Al-Muqallad ibn al-Musayyab facts for kids

Husam al-Dawla Abu Hassan al-Muqallad ibn al-Musayyab was a powerful leader from the Uqaylid family. His special title, Husam al-Dawla, means "Sword of the State." He became the ruler of Mosul after his older brother, Muhammad, passed away. Husam al-Dawla successfully kicked out the previous governor from the city.

He tried to create a strong, central government. However, he had to share power with his older brother, Ali. He also had to respect the old traditions of his Uqayl tribe. Husam al-Dawla wanted to expand his control. He looked south towards Iraq, which was ruled by the Buyids. He managed to take over several towns near Baghdad, including Kufa. In late 1000, he started talking about taking Baghdad itself. Sadly, he was killed on January 22, 1001.

Who Was Husam al-Dawla?

Husam al-Dawla and his family, the Uqaylids, belonged to the Banu Uqayl, a large Arab tribe from the north. His brother, Muhammad, started their family's rise to power. He took advantage of attacks by Kurds in Upper Mesopotamia. He also used the weakness of the last rulers of Mosul, called the Hamdanids. These rulers needed the Uqayl tribe's help for their army.

Muhammad slowly took control of several towns. Around the year 990, he captured Mosul itself. He then ruled Mosul, but he was officially a helper to the Buyid rulers of Iraq. This was how the Uqaylid family became important.

Family Fights for Control

When Muhammad died in 996, Husam al-Dawla and his older brother, Ali, fought over who would rule next. Usually, the oldest brother, Ali, would take over. Most of the Uqayl tribe supported Ali.

Husam al-Dawla asked the Buyid ruler, Baha al-Dawla, for help. He promised to pay a yearly fee. At the same time, he convinced Ali to help him capture Mosul. He told Ali that Baha al-Dawla had chosen him to be the governor. The two brothers successfully took Mosul from its Buyid governor, Abu Ja'far al-Hajjaj. They agreed to rule the city together.

Husam al-Dawla's helper in Baghdad could not stop a fight with the Buyids. But the problem was soon solved when Husam al-Dawla paid 10,000 gold coins. He received the special title Husam al-Dawla, meaning "Sword of the Dynasty." He was also named the leader of the Arab tribes. He gained the right to collect taxes from Mosul, Kufa, and other towns.

Different Ways to Lead

Husam al-Dawla stayed in charge of Mosul. He started building an army of professional soldiers, including Turks and Daylamites. Meanwhile, Ali lived like a traditional tribal leader among the Uqayl people. Soon, the differences between them caused problems again.

Historians say that the two brothers had very different ideas about how to rule. Ali believed in the old ways of tribal leadership. He relied on the strength of the tribe's fighters. Husam al-Dawla, however, wanted a more organized government. He had connections with the Buyid court and their system of professional soldiers. He wanted to create a strong, central power, much like the Hamdanid rulers before him.

A conflict between the brothers started in early 997. Husam al-Dawla tried to get tribal support with gifts. But only about 2,000 Uqayl tribesmen joined him. Ali, on the other hand, had 10,000 supporters. A battle was avoided thanks to their sister, Rahila. She threatened to shame herself in front of the whole tribe if they didn't make peace.

The brothers made up, and Ali was given back his lands. Husam al-Dawla then went to fight Ali's friend, the ruler of Wasit. But he had to stop his campaign. He heard that Ali planned to take Mosul while he was away. Again, they made peace. Ali was named Husam al-Dawla's helper for Mosul when Husam al-Dawla was away. This agreement meant that the Uqayl tribesmen, not a professional army, would be the main strength of their rule.

Expanding His Territory

Map of the region of Iraq in the Abbasid period

Husam al-Dawla spent most of his time focusing on his interests in Iraq. He quickly took control of Anbar and Tikrit. He also captured al-Sindiya, a settlement very close to Baghdad. In Kufa, Husam al-Dawla replaced the ruling leader, Ulyan ibn Thimal.

This move was likely part of a Buyid plan to use the Uqaylids against another tribe, the Khafaja. But Husam al-Dawla managed to stay friends with the Khafaja. He even got them to help him in his own military campaigns. At the same time, his expansion into Iraq led to conflicts with another Arab tribe, the Banu Asad. Their leader, Ali ibn Mazyad, often attacked Uqaylid lands.

In 997–998, Husam al-Dawla led a military campaign into the Kurdish areas. He captured the towns of Daquqa and Khanijar in late 1000. Around the same time, in 999 or 1000, his brother Ali died. A younger brother, al-Hasan, took Ali's place. With help from the Khafaja, Husam al-Dawla forced Hasan out of Mosul. This gave Husam al-Dawla full control of the city.

The End of His Reign

After his successes, Husam al-Dawla aimed to capture Baghdad itself. He was talking with the Buyid army commanders when he was killed. One of his own Turkish slave-soldiers assassinated him in Anbar on January 22, 1001.

Because the Uqaylid government was based on loose tribal connections, his power quickly fell apart. This allowed the Buyids to regain control. Husam al-Dawla's son, Qirwash, became the next ruler. But first, there was another fight for power between Qirwash and his uncle, Hasan. They eventually reached an agreement. Qirwash then spent the next few years trying to keep the lands his father had gained across Iraq.

Sources

• Bosworth, C. E. (2000). "ʿUḳaylids". The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume X: T–U. Leiden: E. J. Brill. 786–787. DOI:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_1274. 

• Kennedy, Hugh (2004). [Al-Muqallad ibn al-Musayyab at Google Books The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century] (Second ed.). Harlow: Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-40525-7. Al-Muqallad ibn al-Musayyab at Google Books.
• Zetterstéen, K. V. (1993). "al-Muḳallad". The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume VII: Mif–Naz. Leiden: E. J. Brill. DOI:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_5455.