Al-Ḥakam I in the Andalusi Sources: His Slaves, Eunuchs, and Concubines

Abstract

Al-Ḥakam I (154-206 AH/771-822 CE) is one of the most controversial characters in the history of al-Andalus. Despite the fact that the extant chronicles of the Umayyad emirate and caliphate in al-Andalus are fundamentally pro-Umayyad, their authors nevertheless depict the emir as a cruel and pitiless character and are never at a loss in finding harsh terms to describe his political and military actions. The personality of the emir is especially evident in the descriptions that the chronicles make of his treatment of the slaves in his court. Firstly, this article seeks to underline the importance that slaves had in the court of al-Ḥakam and, secondly, it provides an analysis of the historians’ depictions of the emir based on the relationship he had with both his male and female slaves. Even though slaves in the Umayyad court have often been treated as secondary characters, their role is fundamental both in the narration of events and in the portrayal that Arab historians present of the sovereigns.