Jazirat Ibn Umar in the Ayyubid Era: A Study of Its Foreign Policy

Abstract

This research deals with the study of Jazirat Ibn ʿUmar during the Ayyubid period, considering it one of the Islamic cities of prominent status in the northern part of the Jazira region. Its importance emerged through its strategic geographical location on the Tigris River and its political and military roles within the conflicts of the Zangid dynasty on the one hand, and the intertwined relations with the Ayyubid state on the other. The research also addresses the foreign policy of the Jazira by studying the course of its relations with regional powers during that period, through tracing its relations with the major regional powers, especially Mosul, the Ayyubids, and the Abbasid Caliphate, from its establishment until the end of Atabeg rule there. The study relies on a number of main historical sources such as Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Shaddad, and Ibn Khaldun, in addition to the important descriptive information provided by Muslim geographers.