Ebu’l Fida İsmail

Scholar of history and geography. (B. November 1273, Damascus –D. 26 October 1331, Hama / Syria). His full name is Ebü'l Fîda İsmail îbn el-Melikü'l-Müeyyed İmadeddin. He is also known as Melik Müüeyyed and Ebu’l Fedâ. He has a kinship with Selahaddin Eyyubi. During the Mongolian invasion his family migrated from Hama to Damascus. Upon the defeat of Mongols near to Hums in 1281 they returned to Hama. Ebü’l Fidâ who had a decent education started to participate in military expeditions against the Crusaders with his father and his cousin since he was twelve. He served the Mameluke prefect in Hama and joined the battles against the Mongols. In 1310 he became the Prefect of Hama. In 1312 he was declared a lifelong ruler. After going on pilgrimage with the Sultan of Mamelukes he received the title of “el-Melikü'l- Müeyyed” in 1320. Thus he gained authority on Syrian prefects. Until his death he ruled Hama. After his death his son replaced him.

He is famous with his world history book titled El-Muhtasar fî Târihi'1-Be­şer he completed in 1321. Another work of him titled Takvim-ül-Buldan which is a short but very valuable geography book was translated into European languages. Ebü’l Fidâ as a ruler always protected scientists and artists like him. Aside from his administration, he took lectures from famous scholars of the period. He acquired knowledge in various scientific fields such as fiqh, tafsir, philosophy, logics, medicine, botanic, history, geography and syntax. He started to register the happenings at his time starting from very early dates. Besides he wrote poetry and guided literary developments at his time. He cared for the needs of people and built numerous mosques, madrasahs and palaces from which some survived until the present. The Câmiu'l-Hayyât in Hama is his work. Ebü’l Fidâ passed away in Hama on the 26^th of October 1331 and inhumed to the tomb he built earlier for himself. His death not only upset the scholars, but also people of Hama who lived a prosperous and peaceful life under his just rule. His tomb, which was ruined in time, was repaired in 1925.

WORKS:

El-Muhtasar fî Târihi'1-Beşer (Published in 2 volumes in 1869), Takvîmü'l-Büldân, Nazmü'l-Hâvi'ş-Sağir, Şerhu'l-Kâfiye, Kitâbü'l-Mevâzîn, et-Tibrü'l-Mesbûk fî Târîhi'l-Mülûk, el-Künnâş. 

REFERENCE: M. Şemseddin Günaltay / İslâmda Târih ve Müverrihler (1939-42), İbrahim Alaeddin Gövsa / Türk Meşhurları (1946), Büyük Larousse (c. 6, s. 3504, 1986), Ana Britannica (c. 7, s. 612, 1987), Abdülkerim Özaydın / “Ebü’l Fidâ” (TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, c. 10, s. 320-321, 1994),  İhsan Işık / Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüler Ansiklopedisi, c. 2,).