Musa ibn Yahya (Arabic: موسى بن يحيى, romanizedMūsā ibn Yaḥyā) was a member of the powerful Barmakid family in the service of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Musa ibn Yahya
Coinage of Musa ibn Yahya al-Barmaki as governor of Sindh (c.AH 218–221 (833–836 CE)
Abbasid governor of Syria
In office
792 – 792
(less than a year)
MonarchHarun al-Rashid
Preceded byMusa ibn Isa ibn Musa al-Hashimi
Succeeded byAbd al-Malik ibn Salih
Abbasid governor of Sindh
In office
831–835
MonarchsAl-Ma'mun
Al-Mu'tasim
Preceded byGhassan ibn Abbad
Succeeded byImran ibn Musa ibn Yahya
Personal details
BornAbbasid Caliphate
Diedc. 835
Sind, Abbasid Caliphate (now Sindh province of Pakistan)
ChildrenImran (son)
Parent

Life

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Musa was a son of Yahya ibn Khalid. He was not as prominent as his brothers Ja'far and al-Fadl, but was well known for his bravery in battle.[1] He served as governor of Syria in 792, to suppress the Qays–Yaman conflict in the province.[1][2][3] In 802, he was denounced to Caliph Harun al-Rashid by the governor of Khurasan, Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan, as planning to raise the province in revolt against the Caliph. According to a report relayed by al-Tabari, at the same time Musa had to go into hiding from his debtors, so the Caliph became suspicious that he was about to secretly go to Khurasan; when Musa appeared before the Caliph, he had him arrested, and released only after his father vouchsafed for him.[4]

When the Barmakids were deposed and arrested by Caliph Harun al-Rashid in 803, Musa too was imprisoned with his father and brothers until the accession of al-Amin, who released them and showed them again some favour.[1] During the Fourth Fitna, Musa sided with al-Amin, fighting in the ranks of the loyalist army against al-Ma'mun, but he later entered the latter's service.[1] Al-Ma'mun appointed him as governor of Sindh. Musa died in office in 835, and was succeeded by his son, Imran.[1][2]

A grandson of Musa, Ahmad ibn Ja'far, surnamed Jahza, was one of the closest companions of the 10th century Caliph al-Muqtadir (r. 908–932).[1]

Family tree

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Barthold & Sourdel 1960, p. 1036.
  2. ^ a b Crone 1980, p. 177.
  3. ^ Bosworth 1989, pp. 132–134.
  4. ^ Bosworth 1989, pp. 212–213.

Sources

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