Abd al-Rahman I
Founder and first emir of the Emirate of Córdoba, who established the Umayyad dynasty in al-Andalus after fleeing the Abbasid Revolution.
Abd al-Rahman I (731–788), born Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiya, was the founder and first emir of the Emirate of Córdoba, which he ruled from 756 until his death. He established the Umayyad dynasty in al-Andalus, a line that lasted nearly three hundred years, including the later Caliphate of Córdoba. He is also remembered by the titles al-Dakhil ("the Immigrant") and Saqr Quraysh ("the Falcon of Quraysh").
He was born in Palmyra, near Damascus, the son of the Umayyad prince Mu'awiya ibn Hisham. Later Andalusi historians, such as Ibn Hayyan and Ibn Idhari, claimed his mother was a Berber woman named Rah, possibly a concubine from the Nafza tribe, though this is not found in contemporary eighth-century sources. His grandfather was Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, who reigned from 724 to 743.
When the Abbasid Revolution overthrew the Umayyads in 748–750, Abd al-Rahman was twenty years old. He fled Damascus with a small group: his brother Yahya, his four-year-old son Sulayman, some sisters, and his Greek freedman Bedr. The Abbasids sent horsemen across the region to hunt down and kill any Umayyad they found. While hiding in a small village, the group was nearly caught. Abd al-Rahman left his son with his sisters and escaped with Yahya and Bedr (though some accounts say Bedr joined him later). The three fled south, but Abbasid horsemen caught up. They threw themselves into the Euphrates. The horsemen called for them to return, promising safety. Yahya, perhaps afraid of drowning, turned back. Abd al-Rahman cried out, "O brother! Come to me, come to me!" but Yahya returned to the near shore, where the horsemen beheaded him and left his body. According to the later historian al-Maqqari, Abd al-Rahman was so terrified that he ran until he collapsed. Only he and Bedr remained.
They continued south through Palestine, the Sinai, and into Egypt, keeping a low profile. Abd al-Rahman likely aimed for the Maghreb, his mother's homeland, partly conquered by earlier Umayyads. In Ifriqiya (roughly modern Tunisia), the semi-autonomous governor Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri, a former Umayyad vassal, initially invited Umayyad exiles. But around 755, fearing their prestige might undermine his own power, he turned against them. Abd al-Rahman and Bedr were hiding in Kabylie with a friendly Nafza Berber chieftain. When Ibn Habib's soldiers searched the camp, the chieftain's wife Tekfah hid Abd al-Rahman under her belongings. Once the soldiers left, the pair fled west.
By 755, they reached modern Morocco near Ceuta. Their next step was to cross to al-Andalus, a province in crisis after the Berber Revolt of the 740s. The Muslim community was torn by Arab tribal feuds (Qays versus Yemeni) and Arab-Berber tensions. The nominal ruler, emir Yusuf ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri, was locked in a power struggle with his vizier al-Sumayl ibn Hatim al-Kilabi, head of the Syrian junds. Among those Syrian troops were old Umayyad clients, perhaps 500 strong, and Abd al-Rahman hoped to win their loyalty. He sent Bedr across the straits to test the waters.
- born
- 7 March 731, Palmyra, near Damascus
- died
- 30 September 788
- field
- Ruler, founder of the Emirate of Córdoba
- nationality
- Umayyad Arab
- known_for
- Founding the Umayyad dynasty in al-Andalus; known as al-Dakhil ('the Immigrant') and Saqr Quraysh ('the Falcon of Quraysh')
Lore & Background
Abd al-Rahman was a member of the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus. His establishment of a government in Iberia represented a break with the Abbasids, who had overthrown the Umayyads in Damascus in 750. He was born in Palmyra, near Damascus, the son of the Arab Umayyad prince Mu'awiya ibn Hisham and, according to later Andalusi sources, a Berber woman named Rah, who was possibly a concubine from the Nafza tribe. The identity of his mother is not attested in contemporary 8th-century sources, and appears only in later historians such as Ibn Hayyan (d. 1076) and Ibn Idhari (d. 1310). He was the grandson of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, who ruled as caliph from 724 to 743. He was twenty when his family, the ruling Umayyads, were overthrown by the Abbasid Revolution in 748–750. Abd al-Rahman and a small part of his family fled Damascus, including his brother Yahya, his four-year-old son Sulayman, some of his sisters, and his Greek mawla (freedman or client), Bedr. The family fled from Damascus to the River Euphrates. Abbasid agents closed in on them while they were hiding in a small village. He left his young son with his sisters and fled with Yahya. Accounts vary, but Bedr likely escaped with Abd al-Rahman. Some histories indicate that Bedr met up with Abd al-Rahman at a later date. Abd al-Rahman, Yahya, and Bedr quit the village, narrowly escaping the Abbasid assassins. On the way south, Abbasid horsemen again caught up with the trio. Abd al-Rahman and his companions then threw themselves into the River Euphrates. The horsemen urged them to return, promising that no harm would come to them; and Yahya, perhaps from fear of drowning, turned back. The 17th-century historian Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari described Abd al-Rahman's reaction as he implored Yahya to keep going: 'O brother! Come to me, come to me!' Yahya returned to the near shore, and was quickly dispatched by the horsemen. They cut off his head and left his body to rot. Al-Maqqari quotes earlier historians reporting that Abd al-Rahman was so overcome with fear that from the far shore he ran until exhaustion overcame him. Only he and Bedr were left to face the unknown. After barely escaping, Abd al-Rahman and Bedr continued south through Palestine, the Sinai, and then into Egypt. Around 755, Abd al-Rahman and Bedr reached modern-day Morocco near Ceuta. Abd al-Rahman landed at Almuñécar in al-Andalus, to the east of
Reader's Guide
Upon landing in Torrox, al-Andalus, Abd al-Rahman was greeted by clients Abu Uthman and Ibn Khalid and an escort of 300 cavalry. During his brief time in Málaga, he was able to amass local support quickly. Waves of people made their way to Málaga to pay respect to the prince they thought was dead, including many Syrians. One famous story that persisted through history related to a gift Abd al-Rahman was given while in Málaga. The gift was a beautiful young slave girl, but Abd al-Rahman humbly returned her to her previous master. News of the prince's arrival spread throughout the peninsula. During this time, emir al-Fihri and the Syrian commander al-Sumayl pondered what to do about the new threat.
Did You Know?
- Abd al-Rahman I was also known as 'the Immigrant' (al-Dakhil) and 'the Falcon of Quraysh' (Saqr Quraysh).
- His mother, according to later Andalusi sources, was a Berber woman named Rah, possibly a concubine from the Nafza tribe, but this is not attested in contemporary 8th-century sources.
- After the Abbasid Revolution, he fled Damascus with his brother Yahya, his four-year-old son Sulayman, some sisters, and his Greek mawla Bedr.
- His brother Yahya drowned or was killed by Abbasid horsemen at the River Euphrates after turning back.
- He landed at Almuñécar in al-Andalus in September 755, though the exact landing site is unconfirmed.
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