Bad Rulers in Medieval Seville
Al-Aʿmā al-Tuṭaylī (d. 1131) on the Almoravids
This week, I did not have time for the Learner’s Version of a poem, but I have made a video about the first line of this poem. Watch right here. Let me know what you think! I’m hoping to start featuring a video on one line as a lesson for beginning learners.
Al-Aʿmā al-Tuṭaylī, whose nickname means “the blind man of Tudela,” was actually born in Seville to parents from Tudela, in present-day Navarre in northeastern Spain. He was born blind and died relatively young, around the age of 40. He was a professional poet, and most of his ouevre is panegryic (praise of rulers). Our poem this week is an exception to this, as he rails against the (unnamed) ruler of Seville, implying that he should be overthrown or assassinated.
Around the time that al-Tuṭaylī was born, Andalus was politically fractured. Seville, the most powerful city-state, was headed by Al-Muʿtamid ibn ʿAbbād (d. 1095), who is now famous for his patronage of poetry and other literature and arts. In the late 11th century, al-Muʿtamid and other rulers invited the Almoravids, primarily Lamtuna Berbers inspired by a strict vision of Islamic reform, to help fight against the Christians to the north. The Almoravids ended up staying (see the map of their empire below), taking control of Seville among other places, and al-Tuṭaylī’s poem appears to be directed against one of their governors in his hometown. Throughout the poem, he refers to Seville as “Homs,” its nickname after the Syrian city. Andalus was primarily conquered by Syrians in the eighth century, and so many Islamic Andalusi cities were nicknamed after Syrian cities. Substack isn’t letting me put footnotes in the poetic text, so I’ll explain the allusions at the end.
I complain unto God
I complain unto God of our state: a curse no treatment can cure. Instead of shirts let our hearts—or nothing— be rent over something like this. Injustice is rampant, its factions deluded; no one brings help or salvation. Riffraff with their deception are ruling; and how else does disaster strike? How is it the gardens still laugh among themselves? How do clouds still rain on the rocks? What causes any laughter in Homs? It's more like weeping than laughter. Today has burdened us with tragedy; we submitted to it and awaited the morning. So many have ganged together against the Muslims; they've twisted the truth to them, and it bent. He's a dog whose recklessness makes him vicious; he kept on and they thought he was a lion of Sharā. His roared at them, they took fright; but he wouldn't have yelped among others. He scorned both God and Muslims; either one would have been more than enough... He threw off religion like one doffs a scabbard and consumed debt as if feeding off usory. The sight of him is a mote in everyone's eye; the thought of him sticks in every throat. When it comes to doling out injustice to Muslims he's more generous that Ḥātim. And when the chance arises he's more lethal to them than Khālid to his enemies. Truth must have its revolution to slay error and revive right guidance. God never abandons a Muslim community and God lets nothing happen in vain. Oh people of Homs, I've been calling to you; do you listen to the one who calls? I've given a sign to you, so listen, I've riddled you to see how well your mind works.
Lion of Sharā: Sharā is an Arabian place name from early Islamic poetry. Particularly fierce lions were said to dwell there. Sharā may also mean “a mountain.”
Ḥātim al-Ṭāʾī: a pre-Islamic (sixth century) poet, famed for his generosity.
Khālid ibn al-Walīd (d. 642): one of the most famous commanders of the early Islamic conquests.
