Public Documents from Sinnar

Document 23: Charter of Badi b. Rajab

DOCUMENT 23 Document 23 is a confirming charter issued by the Hamaj Regent Bam walad Rajab to Shaykh Barakat walad Ma4uwi on 24 Sha'ban 1192/17 September 1778. The text has been taken by the editors from the original.1 The document is truncated at the top, and the opening protocols are missing. The charter confirmed the administrative authority of Shaykh Barakat,2 khalifa to Shaykh Idris walad al-Arbab,3 over the lower Blue Nilefuqarii' settlement of al-'Aylafiin. The charter also bestowed upon thefaqfh the right to sponsor a market, a privilege ordinarily reserved to the territorial nobility.4 The scribe identified the location of the writing of the document as Ghosbiya, probably the village of that name on the east bank of the Blue Nile slightly above the modem Wad Madani. The witness roster reveals not a court, but the entourage of a high official on the move. Noteworthy by their presence are Bam's nephews and bitter rivals, the future Regents Rajab and Na~ir, and also several military officers bearing the Funj title mankarukan (plural and variant, mankroknii). ~I J"'..:,)IJ~I ..l.J.".,.tIJ~1 Ja...,.t>J1 uli ~ J ~I V'" ~ U 5(. •• ) JJJ ..::.l$'J'! ~ j:;t-..I uLJ.J....J1 ~l... 4.i l.. l..A..1 J ~ I ~J JJJ 1.S.)4 ~ J c.3.rJ1J ~I ..wI f- V'" ":,,L..J~I JJJ I u-'..J.)I ~I ~ l.SyAo V'" ~ .:,~ ~WI rlii JI i"~ I.S'~ V'" J I j+.!1.r?- J ~ ~~I ~ ~ u-'..).)I ~I ~ f- V'" ~~I I o:---bl:i ~WI o:-1)w1 V'" ul..jl r-:..u ..::.l$'J'! ~ ~I .ill.> L.:....I J ~ I ~J JJJ 1.S.)4 ~I J"'..:,)I .illl.:u' oJ..,s'.ll1 ~ U-""" J ~ f- ~ .j I ..J:>.A 1..\,0.1 ~ u-""" J ~ f- ...s1. J l.SyAo JJJ JJJ 1.S.)4 ~I J"'..:,)I 4.i I l.:u'lA I.S~I J ~L......JI V'" i"~ ~ J ~1."Al1 ~ 141 142 DOCUMENT 23 ~I ~ .J ":,,lu'lll ~.J I IJ"'"'...I.)I ~ ~GS' .J Jl...:i ~I ~) ~I "':"'?"J 'lll ~ 'll .J JL. ~ "t ~ 'll r..r.l.J ":,,UI ).) ~ ,,:,,!,,!U l:1J...J ~.".... ~.J ..:.l$'J'! 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":"lu'lll .J ~.)4 II ~I ~ "':"'?"J ":,,lu'lll.J I.)WI~~~I.J ~ ~.J ~I ~~I .J ":,,l$' I ~~I.J v:-- ~.J .Y .J ..lfi J DOCUMENT 23 143 .JJr' I ~J~ I J ~I ul..l.a,...,J ~~ol I JJ ~I I'_~ J ...,-- J ~I 1.,.:1 JJJ ~I I ~ ...... 1....;~1 I,$i I..I..!.1)1 I uL..:L ...... ~.J~I J I 4 JJJ Js- ......4.;~1 J ~l.!J1 ..I....>- [.6.11 J .r.> ~I J .1.AL!. J ..,..:;IS' I ~ ~~ I.:.SJ.I roll ~I Vii I Js- ~I.r.-U 1:.1 J ~l.. J ...All ~ u~ VA ..:.l.o.. I V'~ J ..... ..;1 L.....;~I rY- .ill.) J"~ I v,!.1.Al.!J1 ~I ~jlJ ~I ~I ~L... Js- I y'l A~I ~ ~J ~IJ I [...J the truth therein. Thereafter: The divinely preserved, pious, divinely assisted, and victorious wazir, Shaykh Badi walad Rajab, has confirmed and ratified what Sultan Ismii'il did previously for Shaykh Barakat walad Ma<;luwi, khalifa to Shaykh Idris walad al-Arbab, in regard to the administration of the village of al-'Aylafiin and the market. All the shaykhs of the quwwariya and their jarai are cut off from it, and whoever may follow after them until the hour of resurrection, for it is a matter longstanding from the previous sultans that the quwwariya be cut off from the administration of the village of the said Shaykh Idris. And so likewise the wazir, Shaykh Badi walad Rajab, has confirmed and ratified that administration to Shaykh Barakat walad Ma<;luwi; the administration of his village and his market belong to him. Let no one trouble him in the administration of his village and his market, neither the shaykhs of the quwwariya nor any of the soldiers or jarai. The wazir, Shaykh Badi walad Rajab, has done this for the sake of God Most High, and to honor Shaykh Idris walad al-Arbab and his khalifa, Shaykh Barakat walad Ma<;luwi, asking for reward in the life to come, for a day in which neither wealth nor sons suffice, 144 DOCUMENT 23 unless one comes to God with a secure heart. The administration of the village of al-'Aylafiin and the market have become the possession of his [Shaykh Idris walad al-Arbab's] khalifa. Let no one trouble them in the administration of their village, nor their descendants, nor their descendants' descendants. He who troubles them after my letter and this my document has exposed himself to destruction. Beware, then beware of disobedience, and let him who disobeys blame none but himself. There were present and witnessed to it: Shaykh Hfuiin walad Yunus, the amfn Shaykh Dakin walad 'Ammar, sfd al-khayl of the Funj Shaykh aI-paw walad Murisa, shaykh of the compound of 'Azuza Shaykh Mu~ammad walad KhiQr", shaykh of the compound of the king's son Shaykh Musa walad Sanaq aI-Wadi, muqaddam al-khayl of the king Shaykh Shanbul, Shaykh of Arbaji Shaykh Badi walad Kitu, muqaddam of the family of the king Shaykh Khamis walad Bidayri, muqaddam of the knights Shaykh al-Amin walad Dulayba Shaykh 'Ajib walad Nfu Shaykh Na~ir walad Shiblani al-Diffa Arbab Badi walad Quda Arbab Mu~ammad walad Karnir Arbab Rajab b. al-Shaykh Mu~ammad Arbab Kitu b. al-Shaykh Badi Arbab Na~ir b. al-Shaykh Mu~ammad Arbab Rajab b. al-Shaykh Badi Mankarukan Sabat al-I:Iammad Mankarukan aI-paw walad I:Iammad Mankarukan Kab 'Ali walad I:Iusayn Balula Mankarukan Suriir Sa'dan, his brother Fa<;ll Allah walad DaJ)l).ala DOCUMENT 23 From among the sons of the Arabs: Arbab J:Iasab Allah walad Abu'l-J:Iasan Arbab Sulayman al-Rashidabi Arbab 'Ali walad 'Aysha J:Iajj J:Iammad al-Shafi' 145 I, the jaqfr of God Most High, 'Ali b. al-Faqih Adam, located in the village of Ghosbiya, am scribe and witness, and God is the Best of Witnesses. That was written on Wednesday, when 24 [days] had passed of Sha'ban in the year 1192 from the hijra of the prophet, upon whose master the best of prayers and purest salutations. 1For a previously published version see Jay Spaulding, "A Charter of Badi b. Rajab, Hamaj Regent of Sinniir," Sudan Texts Bulletin 5 (1983): 68-72. 2rabaqiit, p. 54, note 12. 3Ibid., pp. 49-65. 4Spaulding, Heroic Age, pp. 107-112. 5The opening protocols are missing. ...