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- $Unique_ID{how04829}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{World Civilizations: The Postclassical Era
- Document: Imperial Orders And Political Realities In The Late Abbasid Era}
- $Subtitle{}
- $Author{Stearns, Peter N.;Adas, Michael;Schwartz, Stuart B.}
- $Affiliation{}
- $Subject{
- }
- $Date{1992}
- $Log{}
- Title: World Civilizations: The Postclassical Era
- Book: Chapter 13: Abbasid Decline And The Spread Of Islamic Civilization To Asia
- Author: Stearns, Peter N.;Adas, Michael;Schwartz, Stuart B.
- Date: 1992
-
- Document: Imperial Orders And Political Realities In The Late Abbasid Era
-
- The following instructions were sent in the 920s by Ali Ibn Isa, one of the
- most distinguished wazirs of the Abbasid Empire, to the governors and chief
- officials of the realm. They concern tax collection and the remittance of the
- caliph's rightful share of the revenues to Baghdad. They also contain requests
- for reports on the condition of the populace these officials administered.
-
- It is now the commencement of the fiscal year and the beginning of a new
- season; a period during which Land Tax should yield considerable sums. I know
- of no special questions which I need to ask, not of any special matter of
- which I should remind you. I will only instruct you to remit a substantial
- portion of the proceeds of the this tax without delay, and to send in advice
- of the remittance together with your acknowledgement of this dispatch as soon
- as you have received it and noted its contents. You are then to write me a
- report on the state of your province, including a statement of account which
- will be readily intelligible here, and showing both how you have discharged
- your official duties and what additional measures you have taken to render the
- resources of your province large and productive. . . . Make up your mind to
- the fact that I shall tolerate no laxity nor intromission [interference] with
- what is due to the Prince of the True Believers; nor shall I leave a single
- dirham [an Abbasid coin] of his money unaccounted for; nor shall I put up with
- any negligence of the interests of Government, whether the offending party be
- a stranger to me or a member of my own family. You should be less concerned to
- earn my favor by personal considerations than to deal justly and equitably
- with the subjects under your charge, and to ease them of every improper
- burden, light or grave. On these heads I shall hold you no less responsible
- than I hold you answerable for the honest administration of the Sovereign's
- revenues and the due protection of his property. Advise me at regular
- intervals without fail of your various proceedings, so that I may know what
- you are doing. All if God so please.
-
-