In The Eloquent Tyrant, Pamela Klasova presents a cultural history of speech in the early Islamic empire, examining the relationship between the spoken word and power through the oratorical practice of the powerful governor of Iraq, al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf al-Thaqafī (d. 714). The governor is remembered both as one of the most eloquent rulers of his age and as one of the worst tyrants in Islamic history. Klasova contends that oratory was inextricably connected with imperial rule and that the governor—despite the deeply ingrained image of him as a bloodthirsty tyrant—relied not only on military force but also on a robust machinery of cultural power. Drawing on a multiplicity of voices from al-Ḥajjāj’s milieu, including rebellious poets, non-elite orators, and women, Klasova portrays the Umayyad world in full color. She challenges al-Ḥajjāj’s one-dimensional image in both medieval and modern sources and makes a compelling case for reintegrating Arabic literature into the study of Islamic history.
Pamela Klasova is Assistant Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago.
"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
392 pp.6 x 9Illus: 9 b/w figures, 1 b/w map
9780520420700$95.00|£80.00Hardcover
Dec 2025