The Conquest of Cities

This book (Arabic: Fotuh al-Boldan) is one of the most invaluable and reliable works on the Islamic conquests, the date and quality of the conquests, from the time of the Holy Prophet up to that of the author, written in Arabic, by Ahmad Ibn Yahya Balazuri, great historian, genealogist, poet and translator of Persian into Arabic. It is a summary of Bozorgmehr’s (Iranian vizier of Anushirvan, Sasanid king) work called “Great Cities” (al-Boldan al-Kabir). ####

The author
Ahmad Ibn Yahya Balazuri, prominent Arabic historian in the 9th century. There is not exact information about his life, there are different ideas on date of his birth. He may was born between 787 to 797 or 811 to 816 in Baghdad. Balazuri was a great translator, man of letters, poet and ariter of many different books on history and lineage and also one of the most famous historians of Islamic consequests. He studied in Antakieh, Homs, Syria and Aleppo. Some believe that he was Iranian. His ancestors were all scribes and secretaries in the court of kings in Islamic times. Balazuri himself also had this job. He eulogized Ma’mun (Abbasid caliph) by his poems. Although he did not mention to any special religion but many quoted traditions in his works are considered by great Shia scholars. His relationships with Mutawakkel (Abbasid caliph) and calling him “Amir al-Mu’menin” (Commander of the Believers), reject this idea that he was Shia. Balazuri received all the information he needed from the members of Abbasid dynasty such as: Hebat Allah Ibn Ibrahim and Mutawakkel (Abbasid caliph).

Works:
1- Lineageg of nobles (on history and parentage)
2- Conquering cities (on conquests of Muslims from time of the Holy Prophet and next)
3- Reign of Ardeshir (translated from Persian into Arabic poem)

Balazuri died in 892 in Baghdad.

The book structure
Muslims’ conquests in different areas are arranged in order:
- the conquests of Arabian Peninsula
- the conquests of Syria
- the conquests of Iran, Iraq, Africa, Andalusia, Cyprus
- the history of Arabic orthography
- striking coins
- changing the language of courts (from Persian and Greek into Arabic)
- conquering Iraq, Rey, Gorgan, Kerman, Ahwaz, etc. (by Masoudi)

translation of the book
the section of the book on “Iran” was translated into Persian by “Dr. Azartash Azarnoosh”
the complete translation of the book was done by “Ahmad Tavakkol”.

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