Walid and His Friends - An Umayyad Tragedy (Arabic, English, Paperback)

This is an account of the life and leisure of the Umayyad Caliph Walid II, presented as a sequel to descriptions published in 1959 and 1978 of his country resort discovered at Khirbat al-Mafjar in the Jordan Valley. Eccentricities in the behaviour of Walid II as Caliph and heir contributed to the fall of the Umayyad dynasty, and Hamilton finds in the building of al-Mafjar a likely setting for particular episodes in his life as well as some curious reflections in the architecture of recognizable idiosyncrasies in his character. Discussion of these points is contained within an account of Walid's career and fortunes, including the difficult relationship with his uncle Hisham, up to his brief caliphate and then assassination. The architectural study is accompanied by eight new line drawings and twelve photographic illustrations. A reminiscence, in translation, of a few of the verses for which Walid achieved a posthumous reputation is also included.