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The Cream of the History of Aleppo by Kemal ad-Din (aka Ibn al-Adim)

زبدة الحلب في تأريخ حلب by مال الدين عمر بن أحمد ابن العديم

Aliases
Aliases Arabic
Ibn al-Adim
Kamāl al-Dīn Abu ʾl-Ḳāsim ʿUmar ibn Aḥmad ibn Hibat Allāh Ibn al-ʿAdīm مال الدين عمر بن أحمد ابن العديم
Kamāl al-Dīn Abu Hafs 'Umar b. Ahmad
Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Excerpts
English from Ambraseys (2009)

‘(a.H. 533) On Thursday 13 Safar a prodigious earthquake occurred, followed by other shocks, and the catastrophe was prolonged: at Aleppo, people evacuated their houses and fled to the country. Stones detached themselves from the walls and fell into the street and people heard a terrifying noise. The citadel of al-Atharib collapsed, killing 600 Muslims, but the governor [Emad ad-Din] survived with a few [other] men. This destruction affected numerous places: Shiah, Tell-‘Amar, Tell Khalid and Zaradna. The earth was seen to tremble and stones to shake like corn in the sieve. Many houses were destroyed, walls collapsed, and the two walls, East and West, of the citadel collapsed. ‘Emad ad-Din took the citadel and then went towards Mosul. The earthquake lasted until the month of Shawwal: there were 80 shocks.

‘Emad ad-Din had decided in 532 to take possession of the properties illegally occupied by the Aleppians from the time of Radwan to the time of Ilghazi. He raised a tax of 10 000 dinars and took the value of 1000 dinars of booty. Then this earthquake happened, which caused al-Tabik to flee barefoot out of the citadel. This was the end of the taxation.’ (Zubd. 2/270, 271 (Kem. al-Din, 679)

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

"On Thursday 13 Safar [22 October], there was a violent earthquake, followed by more shocks. The people of Aleppo fled from the city into the countryside. Pieces of stone were thrown out of walls and plunged into the street and people heard deafening rumbling noises. The citadel of Al-Atharib collapsed on top of 600 Muslims; only the governor and a few others survived. Many places were destroyed. Shih [Shaykh al Hadid], Tall 'Ammar, Tall Khalid and Zarradna. The earth was seen to sway, and the trees shook like corn in a sieve. Many houses were destroyed at Aleppo, and the city walls were damaged. Those of the citadel also suffered. [`Imad al-Din] Atabik [al-Zanki], coming from the east, took the city, made his way towards the citadel and proceeded in the direction of Mawsil. The earthquakes continued until the month of Shawwal; it was said that there were 80 shocks".

English from Taher (1979)

On Thursday 13 çafar a prodigious earthquake occurred, followed by other shocks, the catastrophe continued; people evacuated their homes in Aleppo to reach the countryside. The stones broke away from the walls and fell into the street and people heard a terrible noise. There the citadel of al-Atharib collapsed killing 600 Muslims. The governor (Emad ad-Din) was rescued with a few men.

The destruction affected many countries: Chiah, tell 'Amar, tell Khalid and Zâradna. We saw the earth shaking and the stones shake like wheat in a sieve. A lot of houses were destroyed, their walls were cracked, and the two east and west walls of the citadel split. 'Emad ad-Din took the citadel and then headed towards Mosul. The earthquake lasted until the month of Shawwal. There were 80 tremors.

'Emad ad-Din had decided in 32 [A.H. 532 ?] to seize the properties that the Allepons had illegally occupied since the time of Radwan until the times of Ilghazi. He levied a tax of 10,000 dinars and took 1,000 dinars worth of loot. Then came this earthquake which made Al At-Tâbik flee barefoot outside the citadel. This was the end of the tax.

English from Taher (1996)

On Thursday , Safar 13 (October 21), a prodigious earthquake occurred, followed by other tremors; the disaster continues, people evacuate their homes in Aleppo to reach the countryside. Stones fall from the walls into the street and people hear a terrible noise. The citadel of al-Athârib collapsed killing 600 Muslims but the governor 'Imâd al-Dîn escapes with a few men. The destruction affects many cities: Chieh, Tell 'Amâr, Tell Khalid and Zardana; we saw the earth tremble and the stones shake like wheat in the sieve; many houses are destroyed, the walls are cracked, the two east and west walls of the citadel are split. The tremors lasted until the month of Shawwâl (January 1120). The atabek 'Imad al-Dîn had levied a tax of 10,000 dinars, then this earthquake occurred which made the atabek flee the citadel. This was the reason why this new tax was canceled. »

Arabic from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

Ibn al-'Adim

1138 October 11 — 1139 June

Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

English from RHC Or. Vol. 3

On Thursday, the 13th of this month (October 20), a violent earthquake occurred, then a second, then others followed. The inhabitants of Aleppo fled from the city. Stones fell from the walls into the street and a great underground noise was heard. Athareb was destroyed from top to bottom, and six hundred Muslims perished there. The governor managed to escape with a small number of people. Almost the whole territory of Chili, Tell-Ammad, Tell-Khalid and Zerdanâ was devastated. The ground was seen to move like waves, and the stones moved on its surface like grain in a sieve. Many houses collapsed in Aleppo, its surrounding wall collapsed and the walls of the citadel were shaken.

The atabek, continuing his march towards the east, seized on his route all the fortresses he encountered1, until he arrived at Mosul. The earthquakes continued without interruption until the month of Shawwal (June 1189), and it is said that there were eighty of them.

As early as the year 532 (1137-1138), the atabek had resolved to confiscate the goods that the Aleppines had acquired from the time of Rodouân until the end of the reign of Ilghazy. Later he imposed a tax of ten thousand gold pieces on the population, out of which they had paid a thousand when the earthquakes occurred. The terrified atabek, having fled from the citadel of Aleppo to settle in the Meidan (racecourse), temporarily remitted the tax.
Footnotes

1 This passage appears altered in the text.

French from RHC Or. Vol. 3

Le jeudi 13 de ce mois (20 octobre), un violent tremblement de terre se produisit, puis un second, puis d'autres encore se succédèrent. Les habitants d'Alep s'enfuirent hors de la ville. Les pierres tombaient des murs dans la rue et l'on entendait un grand bruit souterrain. Athareb fut détruite de fond en comble, et il y périt six cents Musulmans. Le gouverneur réussit à s'échapper avec un petit nombre de personnes. Presque tout le territoire de Chili, de Tell-Ammad, de Téll-Khalid et de Zerdanâ fut dévasté. On vit le sol se mouvoir comme les vagues, et les pierres s'agiter à sa surface comme du grain dans un tamis. Beaucoup de maisons s'écroulèrent à Alep, son mur d'enceinte s'effondra et les murs de la citadelle furent ébranlés.

L'atabek, continuant sa marche vers l'est, s'empara sur sa route de toutes les forteresses qu'il rencontra1, jusqu'à ce qu'il fût arrivé à Mossoul. Les tremblements de terre continuèrent sans interruption jusqu'au mois de chawal (juin 1189), et l'on prétend qu'il y en eut quatre-vingts.

Dès l'an 532 (1137-1138), l'atabek avait résolu de confisquer les biens qu'avaient acquis les Alépins depuis l'époque de Rodouân jusqu'à la fin du règne d'Ilghazy. Plus tard il frappa la population d'un impôt de dix mille pièces d'or, sur lesquelles ils en avaient payé mille lorsque survinrent les tremblements de terre. L'atabek épouvanté, s' étant enfui de la citadelle d'Alep pour aller s'établir dans le Meïdan (champ de course), remit provisoirement l'impôt.
Footnotes

1 Ce passage paraît altéré dans le texte.

Chronology
Date Reference Corrections Notes
Thursday 20 October 1138 CE with aftershocks continuing until June 1139 CE
  • On Thursday 13 Safar a prodigious earthquake occurred - A.H. 533

  • The earthquake lasted until the month of Shawwal
 none
  • Calculated with CHRONOS

  • 20 October 1138 CE fell on a Thrusday (calculated with CHRONOS)

  • Shawwal A.H. 533 went from 1-29 June in 1139 CE (calculated with CHRONOS)
Seismic Effects
  • a prodigious earthquake occurred, followed by other shocks, and the catastrophe was prolonged
  • at Aleppo, people evacuated their houses and fled to the country
  • Stones detached themselves from the walls and fell into the street and people heard a terrifying noise
  • The citadel of al-Atharib collapsed, killing 600 Muslims, but the governor [Emad ad-Din] survived with a few [other] men
  • This destruction affected numerous places: Shiah, Tell-‘Amar, Tell Khalid and Zaradna
  • The earth was seen to tremble and stones to shake like corn in the sieve
  • Many houses were destroyed, walls collapsed, and the two walls, East and West, of the citadel collapsed
  • The earthquake lasted until the month of Shawwal: there were 80 shocks.
Locations Sources
Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading
References