Editing Almanzor (section)

== Ascent in the Caliphal Court ==
[[File:Die Gartenlaube (1875) b 213.jpg|thumb|right|[[Scrivener]], in a nineteenth-century representation. After completing his studies as a ''faqīh'', the young Almanzor had to adopt this profession due to the poor economic situation of his family after the death of his father.]]
Though still very young, Ibn Abi ʿAmir moved to Córdoba,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=30}} where he developed his studies in law and letters under the tutelage of his maternal uncle.{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=398}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=39}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=54}} This training was intended to facilitate entering the state administration,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}} because the opportunities for advancement in the military were limited to Arabs.{{Sfn|Kennedy|1996|p=109}} Like many other youth from wealthy families, he received training in interpretation of the [[Quran]], prophetic tradition and application of [[Sharia]], thus completing his education as a faqīh,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=29}} with the intention of becoming a judge,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=30}} and from this time he retained his taste for literature.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=31}} Instructed by renowned masters of Islamic legal tradition and letters, he showed talent in these studies.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=399}}

The death of his father and the bad family situation led him to abandon his studies and take the profession of [[scrivener]].{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=42}} After occupying a modest position as a scribe along the ''[[alcázar]]'' and [[Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba|mosque of Córdoba]] – close to the offices of the Administration – to earn his livelihood,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}} the youth soon stood out for his talent and ambition{{Sfn|Fletcher|2000|p=91}}{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}} and he began his political career as a clerk in the audience chamber of the capital's chief Qadi, Muhammed ibn al-Salim,{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=42}}{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=399}} an important advisor to the Caliph Al-Hakam II despite the fact that his positions were exclusively religious and not political.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=42}} Ibn Abi ʿĀmir soon caught the attention of Vizier [[Ja'far al-Mushafi]],{{Sfn|Sánchez Candeira|1999|p=23}} head of the civil administration, who would introduce him to caliphal court, probably on the recommendation of Ibn al-Salim.{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=400}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=43}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=32}} Already noted for his knowledge and professional competence, he began to accumulate positions in the Administration.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=33}} Ibn Abi ʿĀmir, in his thirties,{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=54}} was one of the young functionaries who took part in a generational turnover of the court at the beginning of Al-Hakam's reign.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=43}}

[[File:Juan Gimenez Martin - In the Harem.jpg|left|thumb|[[Harem]] scene. Shortly after joining the caliphal Administration, Ibn Abi ʿĀmir forged a lasting alliance with the mother of the heir to the throne, the favorite [[Subh of Cordoba|Subh]], which was only broken in 996 by Ibn Abi ʿĀmir's ambitions, which Subh considered a threat to her son Hisham.]]
In late February of 967,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=483}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=46}} he was given charge of Abd al-Rahman, son and heir of Al-Hakam II by his favorite,{{Sfn|Kennedy|1996|p=109}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=58}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=45}} the [[Basques|Basque]]{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=60}} Subh (Aurora),{{Sfn|Fletcher|2000|p=91}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=78}} a slave with very diverse training, from singing to Islamic jurisprudence to poetry, who owed her power to her ascendancy over the caliph as the mother of his children.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=46}}  With her, Ibn Abi ʿĀmir established a privileged relationship extremely beneficial for his career.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=400}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|pp=45–46}}{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}}{{Sfn|Gálvez Vázquez|1996–1997|p=75}} Although his role was probably secondary,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}} his responsibility managing the estates of the heir to the throne and those of his mother granted Ibn Abi ʿĀmir close proximity to the reigning family,{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=45}} and he quickly began to accumulate important positions.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=48}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=55}} Seven months after his first appointment, and thanks to the intercession of the royal favorite,{{Sfn|Gálvez Vázquez|1996–1997|p=75}} he became director of the mint,{{Sfn|Gálvez Vázquez|1996–1997|p=75}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=48}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=48}} and in December 968,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=48}} he was named treasurer of the vacant inheritances.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=400}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=48}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=49}}{{efn|According to the law, the goods of those who died intestate and lacking a male relative or clear heir passed to the public treasury. The position held by Ibn Abi ʿĀmir had responsibility for supervising this. Given the complexity of Islamic inheritance law, it required detailed knowledge.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=49}}}} The following year he was promoted to Qadi of Seville and [[Niebla, Spain|Niebla]],{{Sfn|Gálvez Vázquez|1996–1997|p=75}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=49}} one of the most important in the state, and at the death of his charge Abd al-Rahman in 970,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}} he was placed in the same role for the young heir, [[Hisham II|Hisham]].{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=400}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=58}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=45}}{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=49}} By this time he had married the sister of the head of the caliphal guard, a client of the new heir,{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=47}} and began to accumulate wealth.  A residence was built in al-Rusafa,{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}} near the former palace of [[Abd al-Rahman I]], and he began to make sumptuous gifts to the Caliph's harem.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=64}} He was accused of embezzlement{{Sfn|Gálvez Vázquez|1996–1997|p=75}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}} and removed from his post as head of the mint in March 972,{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=50}} but was helped financially to cover the alleged embezzlement.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=64}} He obtained a police command{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}}{{efn|His charge was the 'middle police' (''as-surta al-wusta''), probably responsible for the punishment of crimes that did not have a clear penalty in the Quran and the ''[[sunnah]]'', as well as the spy service.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|pp=52–53}}}} and he retained his responsibility for the heir and intestate estates.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=51}}

In 973, he undertook the logistical, administrative and diplomatic aspects of the caliphal campaign against the [[Idrisid dynasty|Idrisids]] in the [[Maghreb]],{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=63}} with the official position of High Qadi of the Umayyad possessions in North Africa.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}} The importance of the fleet in the campaign and its dependence on Seville, where Ibn Abi ʿĀmir was Qadi and therefore had responsibility for its facilities, and the confidence of the caliph himself and his chamberlain,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=58}} facilitated his acquisition of this appointment.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=63}} The commission brought with it authority over civilians and military personnel and, in practice, the supervision of the campaign.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|pp=55,58}} A primary responsibility of his role was to obtain the submission of the notables of the region by giving them formal gifts, the acceptance of which indicated their acceptance of the Caliph's authority and a promise of loyalty.{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=58}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=51}} Along with military victories, this undermined the enemy's position.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=63}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=59}}  

Achieving victory against the [[Idrisids]], Ibn Abi ʿĀmir returned sick to the Cordoban court in September 974,{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=51}} intending to recover and resume his duties.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=66}} He never returned to North Africa.{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|p=51}} His experience as a supervisor of the enlisted troops for the Maghreb campaign gave him an appreciation for their possible political utility if he gained control.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=66}} It also allowed him to establish relations with the tribal leaders of the area{{Sfn|Kennedy|1996|p=110}} and with his future powerful father-in-law, Ghalib ibn Abd al-Rahman,{{Sfn|Sánchez Candeira|1999|p=23}}{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}} who had led the military aspects of the operation.{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}}{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=66}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=60}}{{Sfn|Bariani|2003|pp=50,51}} Ibn Abi ʿĀmir's ability to manage organizational and economic aspects of the campaign was widely recognized,{{Sfn|Martínez Díez|2005|p=484}}{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}}{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=60}} and rewarded months before with his reappointment as head of the mint,{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=60}} and was the beginning of his political success.{{Sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=66}} In the last months of Al-Hakam's illness, he appointed Ibn Abi ʿĀmir inspector of professional troops,{{Sfn|Lévi Provençal|1957|p=401}} which included the bulk of the [[Berbers]] brought from the Maghreb by the caliph to try to form a force loyal to his person, which guaranteed him access to the throne of the Caliph's young son.{{Sfn|Ballestín Navarro|2004|p=92}}