著者

原山 隆広

出版者

一般社団法人 日本オリエント学会

雑誌

オリエント (ISSN:00305219)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.50, no.2, pp.204-221, 2007 (Released:2010-03-12)

被引用文献数

1 1

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The Tafdil al-Atrak is a propaganda work by Ibn Hassul (d. 450/1058). This author served the first Saljugid ruler Tughril-Bek as secretary. During the time the Saljugids were advancing into Iraq (especially Baghdad), he wrote and dedicated this work to Tughril-Bek and his prime minister (wazir) al-Kunduri. That means the Tafdil al-Atrak is a product of the very period of this political upheaval, that is, the change of dynasty from the Buwayhids to the Saljugids. Thus it is a very precious contemporary source, from which we can gather interesting information about how the early Saljugids (Tughril-Bek's government) legitimized their rule, and how they regarded their opponents, the Buwayhids.The Tafdil al-Atrak comprises the following parts: 1) a refutation of the Kitab al-Taji, a Buwayhid history written by Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'; 2) a section on Persian myth and pre-Islamic history; 3) a section extolling the virtue of the Turks; and 4) a part praising Tughril-Bek and al-Kunduri. Throughout this work, Ibn Hassul presents Tughril-Bek as the ideal ruler, emphasizing his generosity, charitableness and justice, always contrasting him with 'Adud al-Dawla, the strongest Buwayhid ruler. But, the Buwayhids are not criticized for their religious attitude (i. e. Shi'a). In addition, the 'Abbasid caliphs are not described as the source of political legitimacy. Moreover, there do not appear signs of the themes often found in later sources, such as the Saljuqids' insistence on the caliphs' bestowing the robes of honor (khil'a), appointment decrees (taqlid/'ahd), and honorific titles (laqab); declaration of their obedience and loyalty to the caliphs; and their pursuance of religious obligations such as pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) and holy war against heretics and infidels (jihad). It is a commonly accepted thesis that the Saljugid rule represented a “Sunni revival.” However, these facts are not in accordance with this thesis. The Tafdil al-Atrak is an important argument against this thesis written by the Saljuqids themselves.