Ibn Bassam facts for kids

Ibn Bassam or Ibn Bassam al-Shantarini (born 1058, died 1147) was a famous poet and historian. He came from al-Andalus, which was a Muslim-ruled part of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal).

He was born in Santarém, a city that is now in Portugal. Ibn Bassam belonged to a group of people called the Banu Taghlib tribe.

Life and Times

Ibn Bassam lived during a time of many changes and conflicts. His home city of Santarém was often attacked. These attacks were from groups like the Castilians, who were trying to take over lands in the region.

Ibn Bassam wrote about how these invasions forced him to leave Santarém. He described losing his land and wealth. He said he was left with almost nothing, except for his old sword.

His Famous Book

Ibn Bassam is best known for his amazing book called Dhakhira fi mahasin ahl al-Jazira. This long title means "The Treasury concerning the Merits of the People of Iberia." It is a very important source of information for historians.

What the Book is About

This book is like a huge collection of stories and facts. It tells us a lot about the history, literature, and culture of the Almoravid dynasty. The Almoravids were a powerful group who ruled parts of al-Andalus and North Africa.

How the Book Was Written

The Dhakhira was written in a special style called rhymed prose. It has many biographies, which are stories about people's lives. Many of these biographies were written about people who lived at the same time as Ibn Bassam.

He also included details from another important book, the Kitab al-Matin by Ibn Hayyan. When Ibn Bassam used information from Ibn Hayyan's book, he would clearly say so. He would write "Ibn Hayyan says" before the quote and "here ends Ibn Hayyan's words" after it. This helped readers know where the information came from.

See also

In Spanish: Ibn Bassam para niños