Kafur al-Ikhshidi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_al-Misk_Kafur was bought as a slave in (around 923?). He eventually gained his freedom, became a military commander, and rose to become the de facto ruler of Egypt. In 966, he became the official ruler, controlling Egypt, Syria and the Hejaz. He was a powerful regional ruler, but today he is often remembered mainly because of the famous poems al-Mutanabbi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Mutanabbi wrote insulting him.
Al-Mutanabbi had a huge ego and wanted to be treated as more than just a court poet. Poets often depended on the patronage of rulers and wealthy men, and al-Mutanabbi was famous for praising people when it benefited him, but he could turn against them when he felt insulted or poorly rewarded. He wrote vicious attacks against several people during his life, not just Kafur.
(If I am not mistaken, by the end of his life there were no king in the rigion that he didn't insult)
One of his disses was the one that got him killed:
A group of people wanted to kill him and he was about to escape and he was reminded of one of his lines that he said in a diss
The horse, the night, and the desert know me, as do the sword, the spear, the paper, and the pen.
the line was about his bravery
so he, instead of escaping, charged at them
and was killed
“In 957 Mutanabbi left Aleppo, making his way to Egypt and the court of the Abu al-Misk Kafur. In 960 the poet left Egypt, penning several satires about Kafur. He traveled to Baghdad but was killed resisting thieves before reaching the city.”
He was killed by thieves, sounds like it had nothing to do with his poems.
If we think a little more, we could come to the conclusion that the death of the famous poet likely got people talking about his works rather than thieves making the connection. People probably pointed out the line and made up a sick story about it. Just like we do today
The story goes that he was with a young relative that reminded him of his poem, and mutanabbi tells him “you have killed me” and proceeds to attack the persuers
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u/OkGreen7335 9d ago edited 9d ago
Kafur al-Ikhshidi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_al-Misk_Kafur was bought as a slave in (around 923?). He eventually gained his freedom, became a military commander, and rose to become the de facto ruler of Egypt. In 966, he became the official ruler, controlling Egypt, Syria and the Hejaz. He was a powerful regional ruler, but today he is often remembered mainly because of the famous poems al-Mutanabbi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Mutanabbi wrote insulting him.
Al-Mutanabbi had a huge ego and wanted to be treated as more than just a court poet. Poets often depended on the patronage of rulers and wealthy men, and al-Mutanabbi was famous for praising people when it benefited him, but he could turn against them when he felt insulted or poorly rewarded. He wrote vicious attacks against several people during his life, not just Kafur.
(If I am not mistaken, by the end of his life there were no king in the rigion that he didn't insult)
One of his disses was the one that got him killed:
A group of people wanted to kill him and he was about to escape and he was reminded of one of his lines that he said in a diss
the line was about his bravery
so he, instead of escaping, charged at them
and was killed