agreed to pay annually.[1] In the caliphate of al-Maʾmûn, Sîsar was taken from the hand of ʿÂṣim ibn-Murrah and once more added to the crown-domains [ḍiyâʿ al-khilâfah].
Al-Mafâzah. I was told by certain sheikhs from al-Mafâzah, which is situated near Sîsar, that when al-Jurashi[2] ruled over al-Jabal the inhabitants of al-Mafâzah evacuated their town. Al-Jurashi had a general, Hammâm ibn-Hâniʾ al-ʿAbdi, to whom most of the people of al-Mafâzah yielded their villages and held them as tenants in order to enjoy his protection. Hammâm appropriated the villages to himself and used to pay the treasury what was due on them until he died. His sons were too weak to hold them. After the death of Muḥammad ibn-Zubaidah, when al-Maʾmûn was on his way from Khurâsân to Madînat as-Salâm, he was met by certain sons of Hammâm and a man from al-Mafâzah named Muḥammad ibn-al-ʿAbbâs, who told him the story of the place and informed him of the desire of all the people to give up their lands to him and act as his tenants in it provided they be protected and strengthened against the destitute bands and others. Al-Maʾmûn accepted their offer and ordered that they be reinforced and strengthened in order to cultivate the lands and repair them. Thus these lands were added to the crown-domains.
Laila-l-Akhyalîyah. According to a tradition communicated to me by al-Madâʾini, Laila-l-Akhyalîyah paid a visit to al-Ḥajjâj. He gave her a present, and she requested him to write and recommend her to his ʿâmil at ar-Rai. On her way back, Laila died at Sâwah, where she was buried.
