Legitimacy and Authority in Medieval Islamic Historiography

Burhan Bin Che Daud

doi:10.30874/ksshr.65

Abstract

Usurpation is a common term used by Western historians to describe the illegitimate change of political supremacy inthe context of medieval Muslim states. The taking over of any state without authority is considered an illegal occupationof a legitimate state and its leader is considered illegitimate or usurper. This paper attempts to shed some lights on thenotion of political legitimacy and authority in Islamic tradition and its application in the context of medieval Syria,particularly during the Zengid dynasty. This period experienced the coming of the second crusade to the East with therevitalization of the spirit of jihad was on its way among the Syrian Muslims. This paper argues that the Zengid dynastywas trying to uphold the institution of the caliphate through recognizing the spiritual leadership of the ‘Abbasid caliphof Baghdad as well as acquiring political legitimacy to administer their subject on behalf of the caliph and the Seljuqsultan. Through adherence to the Sunni tradition of political legitimacy, Zengi (d. 541/1146) and Nur al-Din (d.569/1174) succeeded in promoting Sunnism by means of Muslim unity and jihad enterprise. As a result, after theannexation of Egypt from the Fatimid caliphate in 565/1171, Muslims in Syria and Egypt were unified under the bannerof Sunnism with Nur al-Din as their new legitimate ruler

Highlights

During the course of the end of eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries, the Muslims in the East faced a crisis of legitimacy and authority within their own realm
Before exploring the historical narratives on the cause and consequences of the crisis of legitimacy, it is necessary to understand the notion of political legitimacy within its broader context and further analyse it within the eyes of medieval lens
Putting the framework in the context of medieval Syria, during the time when there were several petty states emerging, some of them were directly under the Seljuq sultans, who were the legitimate rulers on behalf of the caliph in Baghdad while others were not, is quite an intricate task

Summary

Introduction

During the course of the end of eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries, the Muslims in the East faced a crisis of legitimacy and authority within their own realm. Gibb [1] in his brief introduction of the translation of Ibn al-Qalanisi’s chronicle asserts that ‘the complexity of the political situation in Syria at the end of the eleventh century and during the early decades of the twelfth, a complexity verging almost upon anarchy, is an element of the first im portance in the history of the Crusades’. This paper attempts to shed some lights on the Muslim quest for political legitimacy based on evidences recorded in selected medieval Muslim historiographies during the end of eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries with special reference to the ceremonialprocesses that took place between the Zengids, the Seljuq sultanate andthe ‘Abbasid caliphate. Before exploring the historical narratives on the cause and consequences of the crisis of legitimacy, it is necessary to understand the notion of political legitimacy within its broader context and further analyse it within the eyes of medieval lens

Background

Materials and Methods

Discussion

Conclusion