HAJIB

in Muslim Spain and Mamluk Egypt, a high government official. The term originally designated a chamberlain, but under the Spanish Umayyads (7561031) the hajib functioned as a chief minister, paralleling the position of vizier (wazir) in the eastern caliphates. He was the chief representative of the caliph and directed the central secretariat in Crdoba. In 978 effective control of the caliphate was taken over by Ibn Abu 'Amir, known as al-Mansur (Almanzor in Spanish sources), who was hajib to Hisham II. The so-called 'Amirid dictatorship, which was continued by al-Mansur's sons and by the hajibs, lasted until the outbreak of civil war in Muslim Spain in 1008. In this period of numerous petty kingdoms (100891), most rulers, not daring to claim the sacred office of caliph, assumed the title hajib instead. Many other Muslim dynasties had ministers bearing this title, but their functions varied widelyfrom war minister to chief of finances to superintendent of the palace. Under the Mamluks in Egypt (12501517), the hajib arbitrated disputes between amirs and soldiers. Eventually he became head of the military courts and from this strictly civil position slowly assumed authority in religious questions, generally the domain of qadis (religious judges). In the provinces, the Mamluks maintained hajibs as officers second or third in command after the governors and authorized to take their place in their absence or death.