Though he was poor and unknown, his skill in poetry brought him the close friendship of the young Abbad III al-Mu'tamid.
However, Al-Mu'tamid's father, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid disapproved of the relationship and sent him into exile.
[2] Ibn Ammar was reputed to be unbeatable at chess; according to Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi, his victory in a game convinced Alfonso VI of Castile to turn away from Seville.
He engineered the annexation of the taifa of Murcia to the kingdom of Seville, and convinced al-Mu'tamid to name him as its governor.
Al-Mu'tamid was initially inclined to forgiveness, but was later incensed by something he read in an intercepted letter sent by Ibn Ammar from his prison cell.