Hassan al-Kalbi

Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi l-Hassan al-Kalbi ( Arabic الحسن بن علي بن أبي الحسين الكلبي, DMG al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. Abī l-Ḥasan al-Kalbī ; † 964 ) was emir of Sicily from 948 to 954 . He was the founder of the local Muslim dynasty of the Kalbites , which ruled the island until the middle of the 11th century.

prehistory

Italy around the year 1000

Sicily was conquered between 827 and 878 by the Arabs of the Aghlabid dynasty of Ifrīqiya ( Tunisia ). After the fall of the Aghlabids in 909, the emirs of Sicily initially made themselves increasingly independent. During this time, however, there were also civil war-like unrest, which was based on deeply rooted differences between Arabs and Berbers and between Arabs of northern and southern Arab origin. B. in predominantly Arab Palermo and in Berber Agrigento culminated in armed uprisings. The Fatimids, who had ousted the Aghlabids in North Africa, only succeeded in asserting their sovereignty in Sicily during the tenure of Al-Qaim (934–946), their second imam . From 944 to 947, however, Al-Qaim and his son Isma`îl al-Mansûr , the third caliph of the Fatimids (946–953), were busy putting down the Berber rebellion of the Kharijites under Abu Yazid in North Africa. Only then did Isma'îl al-Mansûr turn his attention back to Sicily. In order to get the still turbulent situation under control, he appointed Hassan al-Kalbi as governor and emir of Sicily in 948.

origin

Hassan bin Ali al-Kalbi came from an influential Kalbid family from the Kalab bin Wabara tribe of the Banu Abil Hussain. The Banu Kalb , who had moved from southern Arabia to what is now Syria, Jordan and western Iraq before the establishment of Islam and who have held a predominant position there ever since, had played a significant role , particularly since the Umayyad period , and at least four Calbids were governors of Al-Andalus in Cordoba between 722 and 746 . They had lost influence in North Africa under the Sunni Aghlabids, but under the Shiite Fatimids, whom they rendered valuable service during and after their takeover, their tribal princes regained office and dignity. Hassan al-Kalbi's father was Ali bin Ali al-Kalbi, son-in-law of the Fatimid governor of Sicily, Salim bin Abi Rashid, who was in office from 917 to 936. Ali bin Ali fell during the siege of Agrigento in 938. His son Hassan had distinguished himself in the campaigns of the Imams al-Qaim and al-Mansûr against Abu Yazid and thus recommended himself for higher tasks in the service of the Fatimids.

Domination

Hassan al-Kalbi resided in Palermo . He managed very quickly to suppress the uprisings and restore internal peace in Sicily. He strengthened his army, repelled Byzantine attacks, undertook new raids into Italy, and forced Byzantium to resume the tribute payments to the Fatimids, which had been suspended after the fall of the Aghlabids . His rule heralded a heyday for Sicily. Muslim immigrants, including many Berbers forcibly relocated from North Africa, strengthened the island's economic power. The growing income from taxes, tribute payments and raids allowed Hassan al-Kalbi to finance brisk construction activities in Palermo. During his tenure, the first of the famous qanats were built under the rapidly growing city, whose water supply was thus ensured. Palaces, mosques and schools were built and gardens laid out, and Palermo grew into a metropolis of 200,000 people, where handicrafts and trade flourished.

When Imam Ismail al-Mansur died in 952, Hassan al-Kalbi went to the new Fatimid capital al-Mansuriya , whether voluntarily or on orders is not clear. His son Ahmad ibn Hassan († 969) followed him as Emir of Sicily. Hassan al-Kalbi died in 964. The emirate of Sicily remained, with a brief interruption between 1037 and 1040, until 1053 in practically hereditary possession of its descendants, the Kalbites, who made up a total of ten emirs of Sicily.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Carlo Trabia: "Kanats of Sicily", in: Best of Sicily Magazine , March 2005

literature

• Michele Amari : Storia dei musulmani di Sicilia . 2. editione modificata e accresciuta dall'autore. Pubblicato con note a cura di Carlo Alfonso Nallino. Romeo Prampolini, Catania 1933–1939, (Italian).

predecessor	Office	successor
Ibn Ataf	Emir of Sicily ( Kalbite dynasty ) 948–954	Ahmad ibn Hassan