17. Feasting Above the Enemy
Al-Saffah’s non-Umayyad guests were served food and made to dine, while their former rulers lay dead or writhed beneath them, hidden under carpets or mats. It was not just an expression of personal vengeance, but a powerful political message. It symbolized the complete destruction of the Umayyad Dynasty, and the dominance of the Abbasid regime. The spectacle was both a warning to potential dissenters, and a statement of the new caliphate’s resolve.
Some historians debate the account’s literal truth, but it nonetheless reflects the intense brutality and dramatic nature of the Abbasid takeover. Al-Saffah’s reputation for ruthlessness was vital both for his image, and for the consolidation of Abbasid authority. He used such acts of terror to eliminate opposition, instill fear, and pave the way for his new regime. It worked: al-Saffah’s reign was short, but it laid the foundation for a dynasty that ruled the Islamic world for centuries.
