasi Family Started
The Banu Qasi family is said to have come from a nobleman named Cassius. He was either Hispano-Roman or Visigothic. Muslim writings and the Chronicle of Alfonso III say he was a Visigoth.
According to a historian named Ibn al-Qūṭiyya, Count Cassius became Muslim in 714. This was soon after the Umayyads conquered Hispania. After changing his religion, he reportedly traveled to Damascus to promise his loyalty to the Umayyad Caliph, Al-Walid I.
Under the Banu Qasi, the Upper Ebro region became a semi-independent area. This small emirate faced enemies from many sides. The Franks sometimes threatened to take control of the western Pyrenees. The Asturian Kingdom was also slowly expanding eastwards. To the south, the Caliphate of Córdoba always wanted to control the frontier regions more tightly.
The Banu Qasi were officially under the rule of the Umayyad emirate. But they grew strong by making alliances with other local Muslim families. They also allied with Christian leaders from Pamplona, Aragon, and the Catalan counts. They often married into these other noble families, both Muslim and Christian. For example, Musa ibn Musa and the king of Pamplona, Íñigo Arista, were half-brothers. Musa also married Arista's daughter.
The Banu Qasi used a mix of names: Arabic, Latin, and Basque. This shows their mixed culture. The Umayyads in Córdoba sometimes allowed the Banu Qasi to rule. They even appointed them as governors. But if the Banu Qasi became too independent, the Umayyads would replace them or send armies to attack them. This showed that the Umayyads struggled to fully control these distant regions.
First Steps to Power
Count Cassius's homeland was likely a small area across the Ebro River from Tudela. An Arab historian, Ibn Hazm, listed Cassius's sons. One of them, Furtun, had a son named Musa ibn Furtun ibn Qasi.
Musa ibn Furtun first became known in 788. He helped the emir of Córdoba, Hisham I, put down a rebellion in Zaragoza. There are different stories about what happened to Musa ibn Furtun. Some say he was killed shortly after the rebellion. Others suggest his name might have been confused with his son, Furtun ibn Musa, who was killed in an uprising in 802.
Another important figure was Mutarrif ibn Musa, likely a son of Musa ibn Furtun. Historians believe he was killed by the people of Pamplona in 799 or 800. This event is often discussed by historians trying to understand the relationships between the Banu Qasi, the Arista family, and the Carolingians.
It was Musa ibn Furtun's grandson, Musa ibn Musa al-Qasawi, who brought the family to its highest point of power.
Musa ibn Musa: The Third King
Musa ibn Musa is mentioned in several old texts, both Arab and Latin. These texts describe his family ties, like being the half-brother and son-in-law of King Íñigo Arista of Pamplona. They also talk about his lands and battles.
Musa was an orphan from a young age. He might have started his military career in the 820s. The Banu Qasi, possibly including Musa, likely fought in the second Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 824. This battle helped establish the Kingdom of Pamplona.
In the 840s, Musa started a series of revolts with his half-brother, Íñigo Arista. The emir, Abd ar-Rahman II, defeated them and took Musa's son, Lubb, as a hostage. Musa often surrendered but then rebelled again. He eventually controlled a large area along the Ebro River, including important cities like Tudela, Tarazona, and Zaragoza.
When Íñigo Arista and Abd ar-Rahman II died in 851/2, Musa gained a lot of power. He also won a big victory against Christian forces at Albelda. The new emir, Muhammad I, made Musa the governor of Zaragoza and the Upper March. Over the next ten years, Musa expanded his family's lands even more. He governed Zaragoza, Najera, and Calatayud. He also controlled Tudela, Huesca, and Toledo. According to one chronicle, Musa's followers called him "the third king of Spaniae."
However, Musa also faced struggles within his own family. His brother, Yunus ibn Musa, stayed loyal to Córdoba and fought against Musa for about 30 years.
In 859, King Ordoño I of Asturias and King García Íñiguez of Pamplona joined forces. They dealt Musa a major defeat at Albelda. This battle became a famous Christian legend. After this loss, Emir Muhammad took away Musa's titles and brought the region back under direct Cordoban control. Musa died in 862 from wounds he got in a small fight with his son-in-law. After his death, the family disappeared from the political scene for ten years.
Musa's Sons Take Over
After Musa's death in 862, the Banu Qasi family was quiet until 871. It's thought they might have been involved with the Cordoban court, but there are no records. When they reappeared, they had lost most of their lands, keeping only a small area around Arnedo.
In 870, a rebellion in Huesca started a series of events that brought the Banu Qasi back to power. The sons of Musa, led by his eldest son Lubb ibn Musa, allied with King García of Pamplona. They regained control of their father's lands. Mutarrif ibn Musa al-Qasawi was called to lead Huesca. In 872, Isma'il ibn Musa entered Zaragoza, joined by Lubb. They took Monzon together. Isma'il also allied with another family, the Banu Jalaf, by marrying Sayyida, their daughter. Furtun ibn Musa took Tudela. Lubb also strengthened Viguera.
Emir Muhammad tried to stop the Banu Qasi's expansion. He put a rival family, the Banu Tujib, in Calatayud. In 873, Muhammad launched a campaign against the northern rebels. He captured Mutarrif and his family, including his wife Belasquita, who was the daughter of King García Íñiguez of Pamplona. Mutarrif and three of his sons were taken to Córdoba and executed. The next year, Furtun died in Tudela, and Lubb died in an accident in Viguera in 875.
This left control of the family to Isma'il ibn Musa in Monzon, and Lubb's son, Muhammad ibn Lubb al-Qasawi. Muhammad ibn Lubb first became known for defending Zaragoza against the emirate's troops.
Muhammad ibn Lubb: The New Leader
Over the next ten years, Muhammad ibn Lubb worked to become the main leader of the Banu Qasi family. He fought off attacks from Córdoba in 879 and 882. He even tried to get the Cordoban general, Hashim ibn Abd al-Aziz, to join him against the Asturians. Muhammad later allied with the kings of Pamplona and Asturias. He even raised the future King Ordoño II of León in his court.
The fight for power within the Banu Qasi family reached its peak in 882. Muhammad fought a large force led by his uncle Isma'il ibn Musa and his cousin Isma'il ibn Furtun. In these family conflicts, Furtun's four sons were killed, and Isma'il ibn Musa had to retreat. Muhammad ibn Lubb became the clear head of the family, controlling most of the Banu Qasi lands.
In 884, the emir sent armies into the region and took Zaragoza. However, Muhammad ibn Lubb had reportedly sold the city before it fell. This left the Banu Qasi with a stronger base around Arnedo, Borja, Calahorra, and Viguera. Isma'il kept an area to the east, around Monzon and Lleida.
In 885 and 886, Muhammad attacked Castile and Álava, killing many Christians. In 886, Emir Muhammad I of Córdoba died. Muhammad ibn Lubb challenged the new emirs. They responded by giving Zaragoza to the rival Tujibids and Huesca to Muhammad al-Tawil. Isma'il ibn Musa challenged al-Tawil, but Isma'il's son was killed, and another son was captured. Isma'il died soon after in 889. The emir confirmed Muhammad ibn Lubb as the successor to Isma'il's lands.
There was a period of peace between Muhammad ibn Lubb and al-Tawil. In 891, Muhammad defeated a Christian force. In his last years, he focused on attacking Tujibid Zaragoza, starting a 17-year siege. In 897, the people of Toledo offered their city to Muhammad, but he sent his son Lubb instead. In 898, Muhammad was scouting Zaragoza when a guard killed him. His head was sent to Córdoba and displayed for eight days before being buried with honors.
Lubb ibn Muhammad: A New Generation
Lubb ibn Muhammad al-Qasawi, Muhammad's son, was born in 870. He was already active when his father died. In 896, he was strengthening Monzon when al-Tawil of Huesca attacked. Lubb defeated al-Tawil's larger army and captured his brother.
In 897, Lubb went to Toledo to accept the leadership offer the citizens had made to his father. Back in the east, he attacked Aura, which led to the death of Wilfred of Barcelona. In 898, after his father's death, Lubb returned to Tudela. He officially recognized the emir Abd Allah's rule in exchange for being governor of Tudela and Tarazona.
When Lubb returned north, al-Tawil was trying to take advantage of the power vacuum. Lubb captured the Huesca ruler in a skirmish. To get his freedom, al-Tawil gave Lubb lands and agreed to pay a large sum of money. He gave his son and daughter as hostages to ensure payment. Lubb later forgave the debt and returned the hostages, except for the daughter, whom he married.
Lubb ibn Muhammad continued his father's siege of Zaragoza, but he was pulled in other directions. In 900, King Alfonso III and Fortún Garcés of Pamplona attacked Tarazona, but Lubb stopped them. In 903, Toledo rebelled again and asked Lubb to take control. He sent his brother Mutarrif, who became their leader. Mutarrif's fate is unknown, but by 906, he was replaced by another family member who was then killed.
Alfonso again attacked Lubb's lands, but Lubb moved his army, forcing Alfonso to retreat. Lubb then attacked Pallars, killing many and taking a thousand captives, including Count Raymond's son, Isarn. Isarn was held in Tudela for ten years before being freed.
In 905, a group including the King of Asturias and the counts of Aragon and Pallars, helped Sancho Garcés become king of Navarre, replacing Fortún Garcés. Two years later, Lubb attacked Pamplona. He fought at "Liédena" on September 30, 907. The Banu Qasi forces were completely defeated, and Lubb was killed. This battle changed the region forever. Sancho's Pamplona became a major power, and the Banu Qasi began their final decline.
The Decline of the Banu Qasi (905-929)
After Lubb's death, his rivals quickly took over the Banu Qasi lands. Sancho moved towards Calahorra. The Tujibids finally broke the siege of Zaragoza and captured Ejea. Al-Tawil took back the lands he had lost and captured the family's eastern areas, including Barbastro and Lleida. Monzon was briefly controlled by Lubb's brother, Yunus ibn Muhammad, but he couldn't hold it, and Monzon also fell to al-Tawil.
In the remaining western lands, Lubb was succeeded by his brother Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Qasawi. In 911, Abd Allah and al-Tawil, along with al-Tawil's brother-in-law Galindo Aznárez II of Aragon, attacked Pamplona. They destroyed several castles but then retreated. Sancho caught them. Al-Tawil escaped, but Galindo was defeated and forced to recognize Sancho as his ruler, ending Aragon's independence.
In 914, Sancho attacked the Banu Qasi homeland, taking Arnedo and attacking Calahorra. In 915, Sancho attacked Tudela and captured Abd Allah, killing many of his best men. Abd Allah's brother, Mutarrif ibn Muhammad al-Qasawi, rushed to help the city. Abd Allah was freed after his daughter Urraca and probably his son Furtun ibn Abd Allah were given as hostages. However, two months later, Abd Allah was killed, reportedly by Sancho's orders.
A small victory for the family happened in the east. In 913, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik al-Tawil died. The next year, the people of Monzon rejected his son and invited the Banu Qasi to return. Muhammad ibn Lubb, son of Lubb ibn Muhammad, reclaimed Monzon and Lleida for his family after a short siege.
In the west, Mutarrif ibn Muhammad and his nephew Muhammad ibn Abd Allah fought for control. Muhammad ibn Abd Allah won, killing Mutarrif in 916. Since Lubb's death in 907, the Banu Qasi had been divided and weakened. Two strong powers emerged: to the north and west, the new king of León, Ordoño II, and Sancho I of Navarre. They brought a strong army south, attacking the Banu Qasi lands in 918. At the same time, the young and energetic Abd ar-Rahman III, the emir (soon to be Caliph) of Córdoba, sent armies north, defeating the Christians.
In 919, both Banu Qasi leaders, Muhammad ibn Abd Allah and Muhammad ibn Lubb, attacked the Banu al-Tawil. But Sancho took advantage of this. He allied with his cousin and the Banu al-Tawil, then attacked and burned Monzon. Monzon was then lost to the Banu Qasi. In 920, the emir, Abd ar-Rahman III, personally led the Cordoban army north and defeated the armies of Ordoño and Sancho.
In 923, the Christian allies brought another force south. Muhammad ibn Abd Allah formed a group of local nobles to fight them, but their armies were scattered, and Viguera and Najera fell. Muhammad was captured and killed by Sancho's orders. When Abd ar-Rahman launched another campaign the next year, he removed the Banu Qasi from Tudela and sent them to Córdoba. He put their old rivals, the Tujibids of Zaragoza, in their place.
After 923, only the eastern areas of Lleida and the castles of Balaguer, Barbastro, and Ayera were still in the family's hands. However, one by one, these places expelled Muhammad ibn Lubb and turned to the Tujibids for leadership. This left him with only Ayera in 928. The next year, Muhammad was ambushed and killed by his brother-in-law.
Legacy of the Banu Qasi
The death of Muhammad ibn Lubb marked the end of the Banu Qasi's power in the Ebro valley. Their rivals, the Tujibids, followed their example. They made their own peace with León in 937. This led to a punishment from the Caliph, similar to what the Banu Qasi had faced. The Tujibids eventually created their own independent kingdom centered at Zaragoza.
Two other kingdoms were ruled by men with names similar to Banu Qasi. However, there is no real proof they were related to the original family. One small kingdom was founded by Abd Allah ibn Qasim. Another, in 1144, was started by a Christian convert and mystic named Abu-l-Qasim Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Qasi. He was called Ibn Qasi. He established a kingdom and encouraged the Almohads to move against Seville. But he later fell out with them and was killed by his own men in 1151.
Leaders of the Banu Qasi
Here are the known leaders of the Banu Qasi family:
- Cassius, active around 714
- Musa ibn Furtun, grandson of Cassius
- Musa ibn Musa, died 862, son of Musa ibn Furtun
- Lubb ibn Musa, died 875, son of Musa ibn Musa
- Isma'il ibn Musa, co-leader until 882, died 889, son of Musa ibn Musa
- Muhammad ibn Lubb, co-leader until 882, then sole leader, died 899, son of Lubb ibn Musa
- Lubb ibn Muhammad, died 907, son of Muhammad ibn Lubb
- Abd Allah ibn Muhammad, died 915, son of Muhammad ibn Lubb
- Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, died 923, son of Abd Allah ibn Muhammad
- Muhammad ibn Lubb, died 929, son of Lubb ibn Muhammad
(This marks the end of the dynasty's main power.)
See also
In Spanish: Banu Qasi para niños
