The Barmakids (Persian: برمکیان‎ Barmakīyān; Arabic: البرامكة‎ - al-Barāmikah, also called Barmecides) were a noble Persian family from Balkh ^[1][2][3][4] that came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs. Khalid, the son of Barmak became the Prime Minister or Wazir of Al Saffah, the first Caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His son Yahya aided Harun Al-Rashid in capturing the throne and rose to power as the most powerful man in the Empire. The Barmakids were remarkable for their majesty, splendor and hospitality. They are mentioned in some stories of the Arabian Nights.

Origins[link]

The family has its origin in a line of Pramukhs (hereditary Buddhist) priests from Balkh.^[5] Traditionally, Islamic historians considered the Barmakids to be Zoroastrian priests before converting to Islam. They converted during the invasion of the Buddhist and Zoroastrian city of Balkh. They were highly educated and respected intelligentsia in Central Asia and the Levant. In Baghdad, the Barmakid court became a centre of patronage for the Ulema, poets, scholars alike.^{[citation needed]}

Khalid ibn Barmak occupied distinguished positions under first two Abbasid Caliphs, al Saffah and al Mansur. He had risen to be the vizier, following death of Abu Salma and Abul Jahm. Khalid was on such intimate terms with al-saffah that his daughter was nursed by the wife of the Caliph. Likewise, Caliph's daughter was nursed by Khalid's wife. His son, Yahya ibn Barmak, at one time Governor of Armenia, was entrusted by Caliph Mahdi (775-85) with the education of his son, Rashid.^{[citation needed]}

Under Abbasid regime Khalid rose to the headship (Chancellor of the exchequer) of the department of Finance (diwan al-Kharaj) This department was concerned with Taxation and Land Tenure. Genuine budgets began to be drawn up for the first time and offices sprang up for various departments. The extensive staff of officials engaged in correspondence with the provinces and prepared estimates and accounts. An influential stratum of officialdom, the Irano-Islamic class of secretaries (Kuttab in Arabic, Dabiran in Persian), was formed which considered itself as the main support of the state. Their knowledge of the complex system of the Kharaj (land tax) which took account not only of the quality of the land but of the produce of the crops sown, made the officials of the diwan al-Kharaj; the guardians of knowledge which was inaccessible to the uninitiated and was passed by inheritance.^{[citation needed]}

In 765, Khalid ibn Barmak received the governorship of Tabaristan, where he crushed a dangerous uprising. During his governorship of Mesopotamia, Khalid, through a mix of firmness and justice, brought the province quickly into order and effectively curbed the unruly Kurds.^{[citation needed]}

Influence under the early Abbasids[link]

The Barmakid family was an early supporter of the Abbasid revolt against the Umayyads and of As-Saffah. This gave Khalid bin Barmak considerable influence, and his son Yaḥyá ibn Khālid (d. 806) was the vizier of the caliph al-Mahdi (ruled 775–785) and tutor of Hārūn al-Rashid (ruled 786–809). Yahya's sons al-Fadl and Ja'far (767–803), both occupied high offices under Harun.^{[citation needed]}

Many Barmakids were patrons of the sciences, which greatly helped the propagation of Indian science and scholarship from the neighbouring Academy of Gundishapur into the Arabic world.^{[citation needed]} They patronized scholars such as Gebir and Jabril ibn Bukhtishu.^{[citation needed]} They are also credited with the establishment of the first paper mill in Baghdad.^{[citation needed]} The power of the Barmakids in those times is reflected in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights; the vizier Ja'far appears in several stories, as well as a tale that gave rise to the expression "Barmecide feast".

"We know of Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki (d. 805) as a patron of physicians and, specifically, of the translation of Hindu medical works into both Arabic and Persian. In all likelihood however, his activity took place in the orbit of the caliphal court in Iraq , where at the behest of Hārūn al-Rashīd (786-809), such books were translated into Arabic. Thus Khurāsān and Transoxiana were effectively bypassed in this transfer of learning from India to Islam, even though, undeniably the Barmakī's cultural outlook owed something to their land of origin, northern Afghanistan, and Yahya al-Barmakī's interest in medicine may have derived from no longer identifiable family tradition."^[6]

Disgrace and fall[link]

In 803, the family lost grace to the eyes of Harun al-Rashīd, and many of its members were imprisoned.

According to Rit Nosotro, Harun al-Rashīd found his chief pleasure in the society of his sister Abbasa and Jafar bin Yahya, and, in order that these two might be with him continuously without breach of etiquette, persuaded them to contract a purely formal marriage. The condition, however, was that the two can meet only in his presence, so that they may not produce an heir. It not being observed, and Harun learning that Abbasa had borne a son, caused Ja'far suddenly to be arrested and beheaded, and the rest of the family except Muḥammad, Yahya's brother, to be imprisoned and deprived of their property.^[7]

However, al-Tabari and Ibn Khaldūn mentioned other reasons ensuring that their decline was gradual and not sudden. Their hypotheses are:

- The Barmakids' extravagance in spending to the extent that they overshadowed Hārun al-Rashid. It has been said that Jafar ibn Yahya built a mansion that cost twenty million dirhams and that his father, Yahya ibn Khalid, had gold tiles on the wall of his mansion. Hārun became upset one trip around Baghdad, and, whenever he passed an impressive house or mansion, they told him it belonged to the Barmakids.

• Al-Fadl ibn Rabi', an Abbasid loyal civil servant very close to Hārun and a rival of the Barmakids, convinced Hārūn to assign spies to watch them, and that is how he found out about Yahya Ibn Abdullah al-Talibi's incident.^{[citation needed]}
• The Barmakid Army: Although technically this army was under the Abbasids, in reality, the soldiers gave allegiance to al-Fadl Ibn Yahya al-Barmaki, Ja'far's brother; it numbered 50,000 soldiers. During their last days, al-Fadl ordered 20 thousand of them to come to Baghdad and claimed to create a legion under the name of the Karnabiya Legion. This made Harun very wary of their intentions.^{[citation needed]}
• The Governor of Khurasan at the time, Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan, sent a letter to Harun reporting about the unrest in his province and blaming Musa ibn Yahya, another brother of Ja'far, for it.^{[citation needed]}
• The Yahya ibn Abdullah al-Talibi incident: In AH 176, Yahya ibn Abdullah went to Daylam in Persia and called for rule by himself in place of Hārūn. Many people followed him, and he became strong enough to cause unrest for the Abbasids. Hārūn managed to capture him and ordered that he be confined to house arrest at al-Fadl's house in Baghdad. However, al-Fadl, rather than making sure he would not escape, gave him money and a ride and let him leave Baghdad. The Abbasids considered that to be high treason.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Zumurrud Khaton tomb in Baghdad, 1202 has Indian features.

A number of canals, mosques and other public works owe their existence to the initiative and munificence of the Barmakids. Al Fadl, son of Yahya bin barmak is credited with being the first to introduce the use of lamps in the mosques during the holy month of Ramadan. They are also credited with the establishment of the first paper mill in Baghdad. Ja'far, another son of Yahya acquired great fame for eloquence, literary activity and pen-manship. Hitti argues that chiefly because of him, Arab historians regard the Barmakids as the founders of the class designated as 'people of the pen' (ahl al-qalam). The long neck which Barmakids possessed is said to have been responsible for the introduction of the custom of wearing high collars. The first extant Arabic report on India was prepared under the directions of Yahya ibn Barmak (d. 805) by his envoy. Barmaks were responsible for inviting several scholars and physicians from India to the court of Abbasids. When Sindh was attacked by the Arabs during the Battle of Rajasthan; the city of Brahmanabad/Mansura was built by a Barmak. Later he was commissioned with building the capital of Baghdad. On 30 July 763, the caliph Al Mansur concluded the construction of the city. It is said that the Baghdadi capital had numerous Indian architectural influences, now largely ignored by historians.

See also[link]

• Hindu and Buddhist contribution to science in medieval Islam

References[link]

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Barmecides". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Notes[link]