Ḥasan b. Zayd.
When Sulaymán b. 'Abdu`lláh [b.] Ṭáhir retired from Ṭabaristán,
Sayyid Ḥasan took possession of the whole country,
and was henceforth reckoned its ruler. He persecuted and
slew all such as sympathized with the 'Abbásids (Musawwida),
till men were filled with the fear of him, and thought
of nothing save how to obey and please him. On Wednesday,
Dhu`l-Ḥijja 3, A. H. 253 (= December 4, A. D. 867)
he gave standards to Muḥammad b. Ibráhím and Lashkar-sitán-i-Daylamí
and sent them to Gurgán, and everywhere
the people came out to meet them and made offerings to
them. During the whole of this month and the months of
Muḥarram and Ṣafar, A. H. 254 (January and February A.
D. 868) the Daylamites remained with them, but when they
found there were no spoils to be got, they entirely abandoned
Muḥammad b. Ibráhím. After ten days he arrived
alone at Sárí from Gurgán. At the beginning of Rabí' I,
A. H. 254 (March, A. D. 868) Sayyid Ḥasan sent an army
against the Ispahbad Qárin the son of Shahriyár, the king
of the Mountains, to Hazár-garí, where they burned all the
crops and destroyed the houses. When he reached Sárí,
Justán the son of Wah-súdán sent a trusty messenger to
the Sayyid, asking him to send a representative in whom
he had confidence to conquer by his aid the kingdom of
Ray. So the Sayyid sent to him Aḥmad b. 'Isá b. 'Alí b.
al-Ḥasan, and part of the territories of Ray were captured
by them, and the Sayyid came from Sárí to ´Amul. Mázyár
the son of Qárin and Shahriyár escaped from their captivity,
and on Friday, the 2nd of Jumáda I, A. H. 254 (= April 29,
A. D. 868) the Sayyid ordered their gaolers to receive exemplary
punishment, and despatched the brother of the Mas-mughán
Wandarand Wandád Hurmazd
And now the Sayyids of the House of 'Alí and the Banú Háshim began to flock to Ṭabaristán from the Ḥijáz, Syria and 'Iráq “according to the number of the leaves on the trees,” and he gave them all welcome; and whenever he rode forth, he was surrounded by 300 'Alawís with drawn swords as a body-guard. And on this the Sayyid Násir-i-kabír Ḥasan b. 'Alí says:
After this letters arrived from Aḥmad b. 'Isa and Qásim b. 'Alí, who were with Justán the son of Wah-súdán, announcing that the districts of Ray, Qazwín, Abhar, and Zangán had been occupied by them, and that the people had responded to their propaganda. Then the Sayyid again sent Muḥammad b. Ibráhím to Gurgán with his standard, and its people also submitted, and the Sayyid’s rule was firmly established over a tranquil and obedient realm.
Mufliḥ with an army to Ṭabaristán.
Qásim b. 'Alí, al-'Alawí, who was in 'Iráq, seized 'Abdu`lláh
b. 'Azíz, one of the officers of the Ṭáhirids, and handed
him over to Faḍl b. Marzubán, who took him to Ḥasan b.
Zayd, advising him to keep him securely. It was the 'Ìd-i-Aḍḥá
when the prisoner was brought to the Sayyid, who
immediately ordered his head to be struck off. When this
news reached the Caliph al-Mu'tazz at Baghdad, he at once
despatched Músá b. Bughá and Mufliḥ with an army to
'Iráq. These met Justán the son of Wah-súdán and the
Sayỵids at Qazwín, defeated them, and slew many of the
Daylamites, plundered their treasures, and came to Ray and
thence to Qúmish and Gurgán, where they encamped. There
they were joined by Aḥmad b. Muḥammad
Ṭáhir b. 'Abdu`lláh, who was in control of Khurásán, was
unable to govern his province with firmness; and at this
time a man called “the Veiled Sayyid” (Sayyid-i-Burqa'í)
revolted at Baṣra and Wáṣiṭ in Sawád. This man is better
known as “the Leader of the Ethiopians” (Ṣáḥibu`z-Zanj),
and 'Alí, in some of his apocalyptic writings (
Now it was at this juncture, while the Caliph and Ṭáhir
b. 'Abdu`lláh were occupied with these matters, that Ya'qúb
b. Layth, a brave and ambitious man, revolted and became
powerful. For many troubles distracted Khurásán, where
rebels and robbers arose on every side, but Ya'qúb b. Layth
aṣ-Ṣaffár (“the Copper-smith”) was the most cunning and
powerful of all. Originally of lowly origin and humble circumstances,
he gathered a band of followers round him,
and, owing to the weakness of the government, succeeded
at last in dispossessing the governor of Sístán appointed by
Ṭáhir b. 'Abdu`lláh. He was then proclaimed king, marched
on Khurásán, and seized the territories of Muḥammad b.
'Abdu`lláh [b.] Ṭáhir, so that at length the Caliph thought it
best to make over Khurásán to his control. Having taken
Níshápúr he came to Dihistán, and sent secretly to
As soon as Ya'qúb-i-Layth had quitted Ṭabaristán, Ḥasan b. Zayd came to Sárí with an army of Daylamites, and the people again gathered round him. He advanced without halting to Gurgán, when he was met by the news that his brother, mentioned above, had been released by Ya'qúb, and was approaching. He went out to meet him with his whole army, and in Ṣafar, A. H. 263 (= November, A.D. 876) they met, and halted for the remainder of that month and the whole of Rabi' I at Gurgán, after which he returned to Ṭabaristán to see his mother. A predatory band of several thousand Turks, blood-thirsty infidels, had entered Dihistán (f. 117a) and were preparing to attack Ṭabaristán. Ḥasan b. Zayd was then at Gurgán. He placed Muḥammad b. Aḥmad Khurásání in command of the vanguard, consisting of 2000 Daylamites, and himself took command of the centre. They met the infidels at Shúra in Dihistán, and completely routed them. Muḥammad b. Tamím, known as Mardán-kulah was killed; and Ḥasan b. Zayd fought with great bravery, and pursued the fugitives till they were all killed or dispersed. His courage on that day marked an epoch.
and invasion of Ṭabaristán by Shárí, the
lieutenant of the House of Ṭáhir.
When Ḥasan b. Zayd arrived at Gurgán, news came from ´Amul that Layth b. Fana had revolted, so he left Muḥammad b. Ibráhím al-'Alawí at Gurgán and himself went to ´Amul. The Daylamites refused to obey Muḥammad b. Ibráhím, and began to loot and otherwise misconduct themselves. He therefore wrote to Ḥasan b. Zayd, saying, “Thou knowest the evil character and vile nature of the Daylamites, and their rebelliousness against thy authority. They will not obey me, and the people are afflicted by them.” But Ḥasan b. Zayd was occupied with Layth b. Fana, and had sent his army under Aḥmad b. '´Isá to Láriján, because its lord, Parwíz, had asked for help, representing that Layth b. Fana had gone to Ray, and had induced its governor to attack Láriján. He therefore sent his brother, Abú 'Abdi`lláh Muḥammad b. Zayd, to Gurgán.
Now there was a certain Daylamite named Dakiyya who had fled from Muḥammad with his people, and gone to Khurásán to Shárí, the lieutenant of the Ṭáhirids, whom he informed of the anarchy and unrest which prevailed in Gurgán, urging him to attack it, and promising to help him to obtain possession of it. So Shárí came from Isfará`in to Gurgán, and the Daylamites entirely deserted Muḥammad b. Zayd and Muḥammad b. Ibráhím, and went over to the invader. The two Sayyids came to ´´Amul, and waited until Shárí desired to provision his army, and sent out the Daylamites, unarmed, to forage for provisions (f. 117b). One of the chief man of Gurgán named Isḥáq said to Shárí, “Do not give wealth to the Daylamites without good cause, or else they will deal treacherously with thee, as they have ever dealt with their amírs and rulers; for no one hath experienced at their hands aught but insolence, oppression, and ungenerous conduct.” The Daylamites were gathered together at Sulaymánábad; and the people of Gurgán, gentle and simple, were all afraid of the barbarities they might perpetrate. So Shárí and Isḥáq ordered them all to be put to the sword, and in one day 3000 of them were slain. News of this was brought to Ḥasan b. Zayd, and he was filled with malicious delight.
When it became known to Layth b. Fana that Shárí had taken Gurgán, he induced the Turk, who was the governor of Ray, to let him go to Ṭabaristán to take the country for him, and was permitted to proceed to Láriján. When he arrived, he found that Aḥmad b. '´Isá and the Masmughán were both there, and had stopped all the roads, and cried threats and imprecations at them from the mountains. Layth b. Fana put his horse at the river, but was unable to cross. The Turk was afraid and said, “Surely he intends some treachery towards me.” So he ordered him to be seized and his head to be cut off: and this he sent to Ḥasan b. Zayd, offering at the same time his apologies for having invaded the country. Immediately after this news arrived that Shári, having collected much wealth, was about to leave Gurgán, and the Sayyid Ḥasan at once proceeded thither with his army. Shárí fled to Khurásán, while Ḥasan b. Zayd entered Gurgán, slew many of the common people, and plundered their property.
Qárin the son of Shahriyár and his
relations with Ḥasan b. Zayd.
At this time the Daylamites were plundering, stealing, and causing great trouble in Gurgán, breaking into the houses of Muslims by night to rob and do evil, so that even unto Níshápúr men were in terror of them. So Ḥasan-i-Zayd caused the hands and feet of a thousand of them to be cut off in Gurgán, in consequence of which some thousand of his followers deserted him and joined Rustam the son of Qárin, who, though (f. 118a) ostensibly declaring himself to be loyal to the Sayyid, was really bent on rebellion against his authority. When these Daylamites joined Rustam the son of Qárin, he had not sufficient food wherewith to feed them, so he suffered them to loot the countryside in search of provisions. Qásim b. 'Alí, who was at Qúmish, wrote to him informing him that Muḥammad b. Mahdí b. Nírak was marching against him from Níshápúr, and at the same time asked for help from Ḥasan b. Zayd. Qásim had not the least suspicion of the intentions of Rustam, and was quite off his guard, when the latter suddenly and treacherously attacked-and captured him, imprisoned him in the castle of Sháh Dizh in Hazár-garí, and seized Qúmish. Sayyid Qásim died in the castle. Then Rustam sent to the governor of Níshápúr, Aḥmad b. 'Abdu`lláh Khujistání1, telling him that the affairs of Ḥasan b. Zayd were in a precarious state, and asking for his help. Sayyid Ḥasan plundered Qúmish and chastised Rustam; but the death of his brother-in-law, Muḥammad b. Ibráhím b. 'Alí b. 'Abdu`r-Raḥmán, broke his spirit, for he loved him greatly and held him in high esteem. All the army of Sayyid Ḥasan went over to his brother Abú 'Abdi`lláh Muḥammad b. Zayd, who ordered them to attack the Ispahbad Rustam. When they had advanced one stage, the army of Níshápúr under Khujistání had reached Gurgán, so he sent messengers to turn his brother back, abandoned Gurgán, and retired into Tammísha. Khujistání pursued him to Ribáṭ-i-Ḥafṣ, captured his treasures and baggage, and took many prisoners, but slew no one. Muḥammed [b.] Zayd learned at Júhína that his brother had departed, and at Sárí rumour reached him that Ḥasan b. Zayd had been taken captive. Ḥasan b. Muḥammad 'Aqíqí assembled the people and received their oaths of allegiance to himself, beheading all who refused to take this oath. But at Sárí he was met by Ṭáhir b. Ibráhím [b.] Khalíl coming from Ḥasan b. Zayd, from whom he learned that Sayyid Ḥasan himself was approaching. Thereupon he fled from Sárí and joined the Ispahbad Rustam the son of Qárin, and though Ḥasan b, Zayd tried to win him back by kind messages, he returned no answer, but continued with the Ispahbad till Khujistání had established himself in Bakrábád in Gurgán and collected supplies. The Ispahbad remained at Astarábád until Khujistání went to Níshápúr, and the men of Gurgán attached themselves to 'Aqíqí, who protected them from the oppression of Khujistání, and excused them their taxes, and all of them swore allegiance to him. But presently Ḥasan b. Zayd collected an army in Ṭabaristán, who, by threes and by fours, began to set out for Astarábád. When he reached the village of Námina in Panjáh-hazár, he chose out 500 horsemen, and made a night attack on Astarábád, so that at day-break he surprised Rustam, who only succeeded in escaping on foot into the highlands. Ḥasan b. Zayd, without delaying, set out for Gurgán, where 'Aqíqí knew nothing of what had happened to Rustam at Astarábád. The Sayyid therefore took him quite by surprise, so that he fled with only three horsemen to the plains, pursued by Muḥammad b. Zayd, until he was finally captured and brought before Sayyid Ḥasan. As soon as his eyes fell on the Sayyid, he prayed for quarter, but the Sayyid, averting his face, bade Turk-i-Rúmí to cut off his head, after which they wrapped his body in a mantle and buried it in the Guebres’ cemetery. Then the Sayyid sent his brother Muḥammad b. Zayd into the Ispahbad’s highlands to pursue him, until at length, despairing, he sent messenger after messenger to beg for quarter, till at length the Sayyid wrote to his brother bidding him to spare the fugitive, but to seize all his possessions, and exact pledges that he would not in future maintain an army, all of which Muḥammad b. Zayd duly performed. On his return, his brother invested him with the standard and drum of authority, and sent him to Gurgán.
This year the Sayyid fell sick, so that he was unable to sit his horse (f. 119a) and he continued thus sick for a year, and finally expired on Monday, Rajab 3, A. H. 270 (= January 6, A. D. 884), twenty years after he first appeared in revolt. During his year’s illness he bade Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Ibráhím, known as al-Qá`im, who was his son in law, to take from the people of Ṭabaristán the oath of allegiance to his brother Abú 'Abdi`lláh Muḥammad b. Zayd.
and Revolt of Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn.
Muḥammad b. Zayd, with the title ad-Dá'í al-Kabír (“the Great Missionary”) received the oath of allegiance from the people of Ṭabaristán. He was at the time of his brother’s death in Gurgán, and his son-in-law, Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn, seized the money which was in the treasury and expended it in inducing the people to swear allegiance to himself, which most of the Daylamite chiefs did. He was also joined by the Ispahbad Rustam the son of Qárin and Pádhúsbán.
When Muḥammad b. Zayd heard the news of his brother’s death, he advanced on ´Amul with hís army, many of whom had been secretly won over to the interest of Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn, who tried to persuade some of them, such as Laythám the son of Wardán, and Abú Manṣúr Mahdí b. Mukhayyas, to slay Muḥammad b. Zayd at Ribáṭ-i-Hafṣ. They refused to kill him, having eaten his bread and salt, but deserted him, and turned back to Gurgán. He too turned back thither, but the inhabitants refused to admit him, and he therefore took up his quarters in the village of Zawín. Abu`l-Ḥusayn sent money and robes of honour for the people of the city, and bade them let Muḥammad b. Zayd remain where he was; and he dared not put his head outside Zawín until Ráfi' b. Harthama returned defeated from Khurásán, and sent for Mahdí b. Mukhayyas, who was his servant, to come and meet him. Mahdí paid no heed to this message, whereupon Ráfi', divining Muḥammad b. Zayd’s condition, sent (f. 119b) trusty men to him, brought him to his quarters and fought and defeated Mahdí b. Mukhayyas, who fled to Khurásán. Laythám-i-Daylam went to Abu`l-Ḥusayn, and 'Alí b. Surkháb was taken prisoner by Mahdí, but fled from him on the day of his defeat. Ráfi' handed over Gurgán to Muḥammad b. Zayd and returned to Khurásán. One day Abu`l-Ḥusayn began to oppress his followers in order to enrich himself, and these consequently wrote in secret to Muḥammad b. Zayd invoking his assistance. He, having collected an army, arrived at Sárí on Wednesday, the first of Jumádá I, A. H. 271 (= October 25, A. D. 884), and Abu`l-Ḥusayn, who was there, fled from him to ´Amul, whence he started at night to join Laythám and Nu'mán at Jálús and go to Daylam. On the Sunday Muḥammad b. Zayd reached ´Amul, whence on the Tuesday he moved on to the village of Banafsh, whence he proceeded by night to Jálús, and there seized Abu`l-Ḥusayn, with Laythám and the other Daylamites who were with him, with much spoil. That night he went on to Khwájak, and reached ´Amul, where, on Friday, the 6th of Jumáda I, he was crowned king. Abu`l-Ḥusayn, whose power had endured ten months, was cast into bonds, and pardon was proclaimed to his agents and officers, who thereupon submitted, and were made to render account of the moneys they had collected for their master. He also brought in Abu`l-Ḥusayn’s sister, who was the widow of his late brother Ḥasan b. Zayd, and took from her all her jewels and gold ornaments, after which he released Abu`l-Ḥusayn, bidding all those from whom he had exacted money recover it from him. Thereupon the jurisconsults of ´Amul bore witness against him of exactions amounting to a million dirhams, upon which he was again cast into bondage, and sent with Laythám-i-Daylam to Sárí, after which no one ever saw them again, and it was said that they were killed on the road thither.
So soon as Muḥammad b. Zayd was thus established as ruler of Ṭabaristán, he set out for the highlands against the Ispahbad Rustam the son of (f. 120a) Qárin, drove him out of the kingdom, and sent him to 'Amr b. Layth the Ṣaffárí, who interceded for him; and pardon was granted to him on condition that he should swear henceforth to maintain no army, and to send all that he had to Muḥammad b. Zayd, and to pay all the tax and tribute which he had withheld. And Muḥammad b. Zayd established his capital at Gurgán where many retainers gathered round him, although he was unable to give him pay.
what befel him with Ráfi` b. Harthama, and
how an army invaded Ṭabaristán.
In Rabí' I, A. H. 272 (= Aug.—Sept., A. D. 885), Asatakín the Turk being governor of Ray, Muḥammad b. Zayd marched from Gurgán to Dámghán, and thence to Samnán and Khwár. A battle took place between him and the army of 'Iráq at Wah-rádhán, near Ray, in which Muḥammad b. Zayd was defeated and fled to Láriján. Ráfi' b. Harthama then invaded Gurgán, but troubles in Khurásán obliged him to go to Níshápur. In A. H. 273 (A. D. 886—887) Muḥammad b. Zayd returned to ´Amul, and celebrated the circumcision of his son Zayd, whom he nominated as his successor, joining his name with his own on the coinage and in the khuṭba. On the arrival of Ráfi' in Khurásán the troubles there ceased, and the quarrel between Naṣr and Ismá'íl, the sons of Núḥ the Sámánid, was terminated. Ráfi' then marched against Khwárazm, with the people of which he had already waged war; and carried off thence ten thousand (f. 120b) men as hostages.
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.
When Ráfi' reached Mihrawán, he heard that the Caliph
al-Mu'taḍid had given the government of Níshápúr to 'Amr
b. Layth, whereupon he took the oath of allegiance to Muḥammad
b. Zayd, on condition that he should hold Gurgán.
On Tuesday, the 5th of Rabí' II, the latter came to ´Amul, and
Ráfi' went to Gurgán. At this juncture news arrived that
Aḥmad al-'Ijlí, the Caliph’s governor, had died at Ray, and
that his son had succeeded him. Thereupon, on the 7th of
Jumádá I, Ráfi' marched on Ray, attacked and defeated him,
and sent his army to Kúh-páya. A month later al-Mu'taḍid
sent his son1
to Ray, whereupon Ráfi' abandoned the country.
Ibn [Abi`l-] Aṣbagh, the deputy of the Caliph’s son, ruled
justly, and reduced the country to order. In this same year
Bakr b. 'Abdu`l-'Azíz al-'Ijlí came to Sayyid Muḥammad b.
Zayd at ´Amul, and was received by him with much honour
and many gifts, including a million dir hams made up into
a hundred bags, and was finally given the government of
Rúyán and Jálús. On his arrival at Nátil, however, he was
poisoned in some sherbet (
Ráfi' soon informed the Ispahbad Rustam that he had no intention of observing his new treaty with the Sayyid, and, on Rustam’s allying himself with 'Amr b. Layth, proceeded to seize him and put him in bonds, confiscated all his property, extorted large sums of money from his retainers, and gave his country to Abú Naṣr-i-Ṭabarí. In Ramaḍán, A. H. 282 (= October—November, A. D. 895) Rustam died in his bondage.
In this year the Sayyid Muḥammad b. Zayd gave money to Ráfi' to induce him to adopt the white badge and standard of the 'Alawís, and to exact from the men of Gurgán, Dihistán (f. 122b) and Jájarm the oath of allegiance to him; while he on his part sent the Sayyid a share of Rustam’s plundered possessions. A quarrel now arose between Muḥammad b. Wahsúdán and 'Alí b. Surkháb, and the former, having killed some of the latter’s men, went to Kílárján, and was reported to have cast off his allegiance. Ráfi' again marched against 'Amr b. Layth, but was again defeated, and fled to Khwárazm, the inhabitants of which city, having an ancient grudge against him, seized him, cut off his head, and sent it to 'Amr b. Layth, who sent it on to the Caliph. After this all Ṭabaristán from Gurgán to Gílán became the Sayyid’s secure possession. In A. H. 282 (A. D 895—6) news arrived that Ismá'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid had captured 'Amr b. Layth and put him to death, and the Sayyid was now freed from all anxiety; but just as his power, glory, fame and good repute seemed to be at their height, calamity befel him, even as the poet says:
Cause of the Martyrdom of Sayyid Muḥammad
b. Zayd in his war with Muḥammad b. Hárún.
Ismá'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid sent Muḥammad b. Hárún with an army (f. 123a) against Ṭabaristán. Sayyid Muḥammad b. Zayd, confident in his power (for he had 20,000 men with him, and his antagonist only 3000), attacked the centre of his enemy’s army with a mere handful of men, and was the first person slain. His head was cut off, his great army scattered, and his son Abu`l-Ḥusayn taken prisoner on Friday, Shawwál 5, A. H 287 (= October 3, A. D. 900). The Sayyid’s headless body was buried at Gurgán in a place still known as Gúr-i-Dá'í (“the Propagandist’s Grave”), and his head was sent to Bukhárá. He reigned in all sixteen years. His son Zayd was for a long while kept a prisoner by Isma'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid at Bukhárá, whence he sent these verses to his friends in Ṭabaristán:
These verses were shewn to Isma'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid,
who was so much affected by them that he released his
captive, saying, “Thou hast thy choice of returning to Ṭabaristán
or of remaining here.” He replied, “The affairs of
Ṭabaristán have gone beyond the point that there should
be any place for me there; it is best for me to remain
here.” And so he lived, died and was buried in Bukhárá.
Three sons of his are mentioned in the genealogical tree of
the House of Abú Ṭálib (
rule of Isma'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid.
Muḥammad b. Hárún, having subdued Gurgán, set out for ´Amul and Sárí, reaching the first named city on a Friday in the month of Tír, A. H. 287 (A. D. 900), and reigned for a year and six months, till Isma'íl b. Aḥmad the Sámánid, having subdued the whole of Khurásán, marched against Ṭabaristán. Muḥammad b. Hárún refused to submit to his authority, and retired to Daylamán. Isma'íl encamped at a place called Ashílá Dasht, near ´Amul, in the plain of Líkání, and administered such justice as was almost unknown in Ṭabaristán, restoring to the nobles and gentry the property of which they had been robbed by the Sayyids and others during the last fifty years. Thus he restored —
| 1,000,000 dirhams to | the children of Ibráhím Khalíl; |
| 600,000 dirhams to | Ibráhím b. Isḥáq al-Faqíh; |
| 500,000 dirhams to | Muḥammad b. al-Mughíra of Rúyán; |
| 500,000 dirhams to | Hárún b. 'Alí Abú Ṣádiq (see p. 74 supra); |
| 200,000 dirhams to | Muḥammad b. as-Sirrí; |
| 300,000 dirhams to | Muqátil, cousin of the above; |
| 500,000 dirhams to | the Ispahbad of Kalár; |
| 300,000 dirhams to | Quṭquṭí of Sárí; |
| 700,000 dirhams to | Qárin, Aparwíz and Khushk Khayán; |
| 1,200,000 dirhams to | the family of aṣ-Ṣayfar (so A.; B. has aṣ-Ṣafír); |
| 100,000 dirhams to | Surkháb the son of Jastán; |
| 700,000 dirhams to | Ibráhím and Muḥammad, sons of jurisconsults, Ibráhím b. Mihrán, his brother Khalífa, Manṣúr and Jalwánán, all of Tarícha. |
He also restored the possessions of the poor and reduced their taxes, and so won the affection and support of all. This took place at the end of A. H. 288 and the beginning of A. H. 289 (end of A. D. 901).
Sayyid Náṣir-i-Kabír’s name was Abú Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí, and he revolted in Gílán and Daylamán, declaring himself “the Avenger” (ath-Thá`ir) of his predecessor, Sayyid Muḥammad b. Zayd, called Dá'i `l-Ḥaqq (“the Propagandist of the Truth”). Isma'íl the Sámánid sent against him his son Aḥmad and his cousin Abu`l-'Abbás 'Abdu`lláh b. Muḥammad b. Núḥ. The armies met at a place called Falás, and the Daylamites were defeated and two thousand of them slain, amongst them the fathers of the afterwards celebrated Mákán [b.] Kákí and of Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, the subsequent rulers of Gíl and Daylam.
Ṭabaristán to his cousin Abu`l-'Abbás 'Ab-
du`lláh b. Muḥammad b. Núḥ b. Asad.
Ismá'íl the Sámánid, having entrusted the government of Ṭabaristán to his cousin Abu`l-'Abbás, set out for 'Iráq to seek for Muḥammad b. Hárún. On reaching Samnán, he received tidings of the death of the Caliph al-Mu'taḍid (A. H. 289 = A.D. 902). Muḥammad b. Hárún effected a junction with Justán [b.] Wah-súdán, and both swore allegiance to Sayyid Náṣir-i-Kabír. In A. H. 290 (A. D. 903) the latter resolved on subjugating Ṭabaristán. Abu`l-'Abbás summoned to his aid the Ispahbad Shahriyár, son of Pádhúsbán; the Ispahbad Sharwín, son of Rustam, king of the mountains; and the nephew of the latter, Parwíz, the lord of Láriján, and further wrote to Ismá'íl the Sámánid asking for help. In the month of Bahman, A. H. 299 (So A.;? 289) Muḥammad b. Hárún, Justán [b.] Wahsúdán, and Sayyid Náṣir reached Tamanjáda, and encamped in a plain known as Kázar. The war lasted forty days, and the people of ´Amul in fear sent their children and goods to the country villages. At length the army of Abu`l-'Abbás seemed to be defeated, and began to flee in rout to Mámṭír, but he, with Shahriyár (f. 124b) and Kawkabán of Daylam, hurled himself upon the centre of the army of Muḥammad b. Hárún, who, deeming the victory already won, had removed one foot from his stirrup and crossed it over his horse’s neck. His army, taken thus unawares, was routed, and fled to Anúshadádhán.
Ismá'íl the Sámánid had sent his son Aḥmad to help Abu`l-'Abbás, but he tarried on the way, hoping that his cousin might be defeated. Abu`l-'Abbás complained of this to Ismá'íl, who recalled Aḥmad to Bukhárá, and reproached him, saying, “Thou pretendest that if Ṭabaristán be lost, no harm will accrue to Bukhárá. Dost thou not know that, should such a thing happen, we should no longer be safe here?” Abu`l-'Abbás then went to Ray, and sent to Fáris, governor of Gurgán, bidding him be on his guard until Muḥammad b. Hárún’s death. Fáris forwarded this letter to Bukhárá, and requested Ismá'íl to send him his insignia, standard and ring. Muḥammad b. Hárún again collected an army and came to ´Amul. Fáris spread abroad a rumour that Ismá'íl was come, and on the day of battle stationed one of his officers dressed in Ismá'íl’s robes, wearing his insignia, and bearing his standard in the centre of the army. Then he came to Muḥammad b. Hárún with ten men, saying, “O man, art thou mad to come and draw the sword against thy master? Lo, he sends me with his army and his signet-ring, promising thee pardon and safety and the government of this province.” Muḥammad b. Hárún, seeing the signet-ring and other insignia, was confounded, and said to his men, “Do you remain where you are;” (f. 125a) then he said to Fáris, “Advance, let us go to the Master!” Thus Fáris brought him to the centre of his own army, where he at once cast him to the ground, put him in fetters, and carried him off prisoner. Of his army, some joined Fáris, others went to Baghdad, and the remainder stayed in Ṭabaristán. Muḥammad b. Hárún was carried to Bukhárá, paraded round the town, and then immured and starved to death. And so long as Ismá'íl the Sámánid lived, Abu`l-'Abbás ruled Ṭabaristán from Gurgán to Gílán.
to govern Ṭabaristán.
Ismá'íl on his death was succeeded by his son Aḥmad, in A. H. 294 (= A. D. 906—7). After two years and a few months he dismissed Abu`l-'Abbás, whom he hated, from the government of Ṭabaristán, and in A. H. 297 (= A. D. 909—910) sent to succeed him a Turk named Salám. His father’s officers, such as Abú Ṣáliḥ Manṣúr and Fáris, were disgusted at this, and wished to swear allegiance to Abu`l-'Abbás, who sought to retire to Gurgán to effect a junction with Fáris, but was stopped by Hurmazd-Káma, the lord of Tammísha, Rustam the son of Qárin, and the Ispahbad Shahriyár. He therefore returned to ´Amul, and tried to go thence by Kajú and Rúyán to Ray, but the Ispahbad Shahriyár met him at Injír and persuaded him to refrain from any act of rebellion. At this juncture Muḥammad b. Ḥajar arrived as an ambassador from Aḥmad b. Ismá'íl the Sámánid, bringing a robe of honour and conciliatory messages (f. 125b), and conducted him to Bukhárá, where the Sámánid nobles advised that he should be treated with honour and sent at the head of 30,000 horsemen to 'Iráq. In Jumáda I, A. H. 297 (= January—February, A. D. 910) Salám the Turk came to ´Amul, on the first day of the old Persian month of ´Adhar, and governed the country for 9 months and 22 days, till one day Abú Aḥmad Zanrás (B. “Zanráshan”) of Náṣirábád came before him to complain of the exorbitant taxes which he was compelled to pay, and was answered by blows; whereupon he rushed out and raised the people against the Turk, whom, after he had fired the bázár and repelled them for three days and nights, they drove out of the city.
to govern Ṭabaristán.
Thereupon Abu`l-'Abbás Aḥmad was made governor of Ṭabaristán, and he was accompanied by the son of Dhu`r-Riyásatayn.
Ṭabaristán.
This year 16 ships filled with Russians came to ´Abasgún, as they had already done in the time of Sayyid Ḥasan b. Zayd, who defeated and slew them. This time they wasted and looted ´Abasgún and the adjacent coasts, and carried off or slew many Musulmáns. The governor of Sárí, Abu`ḍ-Ḍarghám Aḥmad b. al-Qásim, wrote news of this to Abu`l-'Abbás. Next year the Russians returned in greater force, burned Sárí and Panjáh-hazár, and carried off many prisoners. Then they sailed to Chashma-Rúd in Daylamán; but, while some of them were on land, a number of the people of Gílán descended to the sea-shore (f. 126a), burned their ships, and slew those who had landed. Shírwánsháh, King of the Khazars, hearing of this, intercepted such of their ships as had escaped and destroyed them and their crews, and thenceforth the marauding raids of the Russians were stopped. Abu`l-'Abbás Aḥmad b. Núḥ died in Ṣafar, A. H. 298 (= October, A. D. 910).
Ṣa'lúk to Ṭabaristán.
When news of the death of Abu`l-'Abbás reached Aḥmad the Sámánid he made Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk, who was then at Ray, governor of Ṭabaristán, and sent his wazír Abu`l-Faḍl Muḥammad b. 'Abdu`lláh al-Bal'amí from Bukhárá to meet him. They met near ´Amul at a place called Báshír, and Muḥammad b. Ilísa' was also there.
This Sayyid, whose name was Abú Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí, had for some time been engaged in study and teaching in Gílán. On the return of al-Bal'amí to Bukhárá, and the arrival of Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk at ´Amul, the people of Fajam, Maraz, and all Gíl and Daylam flocked to him. He sent his son Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad to Rúyán, and thence expelled the Sámánid governor Muhím. Náṣir-i-Kabír then went to Kalár, and there received the allegiance of its Ispahbad Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan. Thence he proceeded to Gúr-Shír and Jálús, sending on his cousin Ḥasan b. al-Qásim with the vanguard to take Jálús. Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk had advanced to Búrábád with 15,000 men. Then a battle was fought (f. 126b), in which Ibn Ṣa'lúk was defeated, and many of his soldiers slain. On a Sunday in Jumáda II, A. H. 301 (= January, A. D. 914) Sayyid Náṣir advanced to Jálús, captured Abu`l-Wafá Khalífa b. Núḥ, slew the Khurásání garrison, and razed the fortress to the ground. Ibn Ṣa'lúk fled by way of ´Amul, Málika Dasht, Sárí and Gurgán to Ray. Two days later Sayyid Náṣir came to ´Amul and established himself in the Palace formerly occupied by Ḥasan b. Zayd. He treated all with the utmost justice, pardoned such as had offended him, and received the allegiance of the people of ´Amul and the neighbourhood. Then 'Abdu`lláh b. al-Ḥasan raised the white standard at Sárí, and summoned the people to support Sayyid Náṣir.
Náṣir, and arrival of an army from Bu-
khárá to subdue Sayyid Náṣir.
'Aqíqí joined Sayyid Náṣir, and, having been given an army of Gílís and Daylamís, was sent to fight the Ispahbad Shahriyár. Between ´Aram and Kúlá, however, he fell into an ambush prepared for him by Shahriyár, and was slain. His troops fled, and his head was sent by Shahriyár to Ibn Ṣa'lúk. When news of Sayyid Náṣir’s rising power reached Bukhárá, Aḥmad the Sámánid sent Muḥammad b. 'Abdu`l-'Azíz to Ṭabaristán, but forty days after his arrival there he was defeated by Sayyid Náṣir, whose power now became paramount over Ṭabaristán. He wished to raise a tax of one-tenth on all produce, but the people complained, and he desisted from his intention. Aḥmad the Sámánid collected 30,000 of his own troops and sent to Turkistán for 10,000 more, intending to “transport the very earth of Ṭabaristán to Bukhárá” (f. 127a), but when he had only gone two stages on his journey, his attendants murdered him at midnight as he slept, and Sayyid Náṣir was for the moment left unmolested. Soon afterwards the Caliph al-Muqtadir bi`lláh appointed Aḥmad the Sámánid’s son Naṣr b. Aḥmad b. Isma'íl (Naṣr I) regent of Khurásán in place of his father, and he, incited by the messengers of Hurmazd-Káma and Sharwín the son of Rustam, sent Ilyás b. Ilísa' as-Sughdí at the head of 10,000 men to Ṭabaristán. When these reached Tammísha, Abu`l-Qásim Ja'far b. al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí an-Náṣir was at Sárí, with a thousand men. Entrenching himself there, he wrote to his father informing him of the Sámánid advance. Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad [b.] an-Náṣir went to Gílán and Daylamán, and spent much money in collecting an army, while the Ispahbad Shahriyár pitched his camp at Wínábád above Sárí, still retaining the black standard and draperies (of the 'Abbásids), though he sent reinforcements to Sayyid Abu`l-Qásim. An undecided battle took place at Sárí between Sayyid Abu`l-Qásim and Ilyás b. Ilísa', and the Sámánid troops at length retired, leaving Ṭabaristán to Sayyid Náṣir-i-Kabír. The Ispahbad Sharwín also made peace with him, whilst Hurmazd-Káma retired to Astarábád, and the Sayyid handed over most of the administratiòn to his cousin Abú Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. al-Qásim, whom he set over his own sons, who were thereby filled with envy, as one of them, Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad b. an-Náṣir, commonlyknown as Ṣáḥibu`l-Jaysh (“the Commander in Chief”) says in a poem (f. 127b):
He also reproaches his father, who was of the Imámí sect, in these lines:
and -Náṣir.
Náṣir-i-Kabír had sent -Ḥasan b. -Qásim to Gílán, bidding him bring the rulers of that province to ´Amul to swear allegiance to him. He wrote to Náṣir that he had persuaded Harúsandán the son of Tídá, Khusraw Fírúz the son of Justán, and Laythám the son of Wardán, with all their tribesmen, to come in. But these bore Náṣir a grudge, because he had not performed all that he promised them, so they swore allegiance, not to him, but to -Ḥasan b. -Qásim (f. 128a). On reaching ´Amul, -Ḥasan alighted at Musallá (the Oratory) and did not go before Náṣir, but came next day with his guards and retainers to ask for provisions for his army. Náṣir was frightened, and fled from his quarters on a mule towards Pá-yi-Dasht, but was pursued and captured by -Ḥasan, who brought him back to ´Amul, and thence sent him to the castle of Láriján, while his allies looted the Palace. Thereafter arose a great strife between the partisans of Náṣir and of Ḥasan; and Laylá b. Nu'mán came from Sárí, and headed an attack on Ḥasan’s palace. They reviled him, took from him his signet-ring, and brought him back to ´Amul before Náṣir, of whom they asked pardon. When Ḥasan, deserted by his followers, was brought before Náṣir, the latter said without one reproach or bitter word, “I forgive thee,” and bade him return to Gílán. But Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad b. an-Náṣir interceded for him, got him recalled, and gave him his daughter (who was afterwards the mother of Abu`l-Faḍl ad-Dá'í) in marriage; and he was given the government of Gurgán.
attacked by the Turks, and be-
sieged in the Citadel.
After -Ḥasan b. -Qásim had set out for Gurgán, Sayyid Náṣir sent his son Abu`l-Qásim Ja'far after him to support him (f. 128b). But the latter, having a grudge against him, purposely lagged behind, and kept writing to his father, saying, “This man cherishes enmity against thee.” And when, on approaching Gurgán, the Turks came out to give battle to -Ḥasan, Abu`l-Qásim abandoned him to his fate; and Ḥasan, being unable to withstand them, fell back on Astarábád, and withdrew into the castle of Kajín, which had remained in good repair from the time of Shápúr Dhu`l-Aktáf [the Sásánian] until the time of Ardashír b. al-Ḥasan, who ordered it to be destroyed, lest it should fall into the hands of Tukush b. ´Il-Arslán. There Ḥasan remained all the winter, besieged by the Turks, while his men suffered much from the cold. At length, being in want of food, he made a sortie with a few of his followers, attacked the Turks and slew some of them, and made his way safely to ´Amul, and thence to Gílán. Sayyid Náṣir now retired from public life and devoted himself to study and teaching, and the fame of his knowledge in Jurisprudence, Traditions, Philosophy, Poetry and Literature brought him many visitors from distant lands. He finally died on Sha'bán 5, A. H. 304 (January 31, A. D. 917), having sent his son Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad to Gílán and made his son-in-law -Ḥasan b. -Qásim his successor.
Abú Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b. al-Qásim b. al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí b. 'Abdu`r-Raḥmán ash-Shajarí b. al-Qásim b. al-Ḥasan b. Zayd b. al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí b. Abí Ṭálib now succeeded under the title of ad-Dá'í (f. 129a) ila`l-Ḥaqq (“The Summoner unto the Truth”), or, as he is called in the Kitábu`l-Ansáb, ad-Dá'í aṣ-Ṣaghír (“the Lesser Dá'í”). He reached ´Amul on Ramaḍán 12, A. H. 304 (= March 9, A. D. 917), and Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn Aḥmad b. an-Náṣir surrendered the sovereignty to him. The brother of the latter, Abu`l-Qásim Ja'far b. an-Náṣir, sent to him, saying, “The kingdom is our father’s; why then dost thou surrender it to him?” but he paid no heed, and an estrangement between the two brothers resulted. Ja'far went to Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk at Ray, and promised to adopt the black colour of the 'Abbásids, to coin money in the name of the (Sámánid) rulers of Khurásán, and to insert their names in the k??uṭba, and help to recover Ṭabaristán for them.
Ḥasan governed justly and well, and made the people contented and happy. When Ja'far came to ´Amul, Ḥasan retired to Gílán in A. H. 306 (= A. D. 918—919), and Ja'far remained there seven months, extorting exorbitant taxes from the people, till -Ḥasan returned in Jumádá II, A. H. 307 (November, A. D. 919), and again established justice, so that all men prayed for long continuance of his life. He had his palace at Muṣallá (“the Oratory”) near ´Amul, and built lofty dwellings for his officers round about him, so that they should not dwell in the city, or vex and molest the inhabitants. The Ispahbad Sharwín and Shahriyár the son of Wandá-ummíd agreed to pay him the tribute they had paid in the time of Sayyid Ḥasan b. Zayd, but -Ḥasan b. -Qásim, not deeming this enough, marched against them, defeated Shahriyár at Kawíj, and made peace with Sharwín.
At this time the Sámánids were vainly endeavouring to subdue Níshápúr, and Sayyid Ḥasan sent against it Laylá b. Nu'mán (f. 129b), who took it. Then he proceeded to Tús, where, being defeated by the Sámánid army, he fled to Gurgán. There a number of the Daylamite chiefs gave him their allegiance, and conspired with him to kill Sayyid Ḥasan by treachery, but, the plot being made known to the Sayyid, he, without saying a word to any one, marched to Gurgán, seized the conspirators, and beheaded them. Amongst them was Harúsandán, the father of Siyáh Gíl, chief of Gílán. So men’s hearts were filled with fear of Sayyid Ḥasan, and thenceforth no one dared to plot against him. Leaving Abu`l-Ḥusayn [b.] Náṣir at Gurgán, he then returned to ´Amul. Shortly after this Abu`l-Qásim b. an-Náṣir collected a number of followers in Gílán, while Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn [b.] Náṣir also turned against Sayyid Ḥasan, and sent his general Abú Músá Hárún Isfáh-dúst to ´Amul, where, however, he was defeated and slain. On thís event 'Abdu`lláh b. Muḥammad al-Kátib has the following verse:
Sayyid Ḥasan, having concluded peace with Abu`l-Ḥusayn for a payment of 10,000 dirhams, sent 'Alí b. Ja'far ar-Rází against the Ispahbad Shahriyár, and Ḥusayn b. Dínár against the Ispahbad Sharwín. Both submitted and came in (f. 130a), but fled on being informed that Sayyid Ḥasan thought to put an end to the trouble they were continually causing by casting both of them into prison. Sayyid Ḥasan was therefore compelled to pursue them, and finally had to be content with taking their sons as hostages for their good behaviour.
Sayyid Ḥasan next ordered Ilyás b. Ilísa' to evacuate Gurgán, but, as he paid no heed, he was attacked, his army routed, and himself killed. When this news reached Bukhárá, the Sámánids sent Qará-takín the Turk with 30,000 horsemen to Gurgán. Sayyid Ḥasan and Abu`l-Ḥusayn retired into Tammísha, knowing that they could not withstand so large a host, and Abu`l-Ḥusayn presently deserted Sayyid Ḥasan, went to Gílán, and joined Abu`l-Qásim Ja'far, while Sayyid Ḥasan took refuge with the Ispahbad Muḥammad b. Shahriyár, who, however, put him in fetters and sent him to 'Alí b. Wah-súdán, governor for the Caliph al-Muqtadir at Ray. Ṭáhir b. Muḥammad the scribe was sent to 'Alí b. Wehsúdán bidding him not to forward his prisoner to Baghdad, but to imprison him in his fathers' castle at (f. 130b) Alamút, where he remained a prisoner until Muḥammad b. Musáfir defeated 'Alí b. Wehsúdán at Qazwín, when Khusraw Fírúz released him and sent him to Gílán.
Meanwhile Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥasan and his brother Abu`l-Qásim Ja'far succeeded conjointly in expelling Qará-takín from Ṭabaristán, which was rendered the easier by troubles in Khurásán which required his presence. The brothers then remained in Gurgán until Aḥmad Ṭawíl was sent against them from Bukhárá, but him also they defeated, and he fled alone to Bisṭám, while most of his army dispersed to Jájarm and Isfará`in.
Sayyid Ḥasan, on his release, came to Gílán, sent to Ṭabaristán for his hidden treasures and moneys, and therewith collected an army, with which he invaded Ṭabaristán, and advanced to ´Amul and Sárí. Abu`l-Ḥusayn and Abu`l-Qásim sent Abú Bakr az-Zifrí to ´Amul to obtain news, but at Astarábád he heard that Sayyid Ḥasan had already reached Lamrásk, whereupon he at once returned to make his report. Abu`l-Ḥusayn, Abu`l-Qásim and [the son of] Harúsandán1 held a council of war (f. 131a), and it was agreed that the first should march on Astarábád and give battle to Sayyid Ḥasan, while the two others remained in Gurgán. Next morning these last went out from the city to the Dá'í’s Tomb to await news from Astarábád. A ghulám of 'Alí Qumí Darzí came out from Gurgán, however, with the news that Laylá’s men were plundering their houses and stealing their treasures. Thereupon they went back to the city, and Abu`l-Qásim found the very mats stripped from his house, and learned that there were only ten of his followers left in it, whereupon he cast himself on the ground and burst into tears. Laylá denied any complicity in this robbery, but told Abu`l-Qásim that he could not remain in Gurgán; and as he feared to go alone, he gave him an escort of 30 men under Lashkar-sitán. The Daylamites had shut the gates, but he got out by the new road of Kaláta, having only three dínárs in his possession with which to buy bread (f. 131b). On advancing a little further he met three men, who informed him that Sayyid Ḥasan had defeated his confederate Abu`l-Ḥusayn. Abu`l-Qásim and Darzí Qumí were now left alone in despair and bewilderment. The former bought an ass in a neighbouring village, and went by Bisṭám to Dámghán, and thence to Ray and Gílán.
Sayyid Ḥasan, having defeated Abu`l-Ḥusayn, sent him a kindly message, saying, “I am thy servant, and the kingdom is thine, having been thy father’s before.” So these two were reconciled.
When the House of Símjúr began to cause trouble in Khurásán, [Abú] 'Alí b. Símjúr came to Gurgán, and invited the Sayyids, as men of peace and religion, to abandon the country quietly to him. They refused, and fought a battle with him at the village of Jaláyin. Surkháb the son of Weh-súdán attacked and routed him, while Abu`l-Ḥusayn scattered his right wing. His men fled into the plain, but when they had gone some distance, the Tùrks turned at bay, alighted from (f. 132a) their horses, and fired a volley of arrows, completely routing their assaillants, so that the Sayyids Ḥasan and Abu`l-Ḥusayn fled, accompanied only by one ghulám, and by 'Alí b. Buwayh [i. e. 'Imádu`d-Dawla], Mákán b. Kákí, and Jakáw the sipahsálár, while the Turks pursued them to ´Abasgún. In Tammísha they halted and began to fortify themselves, while Sayyid Ḥasan, leaving Mákán there, went on to ´Amul to gather fresh troops. Abu`l-Ḥusayn then again attacked the Turks, repulsed them, and re-occupied Gurgán. This victory was at the end of Dhu`l-Ḥijja, A. H. 310 (= April 20, A. D. 923). For some time after this Sayyid Ḥasan and Abu`l-Ḥusayn held Ṭabaristán thus, the former residing at ´Amul, the latter at Gurgán. Sayyid Ḥasan built mosques and colleges, encouraged and patronized men of learning and poets, and governed the people wisely and beneficently. After a while Abu`l-Ḥusayn again quarrelled with and attacked him, but was defeated, and fled to join his brother Abu`l-Qásim.
These two then allied themselves with Mákán b. Kákí, 'Alí b. Khurshíd, Asfár b. Shírúya and Rashámúj, and determined to seize Sayyid Ḥasan, who, being informed of their designs, marched from ´Amul to Sárí with Rustam b. Sharwín. The brothers Abu`l-Ḥusayn and Abu`l-Qásim marched along the coast to Mishkawá, meaning to fight him next day at Sárí, but Sayyid Ḥasan fled that night, none knew whither. Abu`l-Ḥusayn nominated his own governors and lieutenants, and on Thursday (f. 132b), the 8th of Jumáda I (A. H. 311 = Aug. 24, A. D. 923), came to ´Amul, but behaved so exorbitantly and tyrannically towards the people that they longed with all their souls for the former government. And on Tuesday, Rajab 29, A. H. 311 (= Nov. 13, A. D. 923) Abu`l-Ḥusayn died.
On his death, Abu`l-Qásim, his brother, was left in undisputed possession of Ṭabaristán, for Sayyid Ḥasan had fled to the mountains, where many of those who loved his rule joined him. On hearing of Abu`l-Ḥusayn’s death, he approached ´Amul, halting at a place known as Gázar-gáh (the Washing-place) to fight Abu`l-Qásim; but in Ramaḍán, A. H. 311 (= Dec. A. D. 923—Jan., A. D. 924), most of his men having deserted to the enemy, he again fled to the mountains. About the same date Sayyid Abu`l-Qásim ordered Khalíl b. Kájí to kill 'Abdu`lláh [b.] Mubárak the scribe, stick his head on a pole, and parade it, with an ink-stand set before it in mockery, through the bázárs. But Abu`l-Qásim himself died soon afterwards on Tuesday, Dhu`l-Qa'da 10, A. H. 312 (= Febr. 7, A. D. 925).
All Gíl and Daylam now swore allegiance to Abu`l-Qásim’s nephew [Abú 'Alí] Muḥammad b. Aḥmad [b.] al-Ḥasan, who was beloved for his justice and beneficence as much as he was feared for his courage.
Abu`l-Qásim had made Mákán b. Kákí governor of Gurgán (f. 133a), and he, with Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán and Abú 'Alí b. Iṣfahán, agreed to swear allegiance to Abu`l-Qásim’s little son (by Díkú, daughter of Iṣfahán) Ismá'íl and make him king; which design, however, they kept secret, until Sayyid Abú 'Alí summoned them to his presence, when they marched from Gurgán to Sárí, Abú 'Alí having gone with only a few retainers to Mámṭír. Mákán then sent his army to seize him, bidding them drag him from his horse, and snatch off his kuláh, which was done. Then Mákán sent him to Gurgán to the Amír Ká, son of Wardásf, who came to ´Amul and crowned Isma'íl. Mákán wrote news of this to Sayyid Ḥasan, and sent his brother Abu`l-Ḥusayn b. Kákí with the insignia of royalty to Jájarm and Khurásán, whither also he despatched an army. 'Alí b. Buwayh, the paternal uncle of Aḍudu`d-Dawla Fanákhusraw, was the Sayyids’ governor of that place, and he, with his 400 men, was defeated and captured by Abu`l-Ḥusayn b. Káki, who slew all the Khurásání soldiers who fell into his hands. Soon afterwards Mákán wrote to his brother to return to Gurgán and take over the government of it from the Amír Ká; and he sent a confidential message to his brother bidding him kill Sayyid Abú 'Alí, who was lodging in the house of Raḍí, and send him his head. As the two sat drinking together, Abu`l-Ḥusayn b. Kákí began to quarrel with the Sayyid, who, divining his object, made some pretext for leaving the room, and borrowed from one of his servants a small knife (f. 133b) which he concealed in his dress. Then he returned, and when Abu`l-Ḥusayn b. Kákí, waxing more quarrelsome, seized him by the throat, he threw him down and ripped up his belly. To escape, the Sayyid was obliged to leap from the roof thirty yards down into the moat. He then sent his ring to 'Alí b. Khurshíd and Asfár b. Shírúya, who were in revolt against Mákán and were plundering on the high roads of Gurgán, and they at once joined him and swore allegiance to him. Soon he had an army round him, and was in possession of Gurgán.
As soon as Mákán heard of his brother’s death, he collected an army and marched on Gurgán, but the Sayyid, by bribing Rashámúj the son of Shír-Mardán to desert to his side was able to discomfit and rout him. Mákán fled to Lamrásk (f. 134a) without halting, left the Amír Ká, son of Wardásf, there with a regiment, and continued his flight to Sárí. Sayyid Abú 'Alí, having left 'Alí b. Khurshíd in charge of Gurgán, pushed on to Lamrásk, where the vanguard of his army had already defeated Amír Ká. Without halting he marched on to Sárí and defeated Mákán, who fled into the city, after slaying Abú Ja'far Kúrankíj, who tried to seize him. He was pursued by the soldiers from quarter to quarter and repeatedly wounded, but struck down a soldier who tried to arrest him and escaped. In trying to cross the river he was thrown from his horse, which he then abandoned, together with his coat of mail, and fled through a garden to a house belonging to a poor man, whose help he implored, and who hid him in the branches of a mulberry-tree. The soldiers arrived there and threatened the poor man, who, however, would not betray Mákán’s hiding-place. When they had gone, he brought Mákán out, bound up his wounds, and, when he was strong enough, set him on his way, so that he escaped to the highlands of Sárí. When afterwards Mákán became powerful and prosperous, he richly rewarded his deliverer, whose name was Kayán Búj, raised him to a high position and conferred honour on his family. Sayyid Abu 'Alí came to ´Amul and took possession of Ṭabaristán. He ruled firmly and wisely, but ere long was killed by a fall from his horse whilst playing polo.
When the mourning for his death was concluded, the people (f. 134b) swore allegiance to his brother Abú Ja'far. His accession was soon followed by a serious riot, caused by the injustice of his minister Abu`l-Hasan [b.] Abí Yúsuf, in which disturbance many persons were killed, even in the chief Mosque, where the soldiers massacred numbers of the congregation as they came from public prayer on Friday, till at length the people rose and expelled the troops from the city.
Mákán b. Kákí kept writing from his highland retreat to the Dá'í urging him to revolt and promising him his support, but he would not stir until Mákán had collected 500 men at a place above Nátil still known as “Mákán’s camp”. When Sayyid Abú Ja'far learned this, he marched from ´Amul to Nátil, and encamped opposite Mákán. Many of the notables of ´Amul, such as Sayyid Abú Ja'far Mánk-dím, Abu 'Abdi`lláh Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan, Abú Ja'far Muḥammad b. 'Alí, the head-man of ´Amul and nephew of Ḥusayn b. 'Alí Faqíh, and 'Abbás b. Qábúsán, wrote letters to Mákán promising to help him. He bade them remain quietly in the city, but they disobeyed him, and, gathering a great rabble of the townsfolk, made manifest their intentions (f. 135a). Sayyid Abú Ja'far, learning this, sent against them 1200 picked soldiers, who utterly routed these undisciplined levies, killing many of them. Next day Sayyid Abú Ja'far Náṣir entered ´Amul, where Abu`l-Ḥasan the minister had exacted large sums of money from the people.
Mákán again urged the Dá'í to revolt, but he still refused, until Asfár the son of Shírúya and Muṭrif, his minister, having exacted vast sums of money from the people, retired to Gurgán and openly cast off their allegiance to Abú Ja'far, who sent 'Alí b. Khurshíd to Sárí as governor. After a month or so, Asfár came from Gurgán and attacked him, defeated him, imprisoned him in the caravanseray of Ḥasan b. Bahrám, seized the city, and proclaimed himself king.
Meanwhile Mákán’s strength continued to increase, and he determined to attack Sayyid Abú Ja'far, who, on his approach, fled from ´Amul to Wandád-Hurmazd Kúh. Mákán occupied the city, and at once sent messengers to the Dá'í to bring him from Gílán. When he arrived, amidst the rejoicings of the people, he advanced with Mákán from ´Amul to Sárí. Asfár fled at their approach (f. 135b), while the Ispahbad Sharwín retired into his highlands. At this juncture Naṣr b. Aḥmad the Sámánid marched from Bukhárá with an army of 30,000 men to subdue Ṭabaristán and 'Iráq, and entered the highlands of Ṭabaristán. Abú Naṣr was Sayyid Ḥasan’s governor in Shahriyár-kúh, and he blocked the roads, broke down the bridges, and so entangled Naṣr b. Aḥmad in the highlands that he was unable to get out, and was reduced to great straits for food and fodder, so that finally he sent an ambassador to Sayyid Ḥasan asking him on what terms he would let him depart. The Sayyid sent 'Abdu`lláh b. Salám and Abu`l-'Abbás [b.] Dhu 'r-Riyásatayn to him, and concluded peace, on the understanding that he should pay an idemnity of 20,000 dínárs and depart to Khurásán.
When the Sámánid had departed, Mákán began to behave arrogantly towards the Sayyid, who left him, and went to Gílán with the Ispahbad Sharwín b. Rustam. Mákán sent messengers to make apologies, but the Sayyid would not listen to them. Then Asfár collected an army of 7000 Turks, Gílís, and Daylamites and came to ´Amul, where he fought with Mákán for three days and nights at the gate known as Dar-i-Júr. Rashámúj had promised to help Mákán, and actually joined him on the fourth day. All the people were watching the fray from the roofs of the various buildings. Mákán looked back, saw them, and said, “Why do ye not take down these dogs?” Then Mákán’s troops dashed at Asfár’s and routed them, and pursued them to Sárí. Asfár came to Gurgán, releasing 'Alí b. Khurshíd, whom he had kept in bonds (f. 136a), and who was brought to Mákán, and by him restored to liberty. Mákán then marched on to Astarábád, while Asfár went to Abú Bakr b. Ilísa', Naṣr b. Aḥmad’s commander-in-chief, who turned back to Sárí, and in A. H. 315 (A. D. 927—8) despatched Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán to the highlands to seek out Sayyid Abú Ja'far, whom he brought in to Sárí, bareheaded and bare-footed, and imprisoned in the Palace of Abu`l-'Abbás [b.] Dhu`r-Riyásatayn. Then the Dá'í wrote to Mákán, reproaching him bitterly for what he had done to Sayyid Abú Ja'far, notwithstanding all his protestations of friendship and promises of support to himself; and thereupon Mákán released Abu Ja'far and sent him to the Dá'í. Then the latter, supported by Gíl and Daylam, and accompanied by the Ispahbad Sharwín, came to ´Amul, where Mákán came out to meet him. Soon after this Mákán slew Abú Naṣr, who had come to Sárí, with a blow from his mace, while he was riding with him, and restored the government of Shahriyár-kúh to the Ispahbad Sharwín, whom he dismissed with presents and robes of honour. Asfár joined Abú Bakr [b.] Ilísa' and on his death, which occurred shortly afterwards, the army swore allegiance to him. Abú Bakr had a ghulám named ´Il-Tughdí, who, fearing Naṣr b. Aḥmad, joined Asfár, and secured for him the kingdom of Khurásán. Naṣr b. Aḥmad, hearing this, sent Ṣáliḥ b. Sayyár (f. 136b), with the insignia of royalty, to conciliate him, and Asfár waxed bold and tyrannical, so that the people of Khurásán conceived a great hatred for him.
Mákán and the Dá'í being now reconciled, a great army gathered round them, and they marched on Ray, expelled its governor, Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk, and annexed it. Asfár, hearing of their absence, marched on Ṭabaristán with the army of Khurásán, and Abu`l-Ḥajjáj Mardáwíj b. Ziyár, the elder brother of Washmgír, who was with Qará-takín the Sámánid, asked permission to join this expedition.
News of this invasion reached the Dá'í and Mákán at Ray, and the latter begged the former to remain there while he marched back to fight the invaders. But the Dá'í would not listen, and, with 500 men, marched to ´Amul. The people of ´Amul, on account of Abu`l-'Abbás al-Faqíh al-'Alaqí, refrained from helping the Dá'í; and Asfár, who was at Sári, hearing of his weakness at ´Amul, and of Mákán’s absence at Ray, marched to ´Amul and attacked the Dá'i, who came out to meet him in battle, but was slain by Mardáwíj with a blow of his mace at 'Alí-ábád as he was endeavouring to recross the river and regain the city. On the same day Abú Ja'far Mánk-dím and another, a descendant of 'Aqíl b. Abí Ṭálib, were slain, and Ṭabaristán passed into the possession of Asfár, who appointed his own governors, and, being reinforced by a Turk named Agúshí and his tribe, marched on Ray and defeated Mákán, who fled to Ṭabaristán, while Asfár remained at Ray to enrich himself and his army (f. 137a). Then, leaving Agúshí at Ray, Asfár returned to Ṭabaristán. Mákán thereupon fled to Daylamán. Asfár swore allegiance to Abú Jaf'ar, who, however, he shortly afterwards seized, together with Abu`l-Ḥusayn Shajarí and Zayd b. Ṣáliḥ, and sent them in chains to Bukhárá, while Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn fled. These three remained in captivity at Bukhárá till the death of Abú Bakr Zakariyyá, when they were released, and returned to Ṭabaristán. ´Amul was ceded to Mákán on condition that he should not interfere with the rest of Ṭabaristán. Agúshí the Turk behaved so tyrannically at Ray that Asfár resolved to kill him, but he fled to Qum, pursued by Mardáwíj, whom Asfár sent after him, but without success.
At this juncture the Caliph al-Muqtadir sent his cousin Harún b. al-Gharíb against Ray, but he was defeated by Asfár. Mákán, not regarding his treaty, strove to bring all Ṭabaristán under his control, made Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán his deputy at ´Amul, and himself marched to Gurgán and thence to Níshápúr, accompanied by the Ispahbad Sharwín and Shahriyár of Wandád-Hurmazd-Kúh. There he fought many battles and gained many victories, but a report arose in Ṭabaristán that he was dead, and Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán assumed the control of affairs and placed the crown on the head of Isma'íl the 'Alawí, who was his half-brother, giving him Fáṭima, the daughter of Aḥmad, who had been the wife of the Dá'í, as his wife. But Khadíja, the mother of Abú Ja'far, bribed two of Díkú’s handmaidens with 400 dínárs to poison Isma'íl with a poisoned lancet while he was being bled. Later, when these handmaidens quarrelled and divulged the secret, both were hanged at Shálús by Díkú. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán came to ´Amul, but was expelled by Abú 'Alí of Isfahán and Abú Músá, two of Mákán’s officers, and retreated to Daylamán. Asfár went from Ray to Qazwín, and slew many of its inhabitants, because they had, in a riot, slain his lieutenant, and burned the bázárs, and many of the people fled into exile. Mardáwíj b. Ziyár quarrelled with him, gathered a number of followers, and retired to Zangán, whence he made an attack on Qazwín, and drove Asfár to Ray, and thence to Qúmish, where he was joined by Abu`l-'Abbás b. Kálanjár. With him Asfár fell back by way of Quhistán on Ṭabas, whither he was pursued by Mákán. Thence he endeavoured to reach the castle of Alamút, but Mardáwíj stopped the way (f. 138), and finally captured him in Tálaqán and beheaded him. All this happened in A. H. 319 (A. D. 931). Mardáwíj, being now quit of Asfár, slew many of the rabble who had supported him, including Aḥmad b. Rasúl and Abu`l-'Abbás. 'Aṣṣárí, and established himself at Ray. Mákán advanced from Khurásán to Ṭabaristán and made peace with Mardáwíj, who sent messengers to Gílán by way of Qazwín and brought Náṣir to Ray. Mákán had tortured Abu`l-Faḍl Shágird, a relative of Muṭrif, to make him disgorge money; and Muṭrif induced Mardáwíj to march on Ṭabaristán. Mákán, learning this, came to ´Amul. Mardáwíj sent Náṣir by way of Láriján and Damáwand, but Mákán met him near Wálá-rúd and slew him and many of his followers. Mardáwíj retreated by way of Damáwand to Ray. At this period the sons of Buwayh had seized the provinces of Fárs and Kirmán, and Mardáwíj went to Isfahán to arrange his plans, but while there he was assassinated in the bath.1
On the death of Mardáwíj, the army of Ray swore allegiance to his brother Washmgír b. Ziyár, who, having set in order the affairs of 'Iráq, sent Shíraj b. Laylá, Lashkarí and Abu`l-Qásim to expel Mákán from Ṭabaristán. Mákán fled thence to Gurgán, on a Tuesday in Ramaḍán, A. H. 323 (= August, A. D. 935). Abú Bakr and Abu`l-Mudhaffar, who were both there, allied themselves with Abu`l-Qásim, and left him in possession of Gurgán when they had expelled Mákán (f. 138b). But in Ramaḍán, A. H. 324 (= July—August, A. D. 936) Abu`l-Qásim was killed by a fall from his horse whilst playing polo, and buried at Sárí. His army swore allegiance to Ibráhím b. Gúshyár. The Amír Abú Ṭálib Washmgír came from Ray to ´Amul and thence to Sárí, and Ibráhím b. Gúshyár came from Gurgán to meet him, but was dismissed from his command and degraded to his former rank. Washmgír then remained for some while at Sári, until Abú 'Alí Khalífa and Langarcha Pír were murdered at ´Amul. In Muḥarram, A. H. 325 (= Nov.—Dec., A. D. 936) he sent to Níshápúr and brought back Mákán, to whom he gave Gurgán. The command of the army of Ṭabaristán he conferred on Abú Dá`úd and Isfáhí b. Urmazdyár, bidding them make war on Abú Músá b. Bahrám, who had rebelled in Daylamán. Abú Ja'far Muḥammad, who was at ´Amul, was joined by Abú Dá`úd, and these, accompanṛed by Abú Ja'far Náṣir, went to attack Abú Músá, whom they defeated and expelled from that country. Daylamán, Jálús and the regions on that side of ´Amul were conferred by Abú Ṭáhir Washmgír on Aḥmad b. Sálár, while Muḥammad b. Aḥmad an-Náṣir ruled at ´Amul, giving audience every Monday and Thursday, and holding religious discussions with the doctors of Islám every Wednesday. Abú Dá`úd was at Sárí, which suffered greatly this year from floods, so that the people fled into the highlands. Abú Dá`úd summoned all the ministers and officials, and warned them that any exaction of which they might be guilty would be severely punished (f. 139a).
In Muḥarram, A. H. 328 (= Oct.—Nov., A. D. 939) Naṣr b. Aḥmad the Sámánid sent Abú 'Alí b. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad al-Mudhaffarí to Gurgán. Mákán appealed for help to Washmgír, who sent Isfáhí, with numerous levies from Gíl and Daylam. For seven months there was war in Gurgán, and at length Mákán and his allies were defeated, though reinforced by Shíraj b. Laylá. Finally, driven out of Gurgán by the army of Khurásán, Mákán fell back on Ṭabaristán and halted at ´Amul. At this juncture news arrived that Ḥasan the Buwayhid had come from Kirmán to Ray, seeking to conquer 'Iráq. Washmgír marched at the head of an army to a place two stages distance from Ray called Mushkú, where a battle was fought, and the army of Ḥasan the Buwayhid was defeated, and fell back on Iṣfahán. In this battle the chamberlain Ibn Shá`úshtí was slain, and Ḥasan the Buwayhid captured the Gílá-gúr, but Washmgír’s men recovered him and brought him in his bonds to Washmgír, who set him free. Some days later, Washmgír came from Ray to Damáwand and summoned Mákán b. Kákí before him. He arrived on the '´Ashúrá (Muḥarram 10) A. H. 329 (= October 15, A. D. 940), and was received with the utmost honour and sent to Sárí. As he was returning thither from Damáwand, the commander-in-chief Abu 'Alí came to Dámghán, marching on 'Iráq. Washmgír turned back from Ray to Wíma near Damáwand, and sent to Mákán to join him. Mákán, leaving his cousin Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán at Sárí, went to Washmgír, and they met at Isḥáq-ábád. On Saturday, the 21st of Rabí' I, A. H. 329 (= December 24, A. D. 940) they drew up in battle-array against the commander-in-chief [of the Sámánids]. At the first attack of the Khurásánís (f. 139b) Washmgír fled; but Mákán stood firm, till, 1400 of his Gílí and Daylamite guards having been slain, twenty Turkish champions hurled themselves upon him, dragged him from his horse, and slew him. His head, with a number of notable Daylamites who had been taken prisoners, was sent to Bukhárá1. His wazír, the father of Ustád Ibnu`l-'Amíd Muḥammad Qumí, al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad, known as kala, one of the finest scholars of the age, was also slain, and his head sent to Bukhárá. Thither also was sent his secretary, who, because of his accomplishments, was received with honour at the Sámánid court, where he remained for the rest of his days.
Washmgír, meanwhile, fled to Láriján, whence, ten days later, he came to Muṣallá of ´Amul. There, on Wednesday, the 28th of Rabí' II, A. H. 329 (= December 31, A. D. 940) he received the news of Mákán’s death. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, Mákán’s cousin, and his clansmen agreed that Washmgír had purposely deserted their kinsman, and so rebelled against the latter, who sent Shíraj b. Laylá to fight them. He drove them out of Sárí, and they fell back on Astarábád. Shíraj came to ´Amul, and advanced on Astarábád, while Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán fled to 'Iráq and joined the Sámáníd commander-in-chief, whom he induced to invade Ṭabaristán. Washmgír then retired from Gurgán to Sárí, where, at a place called Walajúy, a battle took place, wherein Washmgír stood firm; and even in the midst of it (f. 150a) news arrived of the death of Naṣr b. Aḥmad and the succession of his son Núḥ. Thereupon the Sámánid general made peace with Washmgír, and set out for Bukhárá, accompanied by Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, who, on the way thither, treacherously slew his chamberlain Mushawwiq, and, with the plunder which he had seized, returned to Gurgán, while the Sámánid general proceded on his way to join Núḥ b. Naṣr the new sovereign. All this happened in the year A. H. 331 (= A. D. 942—943). Washmgír made Isfáhí governor of Ṭabaristán and himself went to Ray.
At the end of Ramaḍán, A. H. 331 (beginning of June, A. D. 943) Ḥasan the Buwayhid advanced from Isfahán by way of Qazwín, and Washmgír came forth from Ray to give him battle. Shír Mardí and Gúrígír deserted him and went over to his enemy, and Washmgír, filled with apprehension, was defeated, and fled to Muṣallá near ´Amul. Ḥasan the Buwayhid seized Abú 'Alí the scribe, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad al-'Umarí and Abú 'Umar the wazír, and bade them disclose Washmgír’s treasures. They indicated to him as the treasurer Abu`l-Ḥasan Mámṭírí, who, under torture, gave up all his own wealth, but not a grain of his master’s. On reaching ´Amul, Washmgír sent Binán b. al-Ḥasan as an ambassador to Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, who, however, imprisoned him in the castle of Jahína, and again came to Sárí, where Washmgír then was. A battle ensued, and Muḥammad b. Dabírí and Isma'íl b. Mardúchín deserted to Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán’s side. Thereupon Washmgír again fled to the Ispahbad Shahriyár b. Sharwín in the highlands, and, taking all his kinsmen and women-folk with him (f. 140b), made his way to Bukhárá, where Núḥ b. Naṣr the Sámánid came out to meet him and received him with honour. Washmgír’s lieutenant Isfáhí came to ´Amul, whence, learning that Washmgír had fled, he moved to the castle of Kuhrúd. A riot ensued in ´Amul, wherein many officers and myrmidons of the government were slain, and Ja'far b. Alanbán was hanged, and the people of Qum who were there were maltreated, till Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán came to ´Amul and encamped at Sha'bú-Dasht, whence he went to Láriján and captured the castle and slew Isfáhí b. Akharyár, and seized all his property, and sent the spoils to his own castle in Daylamán.
Then Núḥ b. Naṣr the Sámánid sent Qarátakín at the head
of 30,000 horsemen with Washmgír to Ṭabaristan. When he
reached Gurgán, Ḥasan b. Fírúzán pretended that he was
going to attack him, but suddenly slipped past him from
Astarábád to ´Amul, destroying the roads and bridges, by
way of Mámṭír and Tarícha. He was pursued by Washmgír
to Sárí, whence, by way of ´Amul, he made good his escape
to Daylamán. Washmgír advanced to Jálús, and Qarátakín
demanded money of him, so that he was obliged to turn
back to ´Amul and give him a share of his possessions, besides
presenting all the men of learning and position to him
in the mosque, in order that they also might he laid
under contribution. Meanwhile Ḥasan b. Fírúzán remained in
his castle
At this date the Buwayhids had over-run the two 'Iráqs, al-Ḥijáz and Syria, as is fully set forth by Abú Isḥaq Ibráhim b. Hilál aṣ-Ṣábí in his Kitábu`t-Tájí fí áthári `d-Dawlati `d-Daylamiyya, and had made Baghdad their capital. Ḥasan the Buwayhid, the father of 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla Fanákhusraw, made his brother Mu'izzu`d-Dawla governor of Ray, while he himself held sway over 'Iráq. As soon as he heard of the return of Washmgír, he set out with a large army of Persians and Arabs to attack Ṭabaristán. Washmgír fled to Daylamán, but its people refused to shelter him for fear of the Buwayhids. Ruknu`d-Dawla Ḥasan the Buwayhid advanced as far as Jálús, and Washmgír took refuge with Abu `l-Faḍl ath-Thá`ir, but for whose protection the Daylamites would have surrendered Washmgír to his foes. Ruknu `d-Dawla the Buwayhid retired to ´Amul and remained there a month, till news of the death of his brother 'Alí reached him, whereupon he left Ṭabaristán and returned to 'Iráq. Thereupon Washmgír and ath-Thá`ir al-'Alawí, accompanied by a host of Gílís and Daylamís, came to ´Amul and appointed their own governors. Leaving the Sayyid at ´Amul, Washmgír himself marched to Gurgán. Shíraj b. Laylá, Wardánsháh and Abu`l-Ḥasan the brother of Náṣir conspired together and slew the chief supporters of ath-Thá`ir, while Muḥammad b. Wahrí, one of his chief intimates, joined them, so that the Sayyid was left alone, and fled by night to Daylamán, while the conspirators plundered and looted ´Amul (f. 142a).
When Ruknu`d-Dawla had concluded the mourning for his brother, he collected a large army, marched on Gurgán, attacked Washmgír, and drove him by way of Nasá and Báward to Merv, which was then governed for Núḥ the Sámánid by Manṣúr Qarátakín. Níshápúr had been seized by Muḥammad b. 'Abdu`r-Razzáq, who had revolted against Núḥ. Washmgír and Qarátakín made a combined attack on him, and he, unable to withstand them, retired to Gurgán, where he joined Ruknu`d-Dawla’s governor, Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán. In Shawwál, A. H. 337 (= April, A. D. 949) Qarátạkín and Washmgír entered Gurgán, and Muḥammad b. 'Abdu`r-Razzáq fled to Ray and took refuge with Ruknu`d-Dawla. Qarátakín returned to Níshápúr and there died. Amír Núḥ thereupon appointed Abú 'Alí Muslim commander in chief in Khurásán, and sent him against Ruknu`d-Dawla. He reached Ray in A. H. 342 (= A. D. 353—4), besieged Ruknu`d-Dawla in the citadel, and finally made peace with him on the condition that he should pay to the Court of Bukhárá a yearly tribute of 200,000 dínárs. Thereupon Abú 'Alí Muslim retired, to the great vexation of Washmgír, who wrote to the Amír Núḥ saying that, if he had pressed his advantage, he might have taken Ruknu`d-Dawla captive. Amír Núḥ, incensed at this, dismissed Abú 'Alí Muslim from his office of commander in chief, and gave it to Abú Sa'íd Bakr b. Malik. Abú 'Alí Muslim, being informed of his dismissal, revolted against Amír Núḥ, omitted his name from the khuṭba, and seized Níshápúr. And about the same time, as it chanced, in A. H. 343 (= A. D. 954—5) Amír Núḥ died, and was succeeded by his son 'Abdu`l-Malik. Thus Abú 'Alí Muslim’s power became greater, and he concluded (f. 142b) an offensive and defensive alliance with Ruknu`d-Dawla. They agreed to invade Ṭabaristán, the former by way of Shahriyár-Kúh, the latter by Hurmazd-Kúh; but soon after they had effected a junction, Abú 'Alí Muslim died, and his Khurásání soldiers dispersed, whereupon Ruknu`d-Dawla retired to Ray, and Washmgír remained unmolested, though enmity continued to exist between the two, until, when Manṣúr b. Núḥ the Sámánid came to the throne, he sent a large army under Muḥammad b. Ibráhím Símjúr to help Washmgír against the Buwayhid. Thereupon Ruknu`d-Dawla, being alarmed, sought for help from Baghdad and Fárs, from his brother Mu'izzu`d-Dawla and from the sons of 'Aḍudu`-Dawla. In the year A. H. 356 (= A. D. 967) [Abu`l-Ḥasan] Muḥammad b. Ibráhím Símjúr joined Washmgír outside Gurgán.
One day about this time Washmgír wished to go for a ride, but was advised by his astrologer not to do so. He waited till the afternoon prayer, at which time some horses were brought for him to see. Amongst these was a very fine black horse from Bukhárá. He ordered it to be saddled, mounted it, and rode forth a little way, when he remembered with vexation the astrologer’s advice. Thereupon he turned back, when suddenly he was attacked by a wild boar, which gored his horse, while he fell to the ground with blood pouring from his nose, eyes and ears, and shortly afterwards expired. This was in Muḥarram, A. H. 357 (= December, A. D. 967).
Washmgír left two sons (f. 143a), Bahistún and Qábús, of whom the former was at this juncture in Ṭabaristán and the latter with his father. The nobles swore allegiance to Qábús, to whom [Abu`l-Ḥasan] Muḥammad b. Ibráhím Símjúr also gave his support. Bahistún, greatly disappointed, thereupon made overtures to Ruknu`d-Dawla, and went to him at Ray, while his brother Qábús continued to strengthen his hold on Ṭabaristán and Gurgán, and to conciliate the nobles by gifts of lands and money. Amongst others he was joined by his maternal uncle the Ispahbad Rustam b. Sharwín b. Shahriyár Báwand. And on Muḥarram 25, A. H. 366 (= November 28, A. D. 970) Ruknu`d-Dawla died.
'Aḍudu`d-Dawla Abú Shujá' Fanákhusraw, the son of Ruknu`d-Dawla, was in Fárs with his brother Mu`ayyidu`d-Dawla. The mother of both of these was the daughter of Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, the cousin on the father’s side of Mákán Kákí. Fakhru`d-Dawla, the third brother, was in Hamadán. Him the other two attacked, and he fled before them to Shamsu`l-Ma'álí Qábús in Ṭabaristán, who received him with honour. His two brothers (f. 143b) offered Qábús the revenues of Ray for a year if he would surrender Fakhru`d-Dawla to them, threatening him with war in case of refusal; and on his rejecting their proposals with scorn, 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla collected a great army of Kurds, Lurs, Arabs, Daylamites and Turks, and sent them under the command of his brother Mu`ayyidu`d-Dawla to invade Ṭabaristán. They met and defeated Qábús at Astarábád, and he fled with Fakhru`d-Dawla, bearing with him his treasures, to Níshápúr, where he placed himself under the protection of Tásh, who was ordered by Amír Núḥ the Sámánid to help him to recover his kingdom. Tásh thereupon marched on Gurgán, sending Fá`iq by way of Qúmish, and, aided by Qábús, besieged Mu`ayyidu`d-Dawla in Gurgán for two months. In spite of the scarcity of provisions to which the garrison was reduced, Mu`ayyidu`d-Dawla, at the advice of the astrologer Abu`l-Faḍl of Herát, waited till Mars, the planet fortunate to the Turks, had begun to decline. At this juncture news of the death of 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla reached him, and he secretly bribed Fá`iq and other captains of the besieging army to flee when battle should be joined, which happened on Wednesday, Ramaḍán 22, A. H. 371 (= March 21, A. D. 982). In consequence of the desertion of these faithless officers, Tásh and Qábús were defeated and compelled to retire to Níshápúr. At this time Fírúzán b. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán ruled over Daylamán, his brother Naṣr b. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán over Qúmish, and the Ispahbad Sharwín Báwand over Ṭabaristán.
On the death of 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla (f. 144a) quarrels arose between his sons, and Fakhru`d-Dawla proceeded to 'Iráq, but shortly afterwards died at Ray. Qábús meanwhile returned to Gurgán, and, by gifts and promises, tried to conciliate the chiefs of that country. Núḥ b. Manṣúr the Sámánid died, and was succeeded by Amír Raḍí. Abú 'Alí b. Ḥasan Símjúr rebelled against him, and Khurásán was plunged in confusion. Amír Raḍí fled to Ghazna, and appealed for help to Sabuktagín, who had succeeded Alptagín as ruler of that place. Sabuktagín collected an army and marched on Níshápúr against Abu 'Alí Símjúr and Fá`iq, whom he met in battle at a place called Tafsúr. Qábús, though at heart sympathizing with the Sámánids, had been compelled to place his son Dárá as a hostage in the hands of Abú 'Alí. During the battle Dárá escaped and joined the Sámánid Amír Raḍí. Abú 'Alí was defeated, and Sulṭan Maḥmúd b. Sabuktagín, to whose efforts the victory was largely due, was appointed by Amír Raḍí commander in chief of Khurásán, and given the title of Sayfu`d-Dawla, while his father, Sabuktagín, received Balkh as his reward, and withdrew to Herát. Amír Raḍí retired to Bukhárá, where he shortly afterwards died.
Sulṭán Mahmúd, now in secure possession of Khurásán, allied himself with Ilak Khán, and the two came to Bukhárá, seized Amír Raḍí’s son, Ibráhím al-Muntaṣir, and put to death some other Sámánid princes. Muntaṣir, however (f. 144b), succeeded in effecting his escape to Níshápúr, and, being pursued thither by Maḥmúd, fled to Gurgán, where he was well received and generously treated by Qábús, together with Abu`l-Qásim b. Símjúr and Arslán Bálú, who were with him. Qábús further advised them, having regard to the strength of Maḥmúd and Ilak Khán, to abandon for the present all hopes of recovering Khurásán, and rather to turn their attention to Ray, which was ruled by the boy-king Majdu`d-Dawla b. Fakhru`d-Dawla. Thither, accordingly, they marched, accompanied by the two sons of Qábús, Dárá and Minúchihr, but Abu`l-Qásim and Arslán Bálú, bribed by the nobles of Ray, induced them to retire without molesting the city. The sons of Qábús left them and returned to their father, while Muntaṣir made another attempt to recover Níshápúr, whence he was driven back by Sulṭán Maḥmúd to Gurgán. This time, however, Qábús, seeing that Muntaṣir could effect nothing, sent 2000 men to oppose his entrance, and thenceforth (f. 145a) concerned himself no further with the fortunes of the House of Sámán. He sent the Ispahbad Shahriyár b. Sharwín to subdue the district of Shahriyár, which was held by Rustam b. al-Marzubán, the maternal uncle of Majdu`d-Dawla Abú Ṭálib Rustam b. Fakhru`d-Dawla, whom he defeated, and proclaimed Qábús ruler of that country.
Bátí b. Sa`íd was dwelling amongst a section of the Jíl-i-Isfandárí, but, though outwardly their ally, his heart was with Qábús. Naṣr b. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, driven by famine from Daylam, attacked and defeated them, and took prisoner the Ispahbad Abu`l-Faḍl, who shortly afterwards died. Bátí fraternized with Naṣr, and the two agreed to attack ´Amul, whence they drove out the governor, Abu`l-'Abbás the chamberlain. Having occupied ´Amul, Bátí wrote a letter to Qábús, informing him of the victory, and tendering his allegiance. Leaving Naṣr, he then proceeded to Astarábád and easily persuaded its inhabitants to accept the rule of Qábús, who sent the Ispahbad Shahriyár to support him (f. 145b)1. Fírúzán b. al-Ḥasan [b. Fírúzán], hearing of this, marched from Gurgán to attack them, and had almost succeeded in defeating Bátí outside Astarábád when a number of the Kurds and Arabs in his army suddenly raised the battle-cry of Qábús, and deserted to his enemy. In consequence of this Bátí not only put his army to flight, but captured him and a score of his chief officers. The fugitives were opposed and turned aside from Gurgán by the Sálár Khargásh, a kinsman of Qábús; and the latter was soon afterwards crowned at Gurgán in Sha'bán, A. H. 388 (= August, A. D. 998).
The fugitives were received at Ray with reproaches, and the minister Abú 'Alí Ḥamúla1 at once proceeded to collect an army of Turks, Arabs and Daylamites ten thousand strong, with which he set out for Gurgán, accompanied by Manúchihr2 b. Qábús, Asfár b. Kurdúya, Abu`l-'Abbás b. Já`í, 'Abdu`l-Malik Mákán, Músá Ḥájib, Bísitún b. Tíjásaf, Kinár b. Fírúzán, and Rashámúj, all leading men of Daylam. When they reached the district of Shahriyár, Qábús resolved to oppose them. Abù 'Alí Ḥamúla sent messengers to try to win over to his side Naṣr b. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, of whose attitude he felt doubtful, urging him, out of regard for the bond of kinship between him and Majdu`d-Dawla (f. 146a), to espouse his cause, and promising to reward him with the district of Qúmish. Naṣr, deceived by these promises, came to Sárí, and, taking the right hand one of the two roads to Gurgán, advanced to within a short distance of Qúmish. Here he made known to his soldiers the real reason why he had espoused the cause of Majdu`d-Dawla. Thereupon they differed in opinion, some being for Gurgán and others for Ustundár, while Naṣr, with the remnant which clave to him, advanced to Qúmish, and requested Abú 'Alí Ḥamúla to put him in possession of the citadel. They assigned to him the castle of Júmand, where he placed his family and his baggage and stores.
Abú 'Alí Ḥamúla, leaving Naṣr b. Fírúzán at Qúmish, returned by Sárí to Gurgán, where he encamped outside the city by the Mausoleum of the Dá'í. For two months fighting continued between him and the allies of Qábús, till famine prevailed in Gurgán, and food became hardly obtainable. Rain, floods and storms presently combined with dearth to render the position of the besiegers more and more difficult. Thereupon the soldiers of Qábús made a sortie, and a fierce fight ensued in which some 1300 men were slain. The Daylamites were defeated, and many of their chiefs, including Sipahsálár b. Kúrángíj, Zarhawájastán b. Ashkalí, Ḥaydar b. Sálár, and Muḥammad b. Wahsúdán were taken captive, while Abú 'Alí Ḥamúla retreated to Qúmish, where he urgently summoned Naṣr b. al-Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán to assist him. Fearing the advance of Qábús, however, he dared not remain in Qúmish, but retreated to Ray, while Naṣr marched to Samnán. Here he halted and demanded re-inforcements from Majdu`d-Dawla, who sent (f. 147a) the son of his chamberlain Baktakín with six hundred Turkish horsemen. Qábús, on the other hand, despatched Bátí b. Sa'íd, and subsequently the Ispahbad Shahriyár, against the Daylamites. Bátí, however, suffered a serious defeat at the hands of Naṣr, and his army was annihilated.
Majdu`d-Dawla, greatly encouraged by this victory, sent his maternal uncle, Rustam b. al-Marzubán, with 3000 men to re-inforce Abú `Alí Ḥamúla, appointing him Ispahbad of Shahriyár. Naṣr came out to meet Rustam as far as Damáwand, and helped him to take effective possession of the district assigned to him. The Ispahbad Shahriyár fell back on Sárí to seek aid from Prince Minúchihr, the son of Qábús, and watched his opportunity, until, Rustam having been separated from Naṣr, he attacked him and drove him out of the country back to Ray, and established himself in his place.
After this Majdu`d-Dawla made peace with Qábús, and the two agreed to make an end of Naṣr b. Ḥasan [b.] Fírúzán, who, notwithstanding his ancient and noble lineage, was generally hated for his exactions and oppressions (f. 147b). Naṣr discovered their intention, and, hearing that Sulṭán Maḥmúd’s governor of Quhistán, Arslán Hindú-bacha, had attacked and driven back Abu`l-Qásim [b.] Símjúr, he went to the latter, and, eager to avenge himself on Majdu`d-Dawla, persuaded him to attack Ray. He was, however, easily repulsed; and, while retiring in disappointment, was attacked and routed by the troops of Qábús, whereupon he and his confederate Abu`l-Qásim offered their services to Sulṭán Maḥmúd of Ghazna. Abu`l-Qásim, for reasons set forth in al-'Utbí’s Ta`ríkh-i-Yamíní, was soon compelled (f. 148a) to flee from the Sulṭán’s court, but Naṣr remained in the Sulṭán’s service, and was finally given in fief Biyár and Júmand. These, however, did not satisfy him, and he suffered himself to be beguiled by specious promises to Ray, where he was put in chains and sent as a prisoner to the castle of Ustúnáwand, while Qábús subdued all the surrounding strongholds, and bestowed them on his chief officers and nobles.
About this time the Ispahbad Shahriyár, having collected a large army, began to shew signs of restiveness, and Rustam b. Marzubán was sent against him from Ray, followed by Bísitún b. Tíjásf, who defeated and took him prisoner. Rustam, being a partisan of Qábús and ill-disposed towards the ruler of Ray, proclaimed Qábús king, with the acquiescence and approval of Bisitún. Qábús conferred Gílán on his son Minúchihr, and shortly afterwards reduced the districts of Ustundáriyya, Rúyán and Jálús, so that his dominions now included, besides these regions, Gurgán, Ṭabaristán and Daylam to the shores of the Caspian Sea (f. 148b). He also entered into friendly relations with Sulṭán Maḥmúd.
For all his noble qualities, his learning, piety, munificence, magnanimity, wisdom, prudence and intelligence, Qábús was, however, arrogant, harsh, and sometimes cruel. No one was secure against his occasional acts of violence, and many men of condition suffered death at his hands, so that a growing discontent became apparent. Now he had a chamberlain called Na'ím, a simple and guiltless man, whom he had made governor of Astarábád; and him, on the mere suspicion of his inclining to the Mu'tazilite heresy, he condemned to death. Na'ím craved a respite, that he might establish his innocence (p. 149a), but his request was refused, and he was put to death by Qábús. This so exasperated the nobles and officers that they determined to depose Qábús, who had gone for change of air to Janáshk, and knew nothing of their disaffection until one night they surrounded and attacked his camp and plundered his baggage, but were driven off by his retainers. They then went to Gurgán, seized the city, and brought thither Prince Minúchihr, the son of Qábús, from Ṭabaristán, threatening him that, unless he would consent to depose his father and accept the crown at their hands, they would find another ruler and cast off their allegiance to his house. Minúchihr, being unable to oppose them, deemed it best to agree to their demands.
Meanwhile Qábús, with his retainers and baggage, came to Bisṭám, there to await the upshot of the affair (f. 149b), and his son Minúchihr was compelled by the rebels to march against him. Qábús summoned Minúchihr into his presence, which he entered with every mark of respect and with tears in his eyes. After bewailing the untoward events which had forced him in appearance to oppose his father, Minúchihr offered, if Qábús wished it, openly to espouse his cause; but the latter, recognizing the hopelessness of his own position, gave Minúchihr his blessing and handed over to him his signet-ring and the keys of his treasuries, and retired to Janáshk, there to end his days in prayer and pious exercises. The rebels, however, could feel no security as long as Qábús was alive, and soon found on opportunity to put him to death secretly (f. 150a)1. He was buried beneath a dome outside Gurgán on the road to Khurásán.
After mourning for three days, according to the fashion of the Daylamites, Minúchihr ascended the throne and assumed the reins of government, while Qábús was soon forgotten:
Letters of condoleance from the Caliph al-Qádir Bi`lláh, conferring on him the title of Falaku`l-Ma'álí, soon reached Minúchihr, who made it his first business to conciliate, with presents and professions of loyalty, the powerful Sulṭán Maḥmúd of Ghazna, who recognized his sovereignty in Gurgán, Ṭabaristán and Qúmish, and sent Abú Muḥammad b. Mihrán as an ambassador to confer on him a robe of honour and other marks of his favour; while he on his part agreed to pay a yearly tribute of 50,000 dínárs, and, on the occasion of the campaign against Nárdín, supplied a contingent of a thousand picked soldiers of Daylam (f. 150b). Later Minúchihr sent Abú Sa'd Sawák, the greatest noble of Gurgán, to Sulṭán Maḥmúd to pray that he would bestow on him, for the confirming of the alliance, the hand of one of his daughters. To this request a favourable answer was brought back by the ambassador, who was then sent to Ghazna a second time accompanied by the Qáḍí of Gurgán to drew up the marriage-contract and bring back the bride (f. 151a).
Having thus secured his position, Minúchihr prepared to take vengeance on his father’s murderers, which he had hitherto feared to do, and did not rest until he had put most of them to death, save the son of Khargásh, who fled into exile, and none knows what fate overtook him. Abu`l-Qásim Ja'dí, who had been in command of the army of Qábús, long evaded capture, and finally (f. 151b) took refuge with the Sulṭán at Níshápúr, who, however, handed him over to Minúchihr, from whom he met with his deserts.
To return now to Minúchihr’s brother Dárá, who, as we saw (p. 227 supra), escaped from the custody of Abú 'Alí b. Símjúr and joined the Sámánid Amír Raḍí. When his father Qábús had established his rule, Dárá continued for a time in his service, but presently, his fears and suspicious being aroused, he again fled secretly into Khurásán, where he was at first well received (f. 152a) by the Sulṭán, but presently, falling under suspicion, he escaped to Sháh Shár of Ghars, between whom and himself an ancient friendship existed, but who dared not persist in refusing his surrender to the Sulṭán. He was imprisoned by the Sulṭán for some time — more rigorously after he had once succeeded in escaping —, but was finally received back into favour, and sent with Arslán Jádhib1 to assume the government of Ṭabaristán and Gurgán, whence, however, owing to the wisdom of his brother Minúchihr in conciliating Sulṭán Maḥmúd, he was speedily recalled, and attached to the Sulṭán’s personal service. At this juncture (f. 152b) Amír Abu`l-Fawáris, son of 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla the Buwayhid, came from Kirmán to the Sulṭán to complain of the wrongs which he had suffered at his brother’s hands, and a dispute occurred between him and Dárá as to the nobility and antiquity of their respective families in the course of which the latter made use of expressions so insulting and improper that he was again disgraced and imprisoned till Muḥarram, A. H. 409 (= May-June, A. D. 1018), when, at the intercession of the Prime Minister, he was released, and his estates were restored to his stewards.
In A. H. 424 (= A. D. 1033) Minúchihr died, and was succeeded by his son [Abú] Kálanjár, who was the comtemporary of Sulṭán Ma'súd b. Maḥmúd of Ghazna. In A. H. 425 (= A. D. 1033—4) the latter, in spite of the urgent dissuasion of his ministers and nobles, decided to visit the former in Gurgán and Ṭabaristán. Abú Kálanjár answered (f. 153a), “I am thy servant: the king does but visit his own house;” but he retired to one of his castles, and even ventured a remonstrance at the exactions and irregularities committed by Mas'úd’s troops. Finally, as summer advanced and the weather grew warm, Mas'úd retired to Gurgán, where, on the very day of his arrival, he learned that two thousand Seljúq Turkmáns had reached Merv, and had been joined by two of the sons of Seljúq, Yaghmur and Búqá. This was the first revolt of the Seljúqs, and their power continued to increase until Jaghrí1 Beg Dá`úd seized Khwárazm, and thence marched to Ṭabaristán and Ray, occupying and annexing most of the realms of the House of Washmgír (or Ziyárids) except the mountains. And in A. H. 441 (= A. D. 1049—1050) Abú Kálanjár died2.
He was succeeded by his cousin Kay-Ká`ús b. Iskandar b. Qábús, chiefly celebrated as the author of the Qábús-náma1, who was contemporary with Rustam b. Shahriyár, and ruled in the mountain districts until A. H. 462 (= A. D. 1069—1070), when he died, and was succeeded by his son [Gílánsháh], to whom there remained but a shadow of power. For Ṭughril the Seljúq had traversed Ṭabaristán and Gílán, levying taxes and appointing governors (f. 153b), and thence had passed on to Ray [and Baghdad], restored the authority of the Caliph al-Qá`im bi-amri`lláh and put down the agents of the Fáṭimid Anti-Caliph al-Mustanṣir, and in return for all his services received the title of Sulṭán. Gílánsháh died, and was succeeded by his cousin Anúshirwán b. Minúchihr b. Qábús, in A. H. 471 (= A. D. 1078—9)2.
[Here follows some account of Alp Arslán’s conquests, and in particular of a wonderful march which he made with 100,000 men from Balásághún to the Euphrates to relieve the Caliph al-Qa`im, who was hard pressed by the Byzantines. This march he is said to have accomplished in sixteen days. The author now turns back to trace the history of the Ispahbads of the House of Báw from the earliest times down to the period which he has now reached.]
(F. 154a). To the Ispahbads of this ancient and noble house was given the title “King of the Mountains” (Maliku`l-Jibál). Their ancestor Báw was a vassal of Khusraw Parwíz, whom he aided in his wars with the “Romans” and with his rebellious subject Bahrám Chúbína, and for whom he successively governed Iṣṭakhr, ´Adharbayján, 'Iráq and Ṭabaristán. Over the latter province he maintained his sway for 15 years after the Arabs had overrun the rest of Persia, but was at last treacherously slain by Walásh, who struck him from behind with a brick, and usurped his authority, driving his son Suhráb into exile. The latter, however, aided by the men of Kúlá, Khúrzád, Khusraw-isfáhí and Qárin-kúh, attacked Walásh at Panjáh-hazár and slew him, and was crowned at Farím. From that time until the death of Fakhru`d-Dawla, though they were partially subdued at different times by the 'Alawí Sayyids, the House of Gáwbára, the Qárinwands, the Buwayhids and the Ziyárids, no king or ruler was able to destroy or extirpate them, or (f. 154b) to take undivided possession of their domains.
Suhráb was succeeded by his son Mihr-mardán, and he, after a brief reign, by his grandson Sharwín b. Surkháb, who was the contemporary of Wandád-Hurmazd, and first took the title of “King of the Mountains”. He and Wandád-Hurmazd united to drive the Arabs out of Ṭabaristán. The sons of these two, Shahriyár b. Sharwín and Qárin b. Wandád-Hurmazd were contemporaries of Hárúnu`r-Rashíd, to whom the former had been given as a hostage by his father.
Shahriyár was followed successively by his two sons Ja'far and Qárin. The latter, in the Caliphate of al-Mu'taṣim, in the year A. H. 227 (= A. D. 841—2) abandoned the Zoroastrian religion and embraced Islám. He was the contemporary of the Dá'i`l-Kabír, who sent the Ustundár Padhúsbán to ravage his lands until he submitted to the Sayyid, and committed to him his sons Mázyár and Surkháb in the year A. H. 252 (= A. D. 866). The latter died young, and was succeeded by his son Rustam. When the Dá'í, who was still reigning, punished the Daylamites for their disobedience by cutting off the hands and feet of about a thousand of them, the remainder of them fled to this Rustam, who led them to Qúmish, captured it, and banished the Dá'í’s viceroy, Sayyid Qásim, to Sháh Dizh in Hazár Jaríb.
Rustam, being on bad terms with the Sayyid Muḥammad b. Zayd (f. 155a) joined Ráfi' b. Harthama, the governor of Khurásán, and with him ravaged Mázandarán, Daylam and Rúyán. After a while Ráfi' returned to Khurásán, and, being routed by 'Amr b. Layth, fled to Gurgán and made peace with the Sayyid, but sent a message to Rustam informing him that this truce was only a stratagem, and inviting him to meet him at Astarábád. On his arrival, however, Rustam was treacherously seized by Ráfi' as he sat at meat, and was cast into prison, where he died in Ramaḍán, A. H. 282 (= October—November, A. D. 895).
He was succeeded by his son Sharwín, who made peace with Sayyid Náṣir-i-Kabír, and was contemporary with Mákán b. Kákí. Sharwín was in turn succeeded by his son Shahriyár, who was contemporary with Ruknu`d-Dawla the Buwayhid and Washmgír b. Ziyár. His son, who predeceased him, bore the name of his grandfather, Sharwín. Shahriyár survived till the time of Qábús b. Washmgír and Sulṭán Maḥmúd of Ghazna.
[Here the author cites from the Chahár Maqála the account of Firdawsí, and how he took refuge from Sulṭán Maḥmúd with this prince, given in that work by Nidhámí-i-'Arúḍí-i-Samarqandí; which account has been published with a German translation by Dr. Ethé at pp. 89—94 of the Z. D. M. G. for 1894, Vol. XLVIII, and criticised by Nöldeke in his Iranische Nationalepos, pp. 21—30 of the tirage-à-part. A full English translation of this passage, which extends from f. 155a, 1. 17 to f. 157b, 1. 12, will be found at pp. 77—84 of my translation of the Chahár Maqála, so that it may be passed over in this place.]
(F. 157b). The Ispahbad Shahriyár was succeeded by Dárá, who reigned but a short time, and was followed by his son Shahriyár, who accompanied Qábús b. Washmgír in his 18 years' exile, conquered Shahriyár-kúh and expelled its governor Rustam b. Marzubán, and, assisted by Bátí b. Sa'íd, in A. H. 387 (= A. D. 997) defeated Fírúzán b. al-Ḥasan, and afterwards Naṣr b. Ḥasan.1 But towards the end of the reign of Qábús (f. 158a) Shahriyár rebelled against him, and, being defeated by Rustam b. Marzubán, was imprisoned till his death. After this none of the House of Báwand dared shew themselves or claim any power, until, when the Seljúqs conquered Khurásán, and the power of the House of Washmgír was destroyed, the Ispahbad Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Shahriyár b. Qárin restored in some degree the power and fortunes of his house.
[The author now returns to the history of the Seljúqs at the point where he left it to recount the history of the Báwands, namely the death of Ṭughril and the accession of Alp Arslán. Most of what follows belongs to the general history of Persia from this to the Author’s own time (first half of the thirteenth century of our era), while another hand has carried on the chronicle to A. H. 750 = A. D. 1349—1350.]2
(F. 158b). During the reign of Alp Arslán, Ṭabaristán suffered much from the constant passage of his troops, but the Ispahbad Qárin b. Surkháb of the House of Báwand succeeded in re-establishing his power to some extent in the mountains, while the power of the House of Washmgír continually grew less. Qárin died in A. H. 486 (= A. D. 1093), and was succeeded by Ḥusámu`d-Dawla. About this time began the power of the Assassins. The ‘New Propaganda’, begun by Ḥasan-i-Ṣabbáh in Ray, was soon extended to Dámghán, Shahriyár-kúh, Damáwand and Qazwín, till finally the mountain fastness of Alamút, “the Eagle’s Nest”, was surrendered to them by its warden, 'Alawí Mahdí, on Wednesday, Rajab 6, A. H. 483 (= September 4, A. D. 1090), a date which, by a most curious coincidence, is represented by the sum of the numerical values of the letters composing its name1. 'Alawí Mahdí received from Ḥasan-i-Ṣabbáḥ an order for 3000 dinárs on the governor of Gird-i-Kúh and Dámghán, Ra`is Mudhaffar, who, though ostensibly subordinate to Amír Dád Ḥabash b. Altúntásh, had secretly accepted the doctrine of, and sworn allegiance to, Ḥasan-i-Ṣabbáḥ. It was a great surprise to Mahdí when, on his presenting this order, it was at once honoured. The growing power (f. 159b) of Ḥasan-i-Ṣabbáḥ aroused the alarm of the Nidhámu`l-Mulk, who, however, was assassinated on the eve of Friday, Ramaḍán 12, A. H. 485 (= October 16, A. D. 1092) at Siḥna near Naháwand by one of Ḥasan-i-Ṣabbáh’s fidá`ís named Ṭáhir-i-Arrání, who had disguised himself as a Ṣúfí.
Very shortly after this, Maliksháh (f. 160a) died, and the civil war which broke out between his sons Muḥammad and Barkiyáruq permitted the Assassins to strengthen their position unmolested. On the death of Barkiyáruq, Muḥammad sent his brother Sanjar to attack them in Khurásán. He began by capturing a stronghold named Qal'a-i-´Atash-Kúh (“the Castle of the Mountain of Fire”)1 which they had seized at the very gates of Isfahán, and putting several thousand of them to death there. He also ordered the Ispahbad Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Shahriyár b. Qárin to co-operate with him in extirpating the Assassins, under pain of dismissal, but he, displeased at the peremptory and minatory tone of the message, refused to do so. Thereupon2 the Seljúq monarch sent 5000 horsemen under the command of Amír Sunqur of Bukhárá to Mázandarán, ordering his governors in Láriján, Rúyán and ´Amul to join him and assist him. At ´Amul, accordingly, he was met by a number of local magnates (f. 160b), who proposed to accompany him by the sea-shore to Sárí. The Ispahbad Ḥusámu`d-Dawla, being informed of this, collected to himself Amír Mahdí of Lafúr, one of the Qárinwands, and all the amírs and notables of Shahriyár Kúh, at a place called ´Aram, and together they marched on Sárí, of which they proceeded to repair the fortifications. Sunqur encamped at a place called Atrábin. The Ispahbad promised his black Persian kuláh, round which he had wound a turban, to whichever of his sons would attack and rout the enemy. Najmu`d-Dawla Qárin at once alighted from his horse, took a Gílí shield, opened the gate and went out, followed by his son, Fakhru`l-Mulk Rustam. Ḥusámu`d-Dawla had with him four hundred Gílís, all with shields and white plumes (parcham), and these he drew up in ranks before Sunqur’s army. Then Farámarz b. Shírzád came forth with his horsemen.
Now Husámu`d-Dawla had induced an Amír named Bekcherí to desert Sunqur as soon as battle was joined; this he did, and was received with honour and sent to the Ispahbad’s palace. Najmu`d-Dawla Qárin then attacked Sunqur; the noise of battle scared all the water-fowl in the surroundíng marshes (f. 161a) and they rose into the air with tumultuous cries, so that Sunqur thought that he was being attacked by another force in the rear. His army gave way, and fled, pursued by Najmu`d-Dawla, who killed and took captive many of them, especially the foot-soldiers of ´Amul. The people of Sárí blackened the faces of the captive ´Amulís, branded on their foreheads the names of Muḥammad and 'Alí, and paraded them through the town, after which they were released. Then the Ispahbad divided the abundant spoils which had fallen to their lot, and dismissed the marzubáns and other local chiefs who had helped him with presents and robes of honour.
Sunqur meanwhile fell back on Gurgán, and thence returned to Isfahán, where he told the Sulṭán that by force they could effect nothing in that wild country, but only by political stratagems. So the Sulṭán sent another embassy to the Ispahbad, telling him that Sunqur had exceeded his orders in making this attack, and asking him to send one of his sons to the court at Isfahán. To this proposal the Ispahbad finally consented, on receiving the Sulṭán’s solemn promise, confirmed by an oath, that the son thus sent should be treated with all honour; and, summoning his sons before him, communicated to them the Sulṭán’s proposal, and asked which of them would go. Najmu`d-Dawla Qárin, having taken part in the attack on Sunqur, dared not venture, but his brother 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Ali b. (f. 161b) Shahriyár volunteered to go, and was accordingly sent off to Isfahán with a pious Sayyid named Muntahí as his tutor, and an escort of a thousand horse and two thousand foot. His father accompanied him from Sárí as far as Farím, and sent him on his journey by way of Asrán and Samnán.
At this time the castle of Ustúnáwand was in the hands of the Assassins, and also the castle of Manṣúr-kúh. Some of the garrison of the latter had come to Dámghán, and the Amír Qachghuz attacked them and slew many. Then he joined 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Alí, and, being under obligations to his father Ḥusámu`d-Dawla the Ispahbad, took charge of him and brought him to Isfahán, where he was most graciously received by the Sulṭán, who was still more favourably impressed when he saw the young Prince’s prowess in polo, hunting, and throwing the mace, which he could throw as far as the Sulṭán could shoot an arrow. The Sulṭán then offered him the hand of his sister in marriage, but he, fearing the jealousy of Najmu`d-Dawla, suggested that this honour should rather be accorded to his elder brother. The Sulṭán approved this suggestion; the marriage contract was drawn up, and 'Alá`u`d-Dawla was sent back to Ṭabaristán with presents and robes of honour to convey the news. At ´Amul he was magnificently received by all the notables, and there he tarried ten days, when he was joined by the chief men of Shahriyár-kúh, who accompanied him to Sárí. His father, after congratulating him on his success, sent him to his brother Najmu`d-Dawla Qárin, who, however, refused to receive him, and, being rebuked by their father the Ispahbad, sought permission to go to Baghdad, which he was suffered to do.
On reaching Baghdad, Najmu`d-Dawla, who was a brave and skilful horseman, perfect in all knightly accomplishments, was met by the Sulṭán, who soon afterwards took him with himself to Isfahán, where he married him to his sister. Then he set out to return to Ṭabaristán, on hearing which his younger brother 'Alá`u`d-Dawla craved permission from their father the Ispahbad to retire into seclusion, for he feared his brother (f. 162b). Ḥusámu`d-Dawla met his son Najmu`d-Dawla at Farím towards Samnán, and gave him the castle of Kúzá. This vexed 'Alá`u`d-Dawla, since it had been given to him, and, though his father sent Amír Mahdí of Lafúr to Zárim, where he was, to pacify him, he retired in anger to Gulpáyagán, and took up his abode in a village called Mírwand-ábád, which was his mother’s property. Najmu`d-Dawla came to Sárí, and, charging his father with being privy to his brother’s withdrawal, threatened him, ill-used his servants, and desired to claim for himself the symbols of authority; and his father, being then 75 years of age, finally gave way to his violent and unfilial conduct, abdicated, and retired to ´Amul. Thither Najmu`d-Dawla, fearful of what men might say of him, followed him, offered profuse apologies, and brought him back to Sárí; but, as his conduct did not greatly amend, Ḥusámu`d-Dawla again withdrew to Húsam into religious seclusion. “I have heard from my father,” says the author, “that when he reached ´Amul, he passed by the gate of a Mosque where was a school for children, and said (f. 163a), ‘O my children, when you grow up, say, ‘Shahriyár, abandoning his throne, fled to Daylamán from the hands of his own son Qárin.’” All the people of Gíl and Daylam rallied round him at Húsam, but he, wearied of sovereignty, occupied himself in building, farming and religious exercises. After a while he fell ill, and his son Najmu`d-Dawla, again repenting of his harshness, sent several notables to ´Amul to bring his father thither. There he met him, fell at his feet and apologized for his conduct, and brought him with him to Sárí, leaving the care of the estates of Húsam to an old servant called Amír Ḥasan.
The Sulṭán, Muḥammad b. Maliksháh, had a young son named Malik Aḥmad, whom he entrusted to the care of an Amír named Sunqur-i-Kúchak, and sent to Ray, making him governor of that town, together with ´Awa, Sáwa, Arrán, Khwár, Samnán, Rúyán, Láriján, Ṭabaristán and Gurgán. But every agent sent by Sunqur-i-Kúchak to ´Amul was expelled by Najmu`d-Dawla Qárin. This continued for some time, till at last Sunqur sent to 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Alí, Najmu`d-Dawla’s brother, offering to appoint him governor of ´Amul and Ṭabaristán, if he would come to Malik Aḥmad. So 'Alá`u`d-Dawla (f. 163b) came to Ray, where he was well received, and sent with Sunqur’s brother Jáwalí an army to ´Amul. There the notables came out to meet him, with Amír Ḥassán Bahá`u`d-Dawla the governor of the town, and installed him in the palace called Kúshk-i-Jáwalí, which in the author’s time was razed to the ground by Sháh Ardashír. Ḥusámu`d-Dawla, on hearing this, came with the army of Shahriyár-kúh to Lák-´Abandán, and made an agreement with Jáwalí, whom he sent with Sháh Ghází Rustam to ´Aram, where he was entertained for a week, and then sent back to 'Iráq.
About this time a quarrel arose between the Ispahbad and the Assassins, because they had killed a certain Abú Ja'far Báwandí. One day the Ispahbad Sháh Gházi Rustam was passing through the quarter of the Mosque of Zanakú when an Assassin sprang out on him and tried to stab him, but failed and was slain by the clubs of the companions of his intended victim. To his father Sháh Ghází made light of this event, but a little later, while on his way from Sárí to ´Amul, two Assassins attacked him while he was out hunting in the plain of Walíkán, at a moment when he had alighted to drink water, and inflicted a deep gash in his side. One of these Assassins was killed by Ḥusayn Shírzíl; the other drew his knife (f. 164a), rushed amongst the Ispahbad’s servants, and wounded several of them ere he was himself slain. Sháh Ghází recovered from his wound, which, though deep, had not involved the intestines. His father the Ispahbad came to ´Amul on hearing the news, and wept bitterly over his son’s misfortune.
About this time Sulṭán Sanjar commanded the Ispahbad to wait on him, but he apologized on the ground of his age, and offered to send his sons. Sanjar was angry at this, and sent his nephew Sulṭán Mas'úd with an army to Astarábád to take Shahriyár-Kúh from the Ispahbad, who, however, defeated him near Tammísha and slew many of his men. He was joined by Kiyá Buzurg ad-Dá'í ila`l-Ḥaqq [b. al-] Hádí with 5000 Daylamites, and soon afterwards by his son Sháh-i-Ghází, who had recovered from his wound (f. 164b); and with their aid inflicted a second still more severe defeat on Mas'úd, who, having lost half his army, together with the Amír Jáwalí, fled to Gurgán. This happened in A. H. 521 (= A. D. 1127).
Sanjar, infuriated at this reverse, invited one of his amírs to volunteer to avenge it. Bazghash offered his services, which were accepted, and came to Dámghán, whence he sent harsh messages to the Ispahbad, who was at the castle of Kúzá, and who received his threats with derision. It was then Ramaḍán, but, as soon as the fast and ensuing festival were over, he moved to Tammísha, while Bazghash came to Astarábád and besieged the castle of Rúhín. The Ispahbad left his son Táju`l-Mulúk Mardáwíj in Tammísha, and came to Sárí. Mardáwíj remained for eight months (f. 165a) in Tammísha, so that Bazghash could not move, while Qárin b. Garshásf continued to defend the castle of Rúhín successfully. Then news arrived that Qarája the cup-bearer had gone to Baghdad with the army of 'Iráq and was acting as Atábek, or guardian, to Seljúqsháh, and that Mas'úd also had gone to them from Gurgán; and Bazghash, being recalled by the Sulṭán, was compelled to retire.
The Ustundár Kay-Ká`ús and Fakhru`d-Dawla Garshásf agreed together to rebel against the Ispahbad. When each had returned to his own country, the latter first revolted at Gulpáyagán, and ravaged the district of Astarábád. The Ispahbad retaliated by attacking Gulpáyagán, plundering and burning the neigbourhood, and killing several of Fakhru`d-Dawla’s men. Meanwhile the Ustundár Kay-Ká`ús took advantage of the Ispahbad’s absence to attack ´Amul, burn the Ispahbad’s palace of Baqrá-Kaláta, and expel his retainers from the town. Fakhru`d-Dawla meanwhile, being driven out of Gulpáyagán, retired to the castle of Jahína. The Ispahbad despatched his son 'Alá`u`d-Dawla Ḥasan to attack Kay-Ká`ús, who, however, set an ambush for him and defeated him, so that he fled, and, by the help of one Dárgíl, crossed over by boat into Gílán and betook himself to the house of Sulṭán-Sháh-i-Gíl. After a while he desired to return to his father the Ispahbad, who, however, being vexed at his defeat, refused to receive him, and ordered that he should retire to Karkam, and that certain of his officers, Amír 'Alí Sábiqu`d-Dawla, Mudhaffar-i-'Alawí (f. 165b), Majdu`d-Dín Dárá and Abú Háshim-i-'Alawí, should for a period of one year not ride on horseback, and should each retire to a different place, which in each case he specified. But Amír 'Alí Sábiqu`d-Dawla propitiated the Ispahbad with a gift of a thousand sheep, though he was still kept out of his fief-holds for a year. Shortly afterwards the Ispahbad succeeded in surprising and putting to flight the Ustundár Kay-Ká'ús, and plundering his palace.
One of the Ispahbad’s vassals named Minúchihr had embellished his estate of Kuhrúd with all sorts of rare merchandise from India, Asia Minor, Egypt and Syria. He had several daughters and eighteen sons, of whom the eldest, Abú Ḥarb, was violent, undutiful, shameless, and without fear of God. One day he fled from his father, who sent soldiers in pursuit of him. He had reached the dyke called Dar-band-i-Shínúh when they came up with him, and he, to escape, leaped his horse into the river Hurmuz, which there runs like a mill-race. The soldiers, supposing him to have perished, returned, but he reached the shore and made his way to ´Amul, where he was furnished with clothes (f. 166a), and sent to the court of the Ispahbad, who treated him with kindness and sent him back to his father.
His father, meanwhile, had disinherited him in favour of a younger brother, which so infuriated him that one night in Ramaḍán he invited his brothers to a banquet, and caused each one to be murdered as he was leaving the house. Then he came to his father, and, taking him unawares, smote him on the head with a mace and slew him (f. 166b), while his followers cut down one or two servants who offered resistance. He then announced to the people that he had done this deed by order of the king of Mázandarán, and sent a message to the Ispahbad, saying what he had done, and promising to appear before him if summoned. So the Ispahbad, who was just setting out for ´Amul from Kajúr, bade him come, and Abú Ḥarb joined him with 300 soldiers, horse and foot. The combined armies marched by way of Daylamán, Kalár, and Gúrshírad to Kajú, which they set on fire. Near this place they were met by the Ustundár Kay-Ká`ús, and a fierce fight ensued, in which 900 of the Ustundár’s men were killed and 400 taken prisoners, though he himself escaped with a few retainers. The Ispahbad (f. 167a) than returned to ´Amul, where he bound the 400 unfortunate captives to the staircase of the Palace which Kay-Ká`ús had burned, wrapped it in reeds and matting, and burned them all. The Ispahbad then set out for Daylamán, but when he reached Banafsha-gún, Kay-Ká`ús came before him with a sword and a winding-sheet to make his submission. He was ordered to collect his army and join the Ispahbad at ´Amul to help him in dislodging Garshásf from his castle of Juhína. There he received, at the Ispahbad’s command, 1000 gold dínárs of ´Amul from the marzubán of that city, whose exactions had, as he declared, driven him into rebellion, and a remission of certain sums of money for which he was responsible….
(F. 167b). The Ispahbad Sháh Ghází Rustam was now sixty years old. On the first of Farwardín, the Persian Nawrúz, he reviewed his army at Sárí, in the maydán of Atrábin, Sábiq of Qazwín being on one side of him, and on the other Abú Ḥarb of Láriján. He bade them bring him a polo-stick and ball, and struck the ball, saying, “O sixtieth year, I know not whether thou art come for sickness or death!” Then he threw down the polo-stick and dismissed his army; and on that very day he fell sick. He retired to the village of Zínwán, distant one parasang from Sárí, and there died on the 17th of Farwardín, A. H. 558 (April, A. D. 1163), leaving two sons, Sharafu`l-Mulúk Ḥasan b. Rustam and 'Alá`u`d-Dawla, and a daughter, whom Sháh Ardashír gave in marriage to the Ispahbad Naṣíru`d-Dawla Dárá b. Bahman. 'Alá`u`d-Dawla was put to death by Sháh Ardashír near Tarícha. On the death of Sháh Ghází Rustam a poet has the following verses:
The Ispahbad Sháh Ghází was buried by the notables of Ṭabaristán, such as the Ispahbad Majdu`d-Dín Dárá, king of Daylamán, Amír 'Alí Sábiqu`d-Dawla, Sayyid Háshim the 'Alawí and Amír Surkháb, in the college where 'Alá`u`d-Dawla had been buried. After the funeral these notables met in the house of Shahrásán b. ´Asán, and (f. 168a) wrote to Sharafu`l-Mulúk Ḥasan to inform him of his father’s death. He, though ill at the time, at once came to Sárí, and despatched his boon-companion Kay-Ká`ús with fifty horsemen to ´Aba-sar to seize his brother Náṣiru`l-Mulk, who enjoyed the fullest confidence of the late Ispahbad Sháh Ghází, and cut off his head…. The warden of the castle of Ṭabarak sent to the Ispahbad offering to surrender it, as he was a Turk, and could not hold it. “'Iráq also,” he added, “like Mázandarán, is thine: send thy warden to Ṭabarak, and take possession of Ray, for I have business before me.” So, though it was bitter cold that year, the Ispahbad sent 300 men and a warden to take possession of that country, and ordered the marzubán of Láriján and the Ustundár to keep a daily watch on the state of the castle and the Amír ´Inánj.
When the Ispahbad used to sit late drinking wine, none of his servants dared go to his home, for, if he wanted one of them, and did nor find him, he would on such occasions punish him with death. So only when he fell asleep towards morning did they dare to depart to their homes to rest. One night 300 of these servants conspired together to kill him, and those who were on duty, watching their opportunity, fell upon him, and so plied their swords and maces that, when they left him dead, not one of his limbs was whole. Then (f. 168b) they went out, saying that the Ispahbad desired to be left alone, and bade all disperse, which they did. Sháh Ardashír, learning what had happened, desired to pursue the murderers, but was dissuaded; but such as were recognized were arrested wherever they were found and sent to him, singly or in batches, and he caused them to be hung up and shot with arrows, until in the course of a year, all had been taken and killed.
The Ispahbad had four sons and one daughter. Two of the sons, Yazdigird and 'Alí, died before their father, while Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Sháh Ardashír and Fakhru`l-Mulúk Rustam survived him. His daughter was noted for her piety, devoutness and virtue. Náṣiru`d Dín Rúz-Bihán composed the following verses on the death of the Ispahbad:
When the Ustundár Hazárasp obtained control of his dominion, he ordered his son Zar-míwand Máníwand and his brother Shirwánsháh to be put to death. Both fled for protection to king Ardashír, who (f. 169a) sent a message of remonstrance to the Ustundár, saying:
Admonition, however, availed nothing. The Ustundár was abandoned by 'Aynu`d-Dawla Siyáh, Arslán, Ṭanṭiq and the Turkish Amírs, who joined themselves to the King, and were re-inforced by Arjásf, who, having obtained king Ardashír’s permission, raided the marches of Daylamán, and brought in all the inhabitants and the soldiers of that district into ´Amul, on which Hazárasp began to march. King Ardashír collected an army of 14,000 Turks and Tájíks, set out for Rúyán, and came as far as Nátil, where he heard that Hazárasf was engaged in battle with Khwájak. The King sent on his standards and insignia, and as soon as these were seen, Hazárasp’s men took to flight, and many were taken and killed, while he himself fell back on Kajú. The King encamped at Siyáh-rúd, where he remained two days, till the people of Rúyán came in to make their submission to him. Then he marched on to Kajú, ravaging the country as he went, and then returned to Qúr-shírad and Kalár (f. 169b).
In this year Sultan Ṭughril and the Atábek Muḥammad1 rebelled, and demanded help from the King, having already received it from the Caliph, the Amírs of Aywa, and the armies of Arrán, ´Adharbayján, Akhláṭ and Marágha. The Ispahbad Bahá`u`d-Dín was accordingly sent to join them, and he came to Lafúr with so splendid an equipment of weapons adorned with gold that he was nick-named “the Golden Amír” (Amír-i-Zarrín). He aided in defeating the Atábek Darkala, and was dismissed to his country with honour and presents, while the Ispahbad was thanked for the aid which he had lent.
In this year a noble, brave and accomplished 'Alawí waited on the king, and was by him given rank and insignia, and assigned the district of Daylamán, which belonged to Kiyá Buzurg ad-Dá'í ila`l-Ḥaqq ar-Riḍá b. al-Hádí. He at once entered into possession, and ruled justly, and put to death the Ispahbad Shahriyár and Rustam, and liberated Bárkala after he had been imprisoned for some years, and imprisoned the governor of the city (shahr-dár) for sixteen years (f. 170a) in the castle of Kúzá….
In this year also Táju`d-Dín Túránsháh b. Zardastán died. Arjásf obtained permission to go to Alexandria (sic!) and raise an army wherewith to invade Gílán, but died there. King Ardashír made his cousin Hizibru`d-Dín Khurshíd commander-in-chief of his army, and made him governor of ´Amul and viceroy of Rúyán. Hazárasp and his brother went to Hamadán to Sulṭán Ṭughril and the Atábek Muḥammad, and prayed these to intercede for them that they might be permitted to return home. The Atábek 'Izzu`d-Dín was therefore sent as an ambassador to ´Amul to the king of Ṃázandarán, who, however, declined to overlook Hazárasp’s previous misdeeds. Hazárasp was told that he must himself go to the king and seek to conciliate him:
(F. 170b). The following verses were also improvised on Hazárasp by other poets:
He left a little son named Sanjar Sháh, born of Turkán Khátún, and one of Ṭughánsháh’s retainers named Manklí-tukuz undertook to be his guardian, or Atábek. He put to death the Qáḍí Burhán, and on this a poet says:
Sháh Ardashír soon afterwards (f. 171a) hanged Mankli-tukuz for this deed. Sanjar Sháh and his mother carried off Qiwám 'Alí and other notables to Khwárazm, and seized the king of Khurásán, Quṭbu`d-Dín Khán, who was his eldest son, and cut off his head, which he sent to the king at the Palace of Dawlatábád at Sárí, on which a poet says:
..... (f. 171) Verses on the untrustworthiness of women:
Qizil Arslán was assassinated at Hamadán by four men, at the instigation of Záhida Khátún1, who plucked the ring from his finger, gave it to the Atábek Abú Bakr, his nephew, and said, “Go, assume control of Arrán and ´Adharbayján.” This Abú Bakr did, and reigned in peace for twenty years.
At this time took place the accession and coronation of the Ispahbad Shamsu`l-Mulúk Rustam. Ruknu`d-Dawla Qárin, accompanied by the nobles of Ṭabaristán, came to make him their offerings at the castle of Dárá. The day fixed for the coronation was declared by the astrologers to be unlucky, but the Ispahbad paid no heed to their objections. The coronation festivities lasted seven days, according to the old Persian fashion, and included the usual feastings, rejoicings, and giving of presents, while the notables and Ispahbads and Báwands assembled from all the country-side. When (f. 172a) these congratulations were finished, on the eighth day the Ispahbad ascended the throne, and girded on the royal girdle, and confirmed the governors in their appointments, and caused the Ispahbads and Amírs to cast aside their mourning, and clad them in robes of honour.
Ruknu`d-Dawla Qárin was dissatisfied with the Ispahbad on account of the inheritance of his elder brother Sharafu`l-Mulúk, and appealed to the Sulṭán, who sent 'Alí Sháh, governor of Dámghán and Bisṭám, with some soldiers to bid the Ispahbad, first with gentleness, and, if this failed, with a show of force, to surrender Sharafu`l-Mulúk’s inheritance to his brother Ruknu`d-Dawla. He also ordered the Amírs of Ray and Gurgán to help him in this. So 'Alí Sháh came by way of Fírúzkúh to Láriján, and encamped at Rúdbár-pích, and sent his brother-in-law on with a message by way of Mankúl; but the people of Shaláb waylaid him and killed him. There was a certain 'Alawí named Músá, who, before Tukush b. ´Il-Arslán became king2, had fled from Khwárazm and taken refuge with king Ardashír, and had long been a source of trouble and sedition in Tammísha. He induced the Sulṭán to appoint him wazír to 'Alí Sháh, whom he tried to persuade (f. 172b) to seize the Ispahbad and take from him the kingdom of Mázandarán. Failing in this attempt, he strove to provoke the Ispahbad against 'Alí Shah, who sent his head to the Ispahbad, by whom it was paraded for three days in the market. His sons, who were at ´Amul, were also arrested and imprisoned for some time in the castle of Kuhrúd. Peace was then concluded between the Ispahbad and 'Alí Sháh, and the former restored to Ruknu`d-Dawla the estates of his elder brother Sharafu`l-Mulúk. Ruknu`d-Dawla then surrendered the castle of Kúzá to the Ispahbad’s warden Afrásiyáb, and himself waited on the Ispahbad, who received him with all honour.
Shortly after this the Assassins (f. 173a) treacherously murdered Ruknu`d-Dawla, and obtained various signal successes. Shamsu`l-Mulúk had no son, but he gave his sister in marriage to the Ispahbad Shahriyár b. Kínkhwár b. Rustam b. Dárá b. Shahriyár, who was “the Father of kings” (Abu`l-Mulúk). This sister bore a son named Kínkhwár, who was cousin on the father’s side to king Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Ardashír b. Kínkhwár. Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Shahriyár lived in the reign of Maliksháh the Seljúq, who used to address him as his “father”, as witnessed by the verse of the poet Ráfi'í:
while in another verse he says:
At this period Sulṭán Jalálu`d-Dín Muḥammad Khwárazmsháh, taking advantage of the growing weakness and disruption of House of Báwand, took possession of sundry castles and lands outside Tammísha, and garrisoned them with his own men. Abú Riḍá Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad Abu `l-'Alawí al-Mamṭírí, on Shawwál 21, A. H. 606 (= April 1, A. D. 1210) treacherously murdered Naṣíru`d-Dawla Shamsu`l-Mulúk. This caused further confusion and disorganization, and many of the nobles of Ṭabaristán submitted to Muḥammad Khwárazmsháh. But in a little while this dynasty in turn was brought to an end by the terrible Mongol Invasion (f. 173b). The destruction and devastation resulting therefrom included Ṭabaristán as well as other provinces of Persia, and for thirty years it was without a king or ruler, while the armies of destroying Mongols traversed it to and fro.
At last, after this period of anarchy, the people of Mázandarán and Ṭabaristán met in council at Sárí, and chose as their ruler Malik Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Ardashír b. Kínkhwár (or Kíkhwáz) b. Rustam b. Dárá b. Shahriyár, who for some time revived the glories of his ancient house and kingdom. But soon he too was overtaken by misfortune, even as Shamsu`l-Ma'álí Qábús b. Washmgír says in well-known verses:1
(F. 174a)
On his accession, Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Ardashír transferred the capital from Sárí, which the House of Báwand had always hitherto made its metropolis, to ´Amul, where he made his palace at Qará-Kaláta on the banks of the river Hurmuz. Once, says the author, when he was walking through it, he read, amongst the paintings on the wall a long bilingual (mulamma') qaṣída by Siráju`d-Dín Qumrí, beginning as follows:
His father Kínkhwár (or Kíkhwáz) was the nephew of Sháh Ardashír b. al-Ḥasan, while he himself was the nephew of Jalálu`d-Dín Ḥasan b. 'Alá`u`d-Dín Muḥammad [Khwárazmsháh]. But in the year A. H. 647 (= A. D. 1249— 1250) he died, having reigned fifteen years.
[It is not clear at what point the record written by Ibn Isfandiyár ends, and the continuation supplied by another hand and carried down to A. D. 750 (= A. D. 1349—1350) begins, but it seems unlikely that Ibn Isfandiyár continued the history beyond this point].
At this time Mangú Qá`án (the grandson of Chingíz Khán) sat on the Mongol throne. Ḥusámu`d-Dawla Ardashír was succeeded by his elder son Shamsu`l-Mulúk Muḥammad (f. 174b). Mangú Qá`án sent an army under the Amfr Kat Búqá to subdue the castles and strongholds of the Assassins. Many of these he reduced, but Gird-i-Kúh, Alamút, Tún und Qá`in still held out. Mangú than sent his brother, the redoutable Húlágú, who first took Tún and Qá`in, and captured so many prisoners that Khurásán was filled with slaves. He then laid siege to Gird-i-Kúh and Alamút. Kiyá Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan, entitled by his followers al-Qá`im bi-`amri`lláh, was at that time Grand Master of the Assassins, but he was killed by one of his sons, and his son Ruknu`d-Dín Khúrsháh (or Khwaŕsháh), who was but an inexperienced lad, succeeded him. The philosopher Naṣíru`d-Dín Ṭúsí, whom Kiyá Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan had forcibly detained and compelled to act as his wazír, while professing friendship for the heretics, was inwardḷy eager to compass their destruction, and when Ruknu`d-Dín Khúrsháh asked his advice as to how he should answer Húlágú Khán, he counselled him (f. 175a) not to give battle, for which the stars were not propitious, but to surrender Alamút, which he accordingly did. He was at once put in chains and sent off to Mangú Qá`án, who, however, on hearing what had been done, sent a messenger to meet him and put him to death. Alamút was destroyed, and its priceless treasures and library delivered to the flames. But Naṣíru`d-Dín Ṭúsí was treated with honour, and retained in Hulágú Khán’s service.
Húlágú Khán now marched on Baghdad, [sacked the city and destroyed the last 'Abbásid Caliph, al-Musta'ṣim bi`lláh, as is well known]. As regards the remaining stronghold of the Assassins, Gird-i-Kúh, orders were issued to all the princes, potentates and nobles of the district to besiege it in turns; and after two or three years the turn came to the King and the Ustundár of Mázandarán. So the King of Mázandarán, Shamsu`l-Mulúk Muḥammad b. Ardashír, and the Ustundár, Shahrákím b. Namáwar, set out to conduct the siege; and a daughter of the latter had been betrothed to the former. It was spring, and there was in Rúyán (f. 175b) a poet named Quṭb-i-Rúyání who composed a tarjí'-band in the dialect of Ṭabaristán on the spring season and the hunting in Rúyán, as follows:
[The following additional verses are given only in B.]
[The following additional verses are omitted in A.]
When Shamsu`l-Mulúk was killed, his brother 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Alí was made king, and he was aided by his brother-in-law the Ustundár Shahrákím, but a fresh inrush of Mongols reduced his power to nothing and filled the land with ruins. He died in A. H. 663 (= A. D. 1264—5), in the same year in which his brother had been killed, and the devastation of Rustamdár, Mázandarán and Rúyán took place at the same time.
(F. 176). Malik Táju`d-Dawla Yazdigird next succeeded, and in his time such order prevailed that a single officer, armed only with an axe, Ḥasan Qádí Kal by name, used, alone and on foot, to collect all the taxes of Mázandarán from Tammísha to Alísha-rúd, and bring them to the capital. Táju`d-Dawla maintained the most friendly relations with the Ustundár Sháh Ghází. He reigned 30 years, overcoming many difficulties in his relations with the Mongols, and died in A. H. 701 (= A. D. 1301—2). He left a son named Sikandar, who, however, died soon after him, and he was succeeded by another son named Naṣíru`d-Dawla Shahriyár. In his days there were still seventy flourishing colleges in Mázandarán.
Shahriyár, following the example of his predecessors, allied himself by marriage with the Ustundár Sháh Kay-Khusraw. The Mongol dominion, however, left them but little power or security, and Shahriyár, after a reign of twelve years, died in A. H. 714 (= A. D. 1314—1315), and (f. 176b) was succeeded by his brother Malik Ruknu`d-Dawla Sháh Kay-Khusraw b. Táju`d-Dawla Yazdigird. At this juncture Amír Mú`min, Amíru`l-Umará, represented the Mongol government in Ṭabaristán, and between him and Ruknu`d-Dawla there was perpetual warfare. The latter entrusted his women and children to the care of the Ustundár Naṣíru`d-Dawla Shahriyár, who placed them at Twájan in Kalá-Rustáq; but could not prevail against Amír Mú`min, who enjoyed the fullest confidence of the Mongol sovereign Úljáytú Sulṭán Muḥammad Khudá-banda, and who, having obtained authority to that effect from the Mongol camp (urdú), sent his son Amír Qutlugh Sháh to invade Mázandarán. Several battles took place between him on the one hand, and Shahriyár and the Ustundár on the other. One of the most celebrated of these battles, in which the latter were victorious, and many Turkish amírs and notables of Mázandarán who were with Qutlugh Sháh were killed, took place at Lít-Kúh on the road to Yásamín-Kaláta. At length Amír Mú`min himself invaded Mázandarán, and Sháh Kay-Khusraw, unable to withstand him (f. 177b), set out for the [Mongol] camp (urdú). By chance Amír Tálish Chúbán had been appointed Amír of Khurásán, and was proceeding thither. Kay-Khusraw met him, courted his favour, and promised to bring the Ustundár Naṣíru`d-Dawla Shahriyár to his presence. They journeyed on together to ´Amul, and alighted in the Maydán-i-Rúdbár Báqalí-pazán. There Sháh Kay-Khusraw brought the Ustundár before Amír Tálish Chúbán, who treated them both with honour, and remained that winter at ´Amul. Amír Mú`min’s power was thus checked. Kay-Khusraw, fearing the Mongol Amírs, who were constantly going and coming, conveyed his women and children and baggage to the Ustundár, from whom he bought for them the village of Fímat near Ganjáwarúz, and there abode; and there his descendants dwell to this day. He died in A. H. 728 (= A. D. 1327—8).
He was succeeded by his son Sharafu`l-Mulúk, a handsome and well-dispositioned youth, whose accession was hailed with joy by all the notables of Mázandarán. His reign was peaceful and happy, but short, (f. 177b), for he died in A. H. 734 (= A. D. 1333—4).
He was succeeded by his brother Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla Ḥasan b. Sháh Kay-Khusraw, the last of the Báwand kings, whose accession was nearly contemporary with Sulṭán Abú Sa'íd’s death1. This practically coincided with the end of the Mongol Power in Persia, which lasted about 80 years from the date of Húlágú Khán’s capture of Baghdad in A. H. 656 (= A. D. 1258). The author speaks highly of the order and good government which prevailed during this period, especially during the reigns of Gházán Khán, Úljáytú Khudá-banda, and Abú Sa'íd, which, says he, one might think that the poet Dhahír-i-Fáryábí was describing when he said:
| (f. 178a) | |
On Abú Sa'íd’s death anarchy supervened, each amír striving to seize what he could for himself out of the general wreckage. Amongst those who thus rose to power was Amír Mas'úd Sarbadál [or Sar-ba-dár), who rose up in Sabzawár, killed his brother Pahlawán 'Abdu`r-Razzáq, gathered round himself a number of rogues and vagabonds, and established himself in a citadel which he made for himself in Sabzawár. Tughá-Tímúr was nominally Sulṭán of Khurásán, but his wazír, 'Alá`u`d-Dín Muḥammad, had practically (f. 178b) got possession of all the power, and used it most oppressively. His tyranny, and that of a tribe of Turks called Jataz, reduced the people of Khurásán to desperation. The disaffected joined themselves to Amír Mas'úd Sarbadál, whose power thus rapidly increased, so that he defeated many of the Mongol and Turkish amírs, and even Arghún-Sháh and his brothers, until he finally held possession of Khurásán from Jám and Bákharz to Mázandarán. His popularity largely depended on the fact that all spoils of war were equitably shared by him with his followers, and that he in no way distinguished himself from them.
He now marched on Herát and attacked Malik Mu'ínu`d-Dín Ḥusayn-i-Kart. The battle lasted three days and nights, and 7000 men are said to have perished in it, including Amír Mas'úd’s spiritual director Shaykh Ḥasan Júrí; and Amír Mas'úd was finally defeated and fell back on Mázandarán. At Bayárú-kamand he had another battle with Tughá-Tímúr, whose brother, Shaykh 'Alí Káwán, he killed. He defeated Tughá-Tímúr and took captive Píshín Khátún and other ladies of his house (f. 179a), and pursued, captured and put to death his wazír 'Alá`u`d-Dín Muḥammad at Qal'a Kamín. Tughá-Tímúr fled from him to Lár and Qaṣrán, where he was re-inforced by Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla and the Ustundár.
Amír Mas'úd soon succeeded in re-establishing his power in Khurásán, which, from Herát to Gurgán and Qúmish, fell under his sway, and he placed his governors in each important town. He then came to Astarábád, intending to subjugate Ṭabaristán, and sought by all means to win over to him its kings and rulers. Kiyá Jamálu`d-Dín Aḥmad Jál, a powerful, sagacious and experienced noble, obtained permission from the King of Mázandarán to go with his nephews Kiyá Táju`d-Dín and Kiyá Jalál, to Astarábád, and try to come to terms with Amír Mas'úd, who received them well, but forced them to accompany him on his onward march to Sárí, whence he sent to the kings at ´Amul (f. 179b) desiring to see them. After prolonged consultation, Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla of Mázandarán and Malik Jalálu`d-Dawla Iskandar the Ustundár determined to resist Amír Mas'úd by force, and sent him a harsh answer. Thereupon, leaving some of his men at Sárí, Amír Mas'úd marched on ´Amul. The two armies met outside ´Amul on Dhu`l-Qa'da 17, A. H. 743 (= April 13, A. D. 1343), in the plain of Búrán, where the Mázandaránís had constructed at Qará-Kaláta by their King’s Palace a temporary stockade, which they prepared to defend with the utmost stubbornness. Jamálu`d-Dín Aḥmad Jál, seeing that battle was inevitable, and that Amír Mas'úd would not hearken to his advice (f. 180a), sent repeated and urgent messages to his friends and kinsmen to “defend the honour of Mázandarán”, and not to concern themselves about his possible fate; “for,” said he, “I am an old man, who have lived my life: if I perish and Mázandarán continue in honour it is better than that ye should submit to subjection and abasement.” The Mázandaránís responded to this heroic advice, and all, from Tammísha to the frontiers of Gílán, forgetting their private quarrels and jealousies, presented a united face to the foe. Amír Mas'úd, alarmed at their firmness, requested Kiyá Jamálu`d-Dín Aḥmad Jál and his nephews to extricate him from ´Amul (f. 180b). Amír 'Alí Hawákhún (? Mawákhún) deserted him for the Mázandaránis, which added to his alarm, and he gave Kiyá Aḥmad Jál five kharwárs of dirhams to guide him out of the country. The Kiyá sent this money to his kinsmen, and bade them construct earthworks from the river Hurmuz to Sárí and close the roads. After ten days' sojourn in ´Amul, Amír Mas'úd quitted it with his army. At Yásamín-Kaláta, one parasang’s distance from the city, he was confronted by the Ustundár Jalálu`d-Dawla, while the soldiers of Mázandarán attacked him in the rear. Mas'úd, seeing that he was out-manœuvred, killed Kiyá Jamálu`d-Dín Aḥmad Jál and his nephews, and fled towards Láwích, making for the mountains. The woods and thickets which he was compelled to traverse were swarming with his foes, while the Kings closely pursued him, and one vast battle raged from Yásamín-Kaláta to Rúdbár-i-Núr; until the Khurásánís, after sustaining heavy losses, were finally completely disorganized and scattered:
Finally (f. 181a), after two days' flight, Amír Mas'úd, with a few of his followers, reached the mountains by way of Rúdbár-Bálú, and began to ascend. The path was barred by the scouts of Taju`d-Dawla, the Ustundár’s brother, Malik-i-Mu'adhdham Sharafu`d-Dawla Gustahm, and he was forced to turn back by way of Rúdbár-Uz; but, losing his way, was taken captive.
Amír Mas'úd, wounded and captive, was brought before Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla, who asked him as to the original size of his army. He answered that provision had been made for 4000 horses, 600 mules and 400 camels, from which could he deduced the size of the army. He was then sent on to the Ustundár Jalálu`d-Dawla, who, after two days' consideration, put him to death. His body was buried on the road to Kálíjar under a mill on the east side of the stream.
(F. 181b). His head was cut off, stuffed with straw, and exhibited to all men at the very place where he had, a few days before, encamped with so great and well-equipped an army.
(F. 182a).
The people of Ṭabaristán, except the learned and religious classes, used to wear their hair long and hanging loose — sometimes as much as a yard (gaz) in length; but, some days after the execution of Amír Mas'úd-i-Sarbadál, Malik Jalálu`d-Dawla, seeing that his late foe had his hair shaved, adopted the same practice, together with the wearing of the turban, and first his own kinsmen, and then the rest of the people, imitated him, so that the new fashion became general, and the long locks, called kalálak, and the head-dress called kalá-band, were finally abandoned.
It has been already described how, in the reign of Malik Ruknu`d-Dawla Sháh Kay-Khusraw, Amír Mú`min and his son Qutlugh-Sháh caused dissension in Mázandarán which led to great disorganization, and how Malik Shamsu`l-Mulúk Muḥammad treacherously slew his brother 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Alí, and assumed the reins of government1. Malik Ruknu`d-Dawla Sháh Kay-Khusraw went to the [Mongol] camp (urdú) and brought back an order for the dismissal of Malik Shamsu`l-Mulúk, who retired to Gílán for a while, but was presently summoned thence by Ruknu`d-Dawla, who, at the advice of Amír Qutlugh Sháh, put him to death, together with his brother Malik Ardashír and 'Alá`u`d-Dawla 'Alí (f. 182b) in the summer-palace of Ardáshír-ábád.
Thus Malik Sháh Kay-Khusraw, being left alone, was weakened, and Qutlugh Sháh strengthened; and the former, gradually pushed back, conveyed his family and possessions to the domain of the Ustundár, whose people helped and supported him. There his sons, and those of Sharafu`l-Mulúk, Fakhru`d-Dawla, and the other brothers, grew up, honoured and treated in every way like the princes of Ustundár; until, moved by false suspicions, he put to death Kiyá Jalál b. Aḥmad Jál, which caused universal disgust and consternation amongst the nobles who had hitherto supported him, save the rival Kiyás of Chaláp, with whom he was now compelled to ally himself. Of these, Kiyá Afrásiyáb of Chaláp was his principal ally.
In Mázandarán, thus distracted, there now appeared the dervish orders, pírs, and muríds, which had already appeared in Khurásán. Afrásiyáb (f. 183a) and his kinsmen became enthusiastic for this doctrine, and desired to persuade Malik Sháh Kay-Khusraw to it. The Kiyás of Jalál attached themselves to the chief Ustundár, Malik Jalálu`d-Dawla Iskandar. Malik-i-Mu'adhdham marched on ´Amul and ravaged the surrounding territory. Fakhru`d-Dawla came with two or three thousand men to the camp of the king of Ustundár to sue for peace, which was granted; and the united forces then expelled the Kiyás of Chaláp from ´Amul. These allied themselves with their former foes, the Kiyás of Jalál. The king of Mázandarán tried to regain their confidence, but could not overcome their mistrust. Amír Sayyid Qiwámu`d-Dín, whom the Kiyás of Chaláp regarded as their saint and spiritual director, disliked Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla on account of his real or supposed heretical tendencies. Finally on Muḥarram 27, A. H. 750 (= April 17, A. D. 1349) Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla was treacherously murdered in the bath at ´Amul by 'Alí Kiyá b. Afrásiyáb and his brother Muḥammad Kiyá (F. 183b). His family, having no other place of safety, again took refuge with the supreme Ustundár Jalálu`d-Dawla Iskandar, who received them with all hospitality and kindness.
Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla left four sons, all of tender years, Malik Sharafu`l-Mulúk, Sháh Ghází, and Malik Ká`ús1, of whom the eldest was but ten years of age. Malik Jalálu`d-Dawla not only protected and cared for them while they were young, but when they were grown up he undertook several campaigns with a view to restoring them to their kingdom. On one occasion he attacked Kiyá Afrásiyáb, the Kiyás of Jalál and Sayyid Qiwámu d-Dín at Marán-Dih near ´Amul (f. 184a), and killed the former, but finally, with his men of Rustamdár, was out-numbered and driven back by the Mázandaránís. In this battle 330 of the men of Rustamdár were slain, and it was the last attempt of the kings of Báwand to assert their power, which had endured in Mázandarán for 705 years; for the founder of the Dynasty, Báw-i-Shápúr, established- his independence in A. H. 45 (= A. D. 665—6), while the last of them, Malik Fakhru`d-Dawla Ḥasan, was killed, as above stated, in A. H. 750 (= A. D. 1349).
See my translation of the Chahár Maqála, pp. 43—44.
↩[i. e. 'Alí, afterwards al-Muktafí. He was invested with the Government of Ray in Rajab, A. H. 281 (= September, A. D. 894) by his father, who at the same time appointed Aḥmad b. Abí`l-Aṣbagh as his son’s kátib. See Ṭabarí, III, p. 2140. A. G. E.].
↩ [Harúsandán has already been beheaded; see p. 205 supra. Should we
not perhaps read “the son of Harúsandán (
See J. R. A. S. for 1901, pp. 687—8.
↩For the celebrated despatch written on this occasion by Iskáfí, see Anecdote III of the Chahár Maqála, pp. 28—30 of my translation.
↩ [From the beginning of this page as far as 1. 21 of p. 234 is entirely
extracted from al-'Utbí’s Ta`ríkh al-Yamíní (Delhi ed. of A. H. 1263, pp.
For this correction of the reading “Ḥamawayh” (
Ibn Isfandiyár has “Manṣúr b. Qábús”, but, as Mr. Ellis informs me,
“Minúchihr” is the reading of all texts of the Yamíní (Delhi ed. p.
See Dawlatsháh, pp. 48—49 of my edition.
↩ The India Office MS. (A) has “Ḥárib”, but the British Museum MS.
Add. 7633 (B.), f. 182b, “Jádhib”, which is, as Mr. Ellis points out, certainly
correct, as it is confirmed by all texts of the Yamíní (Delhi ed., p.
Add. 7633, f. 183b, has
Ibnu`l-Athír places his death in A. H. 440.
↩An excellent edition of this interesting book of counsels was lithographed at Tihrán in A. H. 1285.
↩The chronology here seems very confused, this same date being given for the death of Ṭughril, who really died in A. H. 455 (A. D. 1063). A little further on, however, the date of Alp Arslán’s death is correctly given as A. H. 465 (A. D. 1072), but on f. 158a the same erroneous date is repeated.
↩See above, pp. 228—231.
“This continuation,” observes Mr. Ellis, “is absent from Add. 7633, f. 188b.”
↩ This coincidence is remarked in the Ta'ríkh-i-Guzída and many other
histories. The name of the castle must, however, to yield the correct sum,
be written in its full form
See J. R. A. S. for 1902, pp. 606—609. The castle in question is generally named Dizkúh or Sháh-Dizh. It fell on Sha'bán 6, A. H. 500 (= April 2, A. D. 1107).
↩[“In A. H. 500 (= A. D. 1106—7)”: so Add. 7633, f. 191a. A. G. E.]
↩That is, I suppose, the Atábek Muḥammad the son of ´Ilduguz, to whose wise administration the prosperity of the first ten years of the reign of Ṭughril b. Arslán (reigned A. H. 573—590 = A. D. 1177—??94) was due, according to the historian of the Seljúqs, Najmu`d-Dín Abú Bakr Muḥammad ar-Ráwandí. See J. R. A. S. for 1902, p. 876.
↩This took place in A. H. 587 (= A. D. 1191).
↩i. e. King of Khwárazm, which he did in A. H. 568 (= A. D. 1172).
↩These verses are also cited at the end of the third volume of the Yatimatu`d-Dahr (Damascus edition, p. 290). I have translated them at p. 470 of my Literary History of Persia.
↩C.
C.
A.
A.
B.
B.
A. C.
B.
C.
C.
C.
B.
B.
C.
C.
A.
B.
B.
C.
Or?
He died in A. H. 736 (= A. D. 1335—6).
↩This statement cannot he reconciled with that on p. 261 supra, 11. 9—10, but the meaning of the text seems clear in both passages
↩The name of one son is evidently omitted.
↩