al-Dahhak 2

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexM
FloruitL VII
Dates673 (taq) / 683 (tpq)
Variant NamesDadachos;
Dahak;
Dhk br Qys
ReligionMuslim
EthnicityArab
LocationsDamascus;
Kufa;
Gabitha;
Kufa (officeplace);
Phoenicia;
Syria;
Phoenicia (officeplace);
Syria (officeplace)
Textual SourcesChronicon Anonymi ad annum 1234 pertinens, ed. and tr. J.-B. Chabot, I = CSCO 81-82 (Paris, 1916-20), II = CSCO 109 (Louvain, 1937) (chronicle);
Tabari, al-, Ta'rikh al-rusul wa-l-muluk, ed. M.-J. de Goeje et al., 15 vols. (Leiden 1879-1901); Eng tr. The History of al-Tabari, general editor E. Yar-Shater, 39 vols. (New York, 1985-) (history);
Theophanes Confessor, Chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, 2 vols. (Leipzig, 1883-85, repr. Hildesheim/NewYork, 1980); tr. and comm. C. Mango and R. Scott, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor, Oxford 1997 (chronicle)

Al-Dahhak 2 is also known as Dadachos: Theophanes. Dahak, Dhk br Qys: Chron. 1234. Al-Dahhâk b. Qays al-Fihrî: Tabari. Al-Dahhak 2 is named by Theophanes as a rebel overthrown by Abdulmalik 1: Theoph. AM 6175 (τοὺς τυράννους, among whom was καὶ Δάδαχον). He is probably to be identified with Dahakh son of Qis (Dhk br Qys), who was chosen as their ruler by the Arabs of Phoenice and Syria in the confusion after the death of Yezid I (Yezid 1) in 683; he allegedly went to Damascus pretending to be a supporter of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (Abdullah 3): Chron. 1234, §143 (p. 290). After Marwan 1 became caliph Al-Dahhak 2 was captured at Gabitha and swore allegiance, but escaped; he was pursued by Marwan 1 and killed in battle: Chron. 1234, §144 (p. 291). The account in Theophanes is brief and muddled.

This man is identical with al-Dahhâk b. Qays al-Fihrî mentioned in Tabari as governor of al-Kufah under the caliph Mu`awiyah 1 from c. 673 to c. 678 and then his chief of police in 680. In AH 54 (Dec. 673-Dec. 674), according to some sources (unspecified by Tabari), he was in charge of al-Kufah: Tabari XVIII, p. 179. In AH 55 (Dec. 674/Nov. 675) he was put in charge of al-Kufah when Mu`awiyah 1 dismissed `Abdallah b. Khalid b. Asid: Tabari XVIII, p. 182. He was in charge of al-Kufah in AH 56 and AH 57 (Nov. 675/Nov. 677): Tabari XVIII, pp. 187, 191. In AH 58 (Nov. 677/Oct. 678) he was dismissed by Mu`awiyah 1 and replaced by Abd ar-Rahman 7: Tabari XVIII, p. 192. Some sources (unspecified by Tabari) claimed that he was still in charge of al-Kufah in this year: Tabari XVIII, p. 198. In AH 60 (Oct. 679/Sept. 680) he was the head of Mu`awiyah 1's police; he and one other adviser (Muslim b. `Uqbah al-Murri) were summoned to Mu`awiyah 1's deathbed to receive the caliph's instructions and advice for his son and successor, Yezid 1, who was absent: Tabari XVIII, p. 209. After the death of Mu`awiyah 1 it was al-Dahhak 2 who led the prayers over him: Tabari XVIII, p. 213.

See further Encyclopaedia of Islam, II, pp. 89-90, s.n. al-Dahhâk b. Kays al-Fihrî.

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