Networks of Power in al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf al-Thaqafī’s Governorship Over Irāq

This article explores the rule of the well-known Umayyad Governor of Iraq and the East, al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf al-Thaqafī, over Baṣra and Kūfa (r. 75–94/694–714). Previous insights into al-Ḥajjāj's rule stem primarily from narrative sources chronicling his military campaigns and speeches. This study diverges from that approach by assembling a list of his sub-governors and shurṭa (police) chiefs in Baṣra and Kūfa. It elucidates how al-Ḥajjāj established a semi-autonomous Irāq while remaining loyal to the reigning caliph, ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān (r. 685–705). The analysis highlights the strategic nature of al-Ḥajjāj's governance and argues that, by cultivating his network of sub-governors and shurṭa chiefs, he created an environment that allowed him to enforce his authority across Irāq and the East. This investigation contributes to a more nuanced understanding of al-Ḥajjāj's strategies, shedding light on the complex interplay between central authority and regional autonomy.