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Kitab al-muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi

by ابن الجوزي

Aliases
Aliases Arabic
Ibn al-Jawzi ابن الجوزي
Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Excerpts
English from Ambraseys (2009)

Al-Masaaf said: I saw in the handwriting of our Shaykh Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Baqi al-Bazaz the following: on Thursday 17th Rajab 508 [17 December 1114] there arrived in Baghdad a document which described how, in the night of Sunday 18th Jumada Iakhira [19 November, a Thursday (!)] of this year an earthquake had occurred in which thirteen towers in the walls of Ruha [Edessa] fell down. Some of the walls of Harran fell down and many houses came down on top of people, who perished. Sumaisat sank and its position was swallowed up. About 100 houses crashed down in Balis, where half the citadel was thrown down and half stayed secure (Ibn al-Jauzi, Munt. 9/180, 181; Seth 139b))

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

"I have seen a text by our master Ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abd al-Baqi al-Bazzaz, which stated: "On Thursday 17 Rajab in the year 508, a letter reached Baghdad in which it was written that on the night of Sunday 18 Jumada II in the same year [20 November 1114], there had been an earthquake at Al-Ruha, and 13 towers in the city walls had collapsed. Part of the walls at Harran had also collapsed, and many houses had collapsed on top of their inhabitants. There had been collapses at Sumaysat; at Balis, about a hundred houses have been destroyed, and half of the citadel has collapsed, but the other half has survived".

English from Sbeinati et al (2005)

In the year 508 A.H., the night of 18 Jamada II Sunday (1114 November 19), an earthquake occurred, causing collapse of 13 towers of Al-Ruha Wall, a part of Harran Wall fell down and many houses collapsed on their inhabitants, Samasat was swallowed up, 100 houses and half of the citadel collapsed at Balis.

Arabic from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

Ibn al-Jawzi

1114 November 13

Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

Chronology
Date Reference Corrections Notes
Nighttime Sunday 29 November 1114 CE the night of Sunday 18 Jumada II in the same year [A.H. 508] Date changed from 19 November to 29 November - see Notes
  • A.H. date calculated using CHRONOS

  • 19 November 1114 CE fell on a Thursday (calculated using CHRONOS)

  • Disagreement between date and day of the week suggests a typographic or transmission error and that the correct date is 29 November 1114 CE which fell on a Sunday (calculated using CHRONOS) and is in agreement with other authors

  • The letter is described as arriving on Thursday the 17th of Rajab in A.H. 508 which works out to Thursday 17 December 1114 CE. (calculated using CHRONOS)
    		•
    Seismic Effects
    • there had been an earthquake at Al-Ruha, and 13 towers in the city walls had collapsed
    • Part of the walls at Harran had also collapsed, and many houses had collapsed on top of their inhabitants
    • There had been collapses at Sumaysa
    • at Balis, about a hundred houses have been destroyed, and half of the citadel has collapsed, but the other half has survived
    Locations Sources
    Sources

    Online Versions and Further Reading
    References

    Notes
    Ibn al-Jawzi vs. Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi