In this year, the construction of the Huld Palace was completed. The Caliph al-Mansur stayed there for only a few days. Then he died and left the palace to others.
In this year, Taġiyyat al-Rūm (the rebel of the Byzantines) died.
In this year, al-Mansur sent his son al-Mahdi to Raqqa. He ordered him to remove Musa b. Kaʿb from the governorship of Mosul and to appoint Khalid b. Barmak in his place.
This event occurred after a strange incident that Yahya b. Khalid experienced. The story is as follows: The Caliph al-Mansur became angry with Khalid b. Barmak and punished him by ordering him to pay 3,000,000 dirhams. Khalid was in great distress because he was unable to pay this sum. He had neither money, nor property, nor strength left. Mansur granted him a period of three days. He decreed that if Khalid did not bring the money within this period, he would be killed.
So Khalid sent his son Yahya to his acquaintances and commanders to ask for a loan. Some gave him 100,000, some less, and some more.
Yahya b. Khalid says: During the three-day respite, one day I was walking on the bridge of Baghdad, thinking sorrowfully. I was telling myself that we would not be able to collect the required money, that it was beyond our means, when suddenly one of the fortune-tellers by the bridge jumped up and stopped me. He said, "Good news for you!" But I paid him no attention. He approached me and took hold of my horse's reins. Then he said: "You are distressed. But Allah, the Exalted, will deliver you from this difficulty. Tomorrow, you will pass by here carrying a banner. If what I say comes true, you will give me 5,000 dirhams... is that agreed?" I said, "Agreed." Even if he had asked for 50,000 dirhams, I would have agreed, because what he said seemed so unlikely. I went on my way. We collected the money, but we were still short by 300,000 dirhams.
Just at that time, news reached Mansur that the people of Mosul had revolted, that order had broken down there, and that the Kurds had spread into the area. Mansur gathered his commanders and notables and consulted them, asking who could restore order in Mosul. One of the commanders said that only Khalid b. Barmak could handle this task. Mansur asked him, "After what we have done to him, would Khalid really be able to do it?" The commander replied, "Yes, he would. I guarantee it." Thereupon, Mansur ordered that Khalid b. Barmak be summoned to his presence. He gave him this assignment and forgave the 300,000 dirhams he could not pay. He gave him a banner. He also appointed his son Yahya as governor of Azerbaijan. People entered the service of these two.
Yahya says: As we were crossing the bridge, the fortune-teller from the previous day jumped up and came to me again. He asked for the money I had promised him. I ordered that he be given 5,000 dirhams, and he received his payment from the officials.
In this year, the Caliph al-Mansur went on the hajj. He sent his sacrificial animals ahead. After passing Kufa and traveling a few stages further, he was seized by pain and died as a result. His temperament was unstable. Due to the intense heat and mounting his steed at midday, he suffered from diarrhea and became exhausted. His illness worsened. Then he entered Mecca. On the night of Saturday, the 6th of Dhu al-Hijjah of this year, he died there. The funeral prayer was performed, and he was buried in the Keda cemetery on the hill near Bab al-Muʿalla, on the upper side of Mecca.
He was sixty-three years old at his death. There are various reports that he was sixty-four or sixty-five. Some say he reached sixty-eight. Allah knows best.
His chamberlain Rabiʿ concealed his death until allegiance (bayʿa) was secured from the commanders and the leaders of the Hashimites for his son al-Mahdi. After this, Mansur was buried. The funeral prayer was led by Ibrahim b. Yahya b. Muhammad b. Ali. This man also led the people in the hajj that year.