Ibn ʿĀʾisha: Matrilineal kinship, naming practices, and the poetics of Marwanid matrilineality

Leone Pecorini Goodall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

his paper investigates the overlooked topic of maternal ties of kinship in Umayyad history through the case study of ʿĀʾisha bint Hishām ibn Ismāʿīl al-Makhzūmī, the mother of Hishām ibn ʿ⁠Abd al-Malik (r. 105–125/724–743). Using a range of primary sources, including annalistic, adab, and eschatological sources, as well as early Islamic poetry, it investigates the significance of matrilineal kinship and naming practices in the Marwanid period. ʿĀʾisha’s representations across sources illuminates how sources discuss caliphal mothers and the role of the matrilineal family in marriage and naming practices. A brief prosopographical analysis also demonstrates the widespread use of maternal names in early Islamic society – ʿĀʾisha is said to have named her son after her father. Early Islamic poets praised maternal kinship ties, indicating an appeal to caliphal constituents from the maternal family. Overall, by incorporating maternal ties of kinship into Marwanid history, we may gain a more complete understanding of early Islamic society.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)501-520
Number of pages20
JournalMedieval Encounters: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Culture in Confluence and Dialogue
Volume29
Issue number2-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Nov 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Umayyads
  • matrilineality
  • onomastics
  • prosopography
  • Islamic history

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