Harran

A city in Upper Mesopotamia, some 35 kilometers (c. 22 mi.) south of Edessa (mod. fianliurfa, Turkey).

In ancient times Harran was the site of a famous moon cult, which survived well into the Islamic period. In the seventh century Harran was briefly the Umayyad capital; parts of the Great Mosque date from this period.

Though repeatedly threatened by the Franks during the first quarter of the twelfth century, Harran remained an important Muslim shield against the county of Edessa. Divisions in the Muslim world made Harran a target for the Franks in 1104; a siege mounted by Baldwin II of Edessa, Joscelin I of Courtenay, Bohemund I of Antioch, and Tancred was lifted at the approach of a relieving Muslim army. Jokurmish of Mosul and Suqman ibn Artuq of Mardin cut the Franks of Edessa to pieces; both Baldwin and Joscelin were captured.

Harran was taken by Zangi in 1127; his governor there informed him of the weakening of Edessa’s garrison in 1144, leading to the capture of that city. Saladin used Harran, controlled by his follower Gokbori, as a base in his operations against Mosul (1182-1186). The city and citadel were strengthened by Nur al-Din and by the Ayyubids, but Har-ran was systematically depopulated and destroyed by its Mongol rulers in 1271. The Mamluks garrisoned the citadel for a time, but the town never recovered.

-Angus Stewart

Bibliography

Sinclair, T. A., Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey, vol. 4 (London: Pindar, 1990).

Stefan Heidemann, Die Renaissance der Stddte in Nordsyrien und Nordmesopotamien: Stddtische Entwicklung und wirtschaftliche Bedingungen in ar-Raqqa und Harrdn von der Zeit der beduinischen Vorherrschaft bis zu den Seldschuken (Leiden: Brill, 2002).