The pictures of Middle Eastern history: Yahya al-Antaki chronicle

[Heresson]

Some of the cool lions from the museum

[Heresson]

The Orontes (Al-Asi) river, where the patriarch was thrown into, the main mosque and Silpius mountain with remains of citadel

[Heresson]

Habibi Neccar mosque, with alleged graves of disciples of Jesus

[Heresson]

A crusaders' church around the cave where St Peter and St pauls the Apostles used to preach

[Datajack Franit]

Why isn´t my picture thread successfull as well?

[Heresson]

2

[Heresson]

carvings on the mountain

[Ecthy]

How could they work that stone without any tools?

[Heresson]

@ There was in Jerusalem*1 a gouvernor called Muhammad bn Isma'il as-Sannagi. He used to cause many sufferings to John son of Gami'*2, the patriarch of Jerusalem, and demand from him more money, than the order stated*3. The patriarch paid everytime he demanded something.
@ When the torments increased, the patriarch went to Egypt, to Kafur*4, and with help of christian secretaries*5 he complained at the sufferings he received from As-Sannagi and others.
@ Kafur wrote to his deputy in Syria, Al-Hasan bn 'Ubayd Allah bn Tughg, and ordered him to
forbid As-Sannagi the persecution of patriarch and stop him from unjust demands. He also ordered him to be informed, that the patriarch is under his sure protection
@ Though the letters of Kafur were received by Al-Hasan bn 'Ubayd Allah, and he informed As-Sannagi about their contents, As-Sannagi didn't stop his activity*5,5.
@ When the holiday of descending of Holy Spirit*6 approached, As-Sannagi demanded from patriarch more, than he used to pay during this holiday. He demanded much from him. The patriarch went to Ar-Ramlah*7 and informed Ibn 'Ubayd Allah about his situation, and that the letters were not enough. Therefore, Ibn 'Ubayd Allah sent with him a military leader named Takin*8 and ordered him to protect christians and take care of them, so that As-Sannagi and others could not rob them or repress them.
@ As-Sannagi got angry at that the patriarch was avoiding him. He called him to comply with his demands. The patriarch, however, asked Takin for help and didn't pay. This enraged As-Sannagi, so he gathered his family, his followers and other people of low condition, and sent a messenger to the patriarch demanding his attendance. The patriarch got to know about the mentioned gathering, so he got anxious about himself and didn't want to come. He said to the messanger: "Wasn't he (As-Sannagi) ordered many times to stop tormenting me and unjust demands? Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bn 'Ubayd Allah has sent with me someone, who helps me, protects me, and doesn't allow him (As-Sannagi) to hurt me. I can't come right now." He was treating the messanger nicely until he left and transmitted his reply to As-Sannagi.
@ The patriarch ordered closure of gates of the church of Holy Sepulchre*9 and fortified in it.
As-Sannagi immediately mounted his horse along with all his men. He arrested Takin, who was sent by Ibn 'Ubayd Allah to protect the patriarch, and took him with himself. Then he sent to the patriarch demanding his attendance. He assured him that he will be done no harm, but the patriarch didn't believe him, for he was terrified, and didn't answer. (The people of As-Sannagi) gathered around the gates. They strucked the gate of St Constantine with fire and entered the Holy Sepulchre by it. They've seen it is closed, so they have burned the gates. The dome of Holy Sepulchre collapsed. They've entered the church and robbed everything they could.
@ At the same day the citizens of the city invade the church of Zion. It was the monday before descending of Holy Spirit, 23th may of 1277th greek year, fifth night of gumada al-ukhra of year 355. Jews destroyed and ruined even more, than muslims. Next day, at tuesday, they have found the patriarch hiding in one of the oilpits of church of Holy Sepulchre, so they killed him, dragged his body on the courtyard of St Constantine and burned him on one of the pillars.

*1 - "Holy House", to be exact
*2 - Yuhanna bn Gami'
*3 - or "more than the tradition, usus, stated
*4 - the current ruler of Ikhishidid Egypt that ruled over much of Greater Syria as well
*5 - as Yahya attests, almost all the secretaries, doctors and servants of the rulers of Al-Hakim, so probably before as well (only his reign brought a drastic change) were christian, there were almost no muslims among them, to the point that when Al-Hakim wanted to fire christans, he found no qualified muslims to fill their place and had to keep them, and force them to become muslims later on.
*5,5 - I am not absolutely sure about this sentence
*6 - I have no idea what is it called in English. you will understand.
*7 - the first arabic capital of Palestine
*8 - his name suggests he was a Turk
*9 - here it is called "Church of Resurrection"

After this part, Al-Antaki desribes the long process of rebuilding the church. When it was finally finished, it was destroyed once again (by Al-Hakim)

another anti-xtian riot by muslims and jews

@ The muslims of Ascalon*1 attacked the church in this city known as "the green church of Mary". they've demolished it, pillaged it completely, and burned it.
@ In this attack muslims were joined by jews, who ignited the brushwood and lifted it under the ceiling by means of pulleys. They were burning the church, until the lead melted, and the pillars collapsed.
@ The bishop went to The City of Peace*2, asking for the church to be restored, but without success. The church remained ruined. The muslims of Ascalon decided not to let the bishop back in, so he settled in Ar-Ramlah and remained there until his death.

*1 - in Palestine; today Ashkelon or something, a city on the southern part of Israeli coast.
*2 - ironically when You recall the present situation, it was the official name of Baghdad when it was founded. Baghdad was the name of a christian village on which the city was built. I used to laugh that the name is polish, and comes from Bog and dac, which would mean "God gave (it)". It turned out that it is EXACTLY what the name means, though Bag is the giving part, and dad is god, the other way round than in my language.


The pics are from Qal'at Sam'an, the citadel of Simeon, which is a church and thre houses for polgrims built in a cross-shape around a courtyard with St Simeon's pillar in the centre. The monastery is not far away

Edited, as I corrected a mistake in translation

[Heresson]

2

[Lancer]

Heresson, you continue to amaze me.

Btw, can we see some more of your stuft animal, perhaps engaging in more daring exploits?

Are there any plans for pulling Polish nationals out if the war turns your way?

[Heresson]

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[Heresson]

4

I will not leave Syria and my dear leader in the lurch.
Me and my crocodile, and a petty stuffed syrian frog of chineese origin will welcome Israeli army with bullets!

[Lancer]

Originally posted by Heresson
4

I will not leave Syria and my dear leader in the lurch.
Me and my crocodile, and a petty stuffed syrian frog of chineese origin will welcome Israeli army with bullets!

Riiiight. Send the stuft animals into the fray, you retreat to tell their gallant story.

[Heresson]

@ This year, high prices happened in Baghdad. It came to this that people, having no bread, ate date kernels and carrion. And if an animal left an extrement on a road, people gathered around it, looked for barley in it and ate it.
@ People used to pick the seed of al-qutuna*1, mix it with water and put on an iron tray. Next they used to put a fire under it and cook it until it boiled. They suffered from bowels diseases because of that, swelled and died. And if someone of them hadn't died, he looked as if he had.
@ People went out on the roads and screamed: "hunger! hunger!", until death made them quiet. Many died, and people weren't able to bury them all. Poeple ate dog meat.
@ Many headed Al-Basrah*2, to eat dates (that grew there), but they were weakened, so most of them died on their way.
@ One woman, a Hashimite*3, kidnapped a boy and baked him alive in a bread furnace. They broke her neck and threw her corpses into Tigris river. It turned out that also another woman a nd her brother kidnapped a boy and tore him into two pieces; of one they cooked a sukbag*4, and the other they put into salted water. They were killed as well. A third woman was discovered; she kidnapped a boy and partially ate him; she was killed as well.
@Later on, the situation deteriorated and came to a peak. After that the prices started melting and didn't stop decreasing until they reached (previously) known level. It happened after a death of many people.

Important question: in stories like this, should I use past simple or past continous?

1* - it may mean cotton, the name is similar
2* - a port town in southern Iraq
3* - Hashimites are a noble arabic family related to Muhammad
4* - somekind of a meal