I said this: “Ibn al-Bakilani came to no agreement with you; it was Ibn Kunis who made this compact and took a copy of it in the Greek language.” At this the Chamberlain broke out, and asked Ibn Kuinis “Who has authorized this?” to which he answered that neither he nor Ibn al-Bakilani had settled anything, and I withdrew.
Ibn Shahram
A few days later the Chamberlain summoned me and resumed reading the agreement. He paused at a point where it spoke of “what might be settled with Ibn Shahram on the basis of what was contained in the third copy,” and said that this was the one copy, but where were the other two? On referring to this passage I saw the blunder that had been committed in letting this stand, and said: “The meaning of the passage is that the agreement was to be in triplicate, one part to remain with the Byzantine ruler, one to be in Aleppo, and the third in the capital [Baghdad].”
This Ibn Kunis traversed, saying that his instructions had been to note down the exact sense of the agreement, and the Chamberlain said that this copy was the ruling one; that the second copy referred to giving up the fortresses, whilst the third omitted all mention of Aleppo; that the agreement had been signed on the terms agreed upon with Ibn al-Bakilani, and the sole object in sending this copy was to procure the sovereign’s hand and seal thereto.
To which I said: “This cannot be so; my instructions are merely what I have stated as regards Aleppo and the fortresses, in accordance with the agreement which you have seen.” He replied: “Were Bardas [i.e., Skleros] here in force and you had made us all prisoners you could not ask for more than you are asking; and Bardas is, in fact, a prisoner.”….
I replied: “Your supposed case of Bardas being here in force is of no weight, for you are well aware that when Abu Taghlib, who is not on a par with the lowest of ‘Adud al -Daula’s followers, assisted Bardas he foiled the Byzantine sovereigns for seven years; how would it be, then, were ‘Adud al-Daula to assist him with his army?
Read More about Report of his Mission to Constantinople part 17
