Stories (novellas) from Arabic chronicles of the 9th–10th cent.

Abstract

The publication offers academic translations of fifteen stories from the major chronicles of the 9th–10th cent. AD written in Arabic and arranged after the ruling dynasties. These two centuries witnessed the genesis and further development of this very popular genre of historical narrative. The so-called “dynastic” chronicles display the events of the history of the Muslim Community by dividing it following the times of the rule of the Muslim sovereigns, the Caliphs. Such chronicles were authored by the Muslim as well as by the Christian authors. Concerning the composition of historical works, their texts can be described as “amalgamated” and comprise along with other information a certain type of stories, which are written in a “genre” of “belles-lettres”. They usually comprise dialogues and rather vivid descriptions of historical characters and their deeds. The chronicles, which these stories are extracted from are written by ad-Dinawari (d. 891), al-Ya‘kubi (d. 897), Eutichius (d. c. 940) and al-Muqaddasi (d. end X c.)2 . The translations are arranged in the chronological order and supplied with roman numerals. The publication is followed by a detailed commentary.The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.