The ibn al-Athir brothers belonged to the Shayban lineage[2] of the large and influential Arab tribe Banu Bakr,[3][4] who lived across upper Mesopotamia, and gave their name to the city of Diyar Bakr.
[5][6] The eldest brother, known as Majd ad-Dīn (1149–1210), was long in the service of the amir of Mosul, and was an earnest student of tradition and language.
His works include: The most famous brother was Ali ibn al-Athir (May 13, 1160 – 1233), who devoted himself to the study of history and Islamic tradition.
It has been edited by Carl Tornberg, Ibn al-Athīr Chronicon quod perfectissinum inscribitur (14 vols., Leiden, 1851–1876).
ii., Paris); a work (Usd al-Ghdba) giving an account of 7,500 companions of the Muslim prophet Muhammad (5 vols., Cairo, 1863), and a compendium (the Lubāb) of Samani's Kitāb ui-A n.~db (cf.