Ibn al-Abbar facts for kids

Ibn al-Abbār (ابن الأبار) was a very important scholar, poet, and diplomat from al-Andalus (which is now part of Spain). His full name was Abū Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abū Bakr al-Qudā'ī al-Balansī (أبو عبد الله محمد بن عبد الله بن أبي بكر بن عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن القضاعي البلنسي). He lived from 1199 to 1260. He worked as a secretary for the rulers of the Hafsid dynasty in North Africa. Many people consider him the most famous writer and scholar from the city of Valencia during the Middle Ages.

Ibn al-Abbār's Life Story

Ibn al-Abbār's family came from Yemen in Arabia. They had lived for many generations in a village called Onda. Since he was an only child, his father, who was also a scholar, a lawyer (called a faqīh), and a poet, made sure he received the best education.

Early Education and Career

Ibn al-Abbār learned from famous teachers of his time. He studied law and poetry. He also traveled around al-Andalus. In 1222, he heard that his father had died while he was in Badajoz. He returned to Valencia and became a secretary (kātib) for the governor, Abū Zayd. He also got married around this time.

Political Changes and Exile

In 1229, there was a rebellion against the Almohades. This forced Governor Abū Zayd to leave Valencia. Ibn al-Abbār went with him, and they found safety with King James I of Aragon. However, when his patron Abū Zayd became a Christian, Ibn al-Abbār left him.

He went back to Valencia in 1231. There, he became a top advisor (called a vizier) to the new ruler, Abū Jamil ibn Zayyan ibn Mardanish. Ibn al-Abbār had known this ruler before. Around 1235, he also worked as a judge (qadi) for a while in Dénia.

Seeking Help for Valencia

In 1236, the city of Cordova was captured by Ferdinand III of Castile. In 1237, King James I of Aragon defeated Ibn Mardanish in a battle. Soon after, the city of Valencia was surrounded by enemy forces.

Abū Jamil sent Ibn al-Abbār to ask for help from Abū Zakariyā Yaḥyā, the ruler (sultan) of the Hafsid kingdom in Tunis. Ibn al-Abbār gave a famous speech (a "qasīda") to the Sultan. In his speech, he praised al-Andalus and spoke sadly about its difficult situation. Abū Zakariyā sent twelve ships to help, but they could not reach Valencia because the port was blocked. The ships had to land in Dénia instead.

Later, Ibn al-Abbār was given the job of negotiating the surrender of Valencia. The agreement was signed on September 29, 1238. After this, Ibn al-Abbār and the ruler fled to Dénia and Murcia. In 1240, Ibn al-Abbār moved permanently to Tunis.

Life in Tunis and Final Years

In Tunis, Abū Zakariyā welcomed Ibn al-Abbār again. He made him the head of his writing office and his official praiser. However, Ibn al-Abbār had enemies at court. Because of this, he was replaced and sent away to Béjaïa in 1248.

Before Abū Zakariyā died in 1249, he forgave Ibn al-Abbār and called him back. Ibn al-Abbār then became an advisor to the new ruler, Muhammad I al-Mustansir. But in 1252, he was sent away to Béjaïa again.

After the Abbāsid Caliphate in Baghdad fell in 1258, Muhammad I al-Mustansir declared himself the new caliph. In 1259, Ibn al-Abbār was forgiven once more and called back to Tunis. Soon after, he was arrested. It seems he was accused of plotting against the ruler or writing critical poems. He was put to death by order of al-Mustansir on January 6, 1260. His body and his books were destroyed. The historian Ibn Khaldūn wrote about this in his book History of the Berbers.

Ibn al-Abbār's Writings

Ibn al-Abbār wrote forty-five books, and eight of them still exist today. He was very interested in saving the intellectual history of his homeland.

• Kitāb al-Takmila li Kitāb al-ṣila (كتاب التكملة لالكتاب الصلىة): This book is a "Supplement" to earlier histories about scholars from al-Andalus. It is a large collection of biographies (life stories) of more than three thousand important people in the literary and cultural history of Muslim Spain. Ibn al-Abbār started writing it in Valencia in 1233 and finished it in Tunis.
• Kitāb al-ḥulla al-siyarā ('Book of the embroidered tunic'): This book was finished in Béjaïa in 1248/49. It is a collection of poetry and literary works.
• Tuḥfat al-qādim (تحفة القادم), 'Newcomer's gift': This book tells the life stories and lists the works of Andalusian poets from his time.
• I'tāb al-kuttāb: This is a short collection of stories about officials who lost their positions but later got them back. He wrote it while he was sent away to Béjaïa.
• Al-‘Arba’ūn (الأربعون), ‘The Forty (traditions)’: This book contains forty important religious sayings or traditions.
• Durar al-simṭ fī khabar al-sibṭ (درر السِّمط في خبر السِّبط), ‘Pearl necklace on the reports of the Israelites’: This is a religious book that he wrote during his second time in Béjaïa. It supports the family line of 'Ali.
• Dīwān (‘collected poems’): This is a collection of all of Ibn al-Abbār's poems.
• Ya’nī al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī (يعني الحسين بن علي) ‘meaning Husayn ibn Ali’.

See also

In Spanish: Ibn al-Abbar para niños