Ali ibn Yahya al-Armani is a Muslim commander of the middle of the 9th century of Armenian origin [1] . In 840, he was appointed to Egypt as governor, replacing Malik ibn Kadir [2] .
He was later appointed commander of the border regions of the caliphate in Cilicia to confront the Byzantine Empire. He was the first emir of Tarsus , who carried out an almost independent policy in connection with a decrease in the power of the central government of the caliphate [3] . In this position, Ali undertook several summer expeditions over the Taurus Mountains to Byzantine Anatolia: raids led by Ali took place in 851, 852, 853, 856, 859 and 860 [4] . In 862, he was appointed governor (wali) of the emirate of Arminiyi ( Armenian emirate ) and Azarbai , the next year he fell in battle with the Byzantines [4] .
According to the author of the 10th century book al-Masudi , Ali's reputation was such that he was among those illustrious Muslims whose portraits were exhibited in Byzantine churches in recognition of their prowess [5] .
Notes
- ↑ Canard (1986), p. 638: "There were Armenians, too, in the Muslim territories, serving the Caliphs, but converted to Islam, like the celebrated amir Ali al-Armani who died in 863, not long after he had been named governor of Armenia and Adharbaydjan."
- ↑ Gordon (2001), p. 207 (Note # 25)
- ↑ Hild & Hellenkemper (1990), pp. 48-50
- ↑ 1 2 Hild & Hellenkemper (1990), p. 50
- ↑ The Meadows of Gold, VIII, 74-75
Links
- Canard, Marius (sections I, II (a), III); Cahen, Claude (section II (b)); Deny, J. (section II (c)) (1986), "Armīniya" , The Encyclopedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume I: A – B , Leiden and New York: BRILL, pp. 636-650, ISBN 90-04-08114-3 , < http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/arminiya-COM_0064 >
- Gordon, Matthew. The breaking of a thousand swords: a history of the Turkish military of Samarra, AH 200–275 / 815–889 CE . - State University of New York Press, 2001. - ISBN 978-0-7914-4795-6 .
- Hild, Friedrich. Tabula Imperii Byzantini, Band 5: Kilikien und Isaurien: [] / Friedrich Hild, Hansgerd Hellenkemper. - Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1990 .-- ISBN 3-7001-1811-2 .