In The Eloquent Tyrant, Pamela Klasova presents a cultural history of speech in the early Islamic empire under the Umayyads, examining the relationship between the spoken word and power. The central case study is the rule and oratorical practice of al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf al-Thaqafī (d. 714), the formidable governor of Iraq and the eastern provinces, remembered both as an eloquent ruler and notorious tyrant in Islamic history. Klasova shows that oratory was inextricably tied to imperial rule and that the governor—despite his image as a bloodthirsty tyrant—relied not only on military force but also on an apparatus of cultural power. Drawing on al-Ḥajjāj’s speeches and the varied voices around him, including rebellious poets, non-elite orators, and outspoken women, Klasova reconstructs the Umayyad world of speech in full color. By underscoring the centrality of oratory to al-Ḥajjāj’s rule and challenging his one-dimensional image, she makes a compelling case for reintegrating Arabic literary production into the study of Islamic history.
"Godless tyrant, violent orator, and sophisticated political rhetorician: al-Ḥajjāj's name resounds through the Islamic archive, and Pamela Klasova does him justice with this sparkling study of the Umayyad dynasty and its Abbasid interpreters that showcases her facility with eloquent words, intellectual histories, and their translations."—Alexander Key, Associate Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literature, Stanford University
"An important contribution to the field of early Islamic history and Arabic studies alike, The Eloquent Tyrant draws on a wide array of sources to deftly deconstruct the infamously violent al-Ḥajjāj. Enjoyable to read, it presents a compelling tale that has lasting implications for how we think about Umayyad power."—Alison M. Vacca, Gevork M. Avedissian Associate Professor of Armenian History and Civilization, Columbia University
More information and links to purchase the book can be found here: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-eloquent-tyrant/hardcover