What befel between Muḥammad b. Zayd and the
Ispahbad Rustam the son of Qárin; and
how an army invaded Ṭabaristán.

Rustam, dispossessed by the Sayyid, fled to Ráfi', and seven months later returned to Ṭabaristán with him at the head of an army. — The Sayyid, unable to withstand them, retreated from Gurgán to the castle of Juhína, where he was besieged for six months. At the end of this period he left a kotwál in charge of the castle, and himself escaped to Tammísha. Soon afterwards the castle capitulated to Ráfi', before whom the Sayyid fell back on Daylamán. In the beginning of Dhu`l-Ḥijja, A. H. 277 (= March, A. D. 891) he was still at Kajú, while the people suffered the direst distress from the invaders. The Daylamites came to the Sayyid’s assistance; and Justán the son of Wah-súdán descended from the highlands to help him. Ráfi' commanded his governor at Jálús, Muḥammad b. Hárún, to remain within his fortifi­cations, and sent Rustam son of Qárin, Muḥammad b. Aḥmad Wandawayh, 'Alí b. al-Ḥasan al-Marwazí, 'Abdu`lláh b. al-Ḥasan, and the son of the Ispahbad Shahriyár b. Pádhúsbán to Jálús by the sea-shore, while he himself came to Ahlam. (f. 121a) Muḥammad b. Hárún thereupon came out of Jálus and pursued his foes. Owing to the exactions of Ráfi' pro­visions become scarce and dear. At the beginning of Ṣafar, A. H. 278 (middle of May, A. D. 891) Ráfi' marched from Jálús by way of Ṭálaqán in pursuit of Justán the son of Wah-súdán, and laid waste his territory. Finally Justán promised not to help the Sayyid, whereupon Ráfi' withdrew to Qazwín. The Sayyid now marched on Gílán, while Ráfi' came from Qazwín to Ray. Al-Mu'taḍid bi`lláh, who succeeded about this time to the Caliphate, sent a messenger to summon Ráfi' to his presence, but Ráfi' seized the messenger and imprisoned him, though he afterwards let him go. The Caliph then appointed Abu`l-'Abbás Aḥmad b. ['Abd] al-'Azíz b. Abú Dulaf al-'Ijlí governor of 'Iráq, and ordered him to give battle to Ráfi', who was defeated with heavy loss by the Caliph’s troops on the river Kulahwár on Friday, Dhu`l-Qa'da 18, and was compelled to fall back (f. 121b) on Ṭabaristán by way of Wíma.