Mu'izz al-Dawla facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mu'izz al-Dawla
Emir of Iraq Amir al-umara
Coin of Mu'izz al-Dawla
Reign	945–967
Successor	Izz al-Dawla
Born	915 Daylam
Died	April 8, 967 (aged 52) Iraq
Issue	Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Izz al-Dawla Sanad al-Dawla Marzuban Zubayda Abu Tahir
Full name Ahmad ibn Buya
House	Buyid
Father	Buya
Religion	Shia Islam

Ahmad ibn Buya (in Persian: احمد بن بویه, died April 8, 967) was a powerful ruler. After 945, he was better known by his special title, or laqab, Mu'izz al-Dawla. This title means "Fortifier of the Dynasty" in Arabic. He was the very first emir (a type of ruler or prince) of Iraq from the Buyid family. He ruled from 945 until he died in 967.

Ahmad ibn Buya was the son of a fisherman from Daylam, a mountainous region. His family had recently become Muslims. By 928, he and his two brothers worked for a military leader named Makan ibn Kaki. They later joined the Ziyarid ruler Mardavij. But they rebelled against Mardavij when they found out he planned to harm one of them. In 935 or 936, Ahmad tried to conquer Kerman but failed. He then moved to Istakhr. From there, he began to attack areas like Khuzestan and later Iraq. By 945, he was officially recognized as the ruler of Iraq and Khuzestan. The Caliph (the leader of the Muslim world) gave him the title "Mu'izz al-Dawla." His brothers also received titles and ruled other lands.

Throughout his time as ruler, Mu'izz al-Dawla often fought with other groups. These fights were mostly about controlling Iraq. In 946, a big battle happened in Baghdad. Mu'izz al-Dawla fought against the Hamdanid emir Nasir al-Dawla. This battle lasted for several months, but Mu'izz al-Dawla won. He also fought against the Batihah amirate many times. However, he could never fully defeat them. Mu'izz al-Dawla also had problems with some of his own Daylamite relatives. They would sometimes rebel against him. The most serious rebellion was led by Ruzbahan from 955 to 957. By the time Mu'izz al-Dawla died in 967, he had defeated all his enemies. He was the unchallenged ruler of Iraq. His son Izz al-Dawla became the next ruler.

Early Life and Family

Ahmad's father was Buya, a fisherman from Lahijan in the Daylamite region. Buya had changed his religion from Zoroastrian to Islam. Ahmad had two older brothers, 'Ali and Hasan. He also had a sister named Kama.

Around 928, Ahmad's brother Ali started working for Makan ibn Kaki. Makan was the governor of Ray for the Samanid rulers. Ali then helped Ahmad and Hasan get military jobs too. At this time, Ahmad was about thirteen years old. When Makan fought against his Samanid leaders, he was defeated by the Ziyarid prince Mardavij. So, the brothers switched their loyalty to Mardavij. In the years that followed, Ali decided not to serve Mardavij anymore. After some time, Ali managed to create his own kingdom in Fars. Ahmad showed great skill in battles there.

In 935 or 936, Ali sent Ahmad to Kerman. His job was to conquer this area from the Banu Ilyas family. Ahmad took over much of Kerman. But he faced strong resistance from the Baluchis and Arab Qafs. He was hurt in the head and lost a hand and some fingers on the other. The Buyids did not fully control Kerman, so Ali called Ahmad back. Ahmad was then sent to Istakhr to wait for new orders.

Ahmad's next chance to expand the Buyid lands came when the Baridis asked Ali for help. The Baridis ruled in Khuzestan. They were supposed to be under the Abbasid Caliphate, but they wanted to be independent. Ali sent Ahmad to the area. Ahmad successfully removed the Baridis' power and took control of Khuzestan.

Conquering Iraq

A map of Iraq in the 9th and 10th centuries

From Khuzestan, Ahmad started several military trips into Iraq. The Caliphate there was in a lot of trouble and chaos. Ahmad started these trips on his own. Ali had not ordered them and did not send any support. In 944, Ahmad captured Wasit. But he met an Abbasid army near Al-Mada'in. This army was led by Tuzun, who was the de facto (actual) ruler of the Caliphate. Ahmad eventually won the battle. He then marched towards Baghdad. But he had to go back to Ahvaz on July 28 after Tuzun destroyed the bridge to Baghdad. In 945, an Abbasid officer named Yanal Kushah joined Ahmad. Ahmad soon invaded Iraq again.

Ahmad then took control of Baghdad on December 19, 945, without a fight. He took charge of the Caliphate's government. He became the amir al-umara, which meant "commander of commanders." This made him the most powerful military leader. The Caliph Al-Mustakfi also gave him the special title "Mu'izz al-Dawla" ("Glorifier of the State"). Ali, Ahmad's brother, was given the title "'Imad al-Dawla" ("Support of the State"). Another brother, Hasan, who controlled northern Persia, got the title "Rukn al-Dawla" ("Pillar of the State"). Mu'izz brought many of his Daylamite soldiers to Iraq and settled them there. He also brought many important Persian government officials. One of them was Abu'l-Fadl al-Abbas ibn Fasanjas, who became the financial minister of Basra.

Even though Mu'izz al-Dawla took control of Iraq by himself, he still reported to 'Imad al-Dawla. 'Imad al-Dawla ruled in Shiraz. Coins were made with both their names on them. Mu'izz's title of amir al-umara was supposed to make him the top emir of the Buyids. But in reality, it didn't mean much. 'Imad al-Dawla soon claimed that title for himself. So, while Mu'izz had some independence, he was mostly under 'Imad al-Dawla's authority.

First War with the Hamdanids

Why the War Started

The news of Mu'izz al-Dawla taking Baghdad was not good for the Hamdanid emir Nasir al-Dawla. Nasir al-Dawla ruled over Mosul and other areas. He had controlled Baghdad before, in 942, and hoped to get the city back.

Nasir al-Dawla felt confident he could beat Mu'izz al-Dawla. His army was stronger because many Turkish soldiers had joined him. These soldiers had fled Baghdad just before Mu'izz al-Dawla arrived. Nasir al-Dawla also knew the land between Mosul and Baghdad much better. Mu'izz al-Dawla, on the other hand, was in a weaker position. Baghdad was in bad shape from years of poor management. He also had many money and army problems. Nasir al-Dawla found a reason to start the war in January 946. Mu'izz al-Dawla removed and blinded the Caliph al-Mustakfi. He replaced him with al-Muti', who would obey him more easily. Because of this, Nasir al-Dawla became aggressive. He stopped sending tribute money to Baghdad. He refused to recognize al-Muti' as the new Caliph. He also kept making coins with al-Mustakfi's name on them.

Early Fights

It quickly became clear that the two rulers could not agree. In February 946, Mu'izz al-Dawla sent an army to Ukbara. This was to prepare for a fight to conquer Mosul. But the plan stopped when Yanal Kushah suddenly attacked Mu'izz's commander, Musa Fayadhah. Yanal Kushah then joined the Hamdanids. Nasir al-Dawla reacted by leading his army, which included many Turks, to Samarra the next month. Mu'izz al-Dawla also gathered his forces. He left Baghdad with the Caliph al-Muti' and went to Ukbara.

While at Samarra, Nasir al-Dawla sent his brother Jubayr to sneak around the Buyid army. Jubayr was to head south to Baghdad. When Jubayr arrived, the people of Baghdad welcomed him. Mu'izz al-Dawla's former secretary, Muhammad ibn Shirzad, also joined the Hamdanids. He took charge of Baghdad for them. Nasir al-Dawla then decided to go to Baghdad himself. He left his cousin al-Husayn ibn Sa'id to keep Mu'izz al-Dawla busy. Nasir al-Dawla headed south and reached western Baghdad on April 15. He had to destroy his supplies when some Daylamites tried to take them. But he and his forces managed to gain control of the city.

When Mu'izz al-Dawla learned he had lost Baghdad, he gathered his Daylamite soldiers. They had been busy looting Tikrit and Samarra. He then headed back to the city. When he arrived, he saw that Nasir al-Dawla had crossed the Tigris River. Nasir al-Dawla had set up camp outside the Shammasiyyah area of eastern Baghdad. So, Mu'izz al-Dawla dug in on the western side of the city. Both sides got ready for battle.

A Long Fight

For the next three months, Baghdad was split between the Hamdanids and the Buyids. The Tigris River divided the two sides. On the Hamdanid side, Nasir al-Dawla made Ibn Shirzad one of his main commanders. On the western side, Abu Ja'far Saymari, Mu'izz al-Dawla's chief secretary, led the Buyid war effort.

Both sides really wanted to control the whole city. The battle quickly became a standstill. Fighting happened in many places across Baghdad. Both Hamdanid and Buyid forces attacked each other. But neither side could win a big enough victory to control both parts of the city. Getting troops across the Tigris was hard. Even if an army made it to the other side, they usually had to retreat quickly.

Controlling the Tigris River was very important for both sides. Both armies built small riverboats called zabzabs. They used these boats to attack each other. Every day, Ibn Shirzad led many zabzabs full of Turks up and down the Tigris. They shot arrows at the Daylamites on the western side. Mu'izz al-Dawla also built his own fleet of zabzabs. His troops used them to fight the Hamdanid forces on the river.

On the eastern side, Nasir al-Dawla tried to show he was the rightful ruler. He re-issued coins from 942–943, when he had last controlled Baghdad. Some people in the city accepted his claims and supported him. Ibn Shirzad also got more soldiers by asking local citizens and even criminals to join. They helped attack Mu'izz al-Dawla's Daylamite troops.

Baghdad's economy suffered a lot during the fighting. Both sides took food from local farmers to feed their soldiers. Eastern Baghdad avoided serious shortages because supplies came from Mosul. But the western side was blocked off. Nasir al-Dawla's forces stopped people from crossing to the eastern side. Also, some allied Arab tribes surrounded western Baghdad and cut off supplies. The blockade worked, and soon there were big shortages on the Buyid side. The price of bread became more than six times higher than on the eastern side. Sometimes, there was no bread at all. Starving people had to eat grass and dead animals. Several women were even executed for eating human flesh.

Buyid Victory

By July 945, the battle seemed endless. Supplies were getting very low because of the blockade. Mu'izz al-Dawla seriously thought about leaving western Baghdad and going back to al-Ahwaz. But he decided to try one last time to take the eastern side. If it failed, he would retreat. He told his chief secretary, Saymari, to cross to the eastern bank with some chosen Daylamite soldiers. Mu'izz al-Dawla himself would try to trick the Hamdanid forces.

The plan happened on the night of August 1. Mu'izz al-Dawla led some men north. He told them to light torches and blow trumpets along the way. The Hamdanid army saw his movements and also moved north. They wanted to stop him from crossing the river. So, Saymari and his soldiers were free to cross to the eastern side, and they began to do so. When the Hamdanid army realized what was happening, they sent men in zabzabs to stop him. A fierce fight broke out. In the end, the Daylamites won. The Hamdanid forces were pushed back to the Shammasiyyah gate in the northeast part of the city.

As the Daylamites spread through eastern Baghdad, the Hamdanid army began to break apart. Nasir al-Dawla realized he was losing the city. He ordered Ibn Shirzad to take command and push the Daylamites back across the river. Ibn Shirzad tried, but he couldn't get the panicking soldiers to regroup. So, he decided to run away. Nasir al-Dawla then knew the fight was lost and joined the retreat. The Hamdanid forces left Baghdad, letting the Buyids take control of the city.

Eastern Baghdad, however, was still in chaos. The Daylamite army took over the eastern parts of the city. They started to get revenge on the people for supporting the Hamdanids. They ignored Mu'izz al-Dawla's order not to loot. They began stealing, setting houses on fire, and killing many people. Many residents fled in fear and tried to go north to Ukbara. But they died along the way in the summer heat. The chaos stopped only when Saymari executed some looters and sent out patrols to bring back order.

After the War

After being forced out of Baghdad, Nasir al-Dawla, Ibn Shirzad, and the Hamdanid army went up the Tigris to Ukbara to regroup. Once there, Nasir al-Dawla sent someone to Mu'izz al-Dawla to ask for peace. Mu'izz al-Dawla agreed to the terms, and the war ended. Mu'izz al-Dawla agreed to let the Hamdanids rule the land from Tikrit northwards. He also freed them from having to send tax money from Mosul and the Diyar Bakr area. In return, Nasir al-Dawla had to send tax money from Ikhshidid Egypt and Syria to Baghdad. He also promised to regularly send supplies to Baghdad without any taxes. Plus, he agreed to recognize al-Muti' as the rightful Caliph.

The Turkish soldiers in the Hamdanid army did not know that Nasir al-Dawla was seeking peace. They strongly disliked Mu'izz al-Dawla being in Baghdad. When they found out about the peace treaty, they rebelled against Nasir al-Dawla. They forced him to run away. Nasir al-Dawla had to ask Mu'izz al-Dawla for help. A Buyid army led by Saymari was sent to stop the Turks and make sure the treaty was followed. Saymari defeated the rebels and put Nasir al-Dawla back in power. But he also took some supplies and a son of Nasir al-Dawla as a hostage. This was to make sure Nasir al-Dawla would follow the peace terms. Saymari then returned to Baghdad.

Mu'izz al-Dawla then focused on the Baridis, who still controlled Basra and Wasit. He managed to defeat them and take their lands in 947. Their defeat marked the end of major fighting for a while.

Conflict between the Buyids and Hamdanids started again in 948. Mu'izz al-Dawla marched against Mosul again. But he had to stop his campaign to help his brother Rukn al-Dawla. Rukn al-Dawla was having problems in Persia. In return for the help, Nasir al-Dawla agreed to start paying tribute again for the Jazira and Syria. He also agreed to add the names of the three Buyid brothers after the Caliph's name in the Friday prayer.

Wars and Challenges

Mu'izz al-Dawla, after helping his brother, sent Abu Ja'far al-Saymari to deal with the Batihah amirate. He managed to defeat the Batihah ruler, 'Imran ibn Shahin, several times. Imran fled, and his family was put in prison. Around the same time, Mu'izz al-Dawla had his brother-in-law Ispahdost imprisoned. Ispahdost was planning against him with al-Muti.

'Imad al-Dawla died shortly after, in 949. Rukn al-Dawla then became the senior emir. Mu'izz al-Dawla accepted this change. He then sent al-Saymari to Shiraz to make sure that Fana-Khusrau would take power there. Fana-Khusrau was Rukn al-Dawla's son and 'Imad al-Dawla's successor. Still, Mu'izz al-Dawla objected when Fana-Khusrau asked for the title "Taj al-Dawla." The title "Taj" (meaning "crown") suggested that Fana-Khusrau was better than his father and uncle. This made Mu'izz al-Dawla upset. A more suitable title, "'Adud al-Dawla," was chosen instead. Soon after, Mu'izz al-Dawla sent another army against the Batihah. This campaign, led by a Daylamite officer named Ruzbahan, went badly. Ruzbahan found 'Imran's location and attacked him. But he was badly defeated and had to retreat.

'Imran then became even bolder. His people demanded protection money from anyone, including government officials, who passed through their area. The water route to Basra was basically closed off. Mu'izz al-Dawla's chief secretary, Abu Ja'far al-Saymari, died in 650/651. Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Muhallabi took his place. Mu'izz al-Dawla received many complaints from his officers about 'Imran. So, he sent another army in 950 or 951. This army was led by both al-Muhallabi and Ruzbahan.

Ruzbahan, who disliked the vizier (chief minister), convinced him to attack 'Imran directly. Ruzbahan kept his own forces in the back. He fled as soon as the fighting began. 'Imran used the land well, setting up traps and confusing al-Muhallabi's army. Many of the vizier's soldiers died. He himself barely escaped capture, swimming to safety. Mu'izz al-Dawla then made peace with 'Imran, agreeing to his terms. Prisoners were exchanged. 'Imran became a vassal (a ruler who owes loyalty to a more powerful one) of the Buyids. He was made governor of the Batihah.

Peace lasted for about five years. However, a false rumor of Mu'izz al-Dawla's death in 955 made 'Imran seize a Buyid convoy. This convoy was traveling from Ahvaz to Baghdad. Mu'izz al-Dawla demanded that the stolen items be returned. 'Imran returned the money but kept the goods. Mu'izz al-Dawla sent Ruzbahan a third time to the swamp. But Ruzbahan rebelled, and 'Imran was saved from a new attack. Ruzbahan was also joined by al-Muhallabi's Daylamite soldiers.

Ruzbahan's Rebellion

While Mu'izz al-Dawla was busy with the rebellion of his Daylamite troops under Ruzbahan in southern Iraq, Nasir al-Dawla took the chance to move south and capture Baghdad. In 957, Mu'izz al-Dawla fought a final battle against Ruzbahan. Ruzbahan almost won, but Mu'izz al-Dawla's Turkic ghulams (slave soldiers) defeated him. This defeat ended Ruzbahan's rebellion. Ruzbahan was captured and put in a fortress called Sarat. Ruzbahan's Daylamite supporters then started planning to capture the fortress and rescue him.

Abu'l-Abbas Musafir, an officer of Mu'izz al-Dawla, found out about the Daylamites' plan. He urged Mu'izz al-Dawla to have Ruzbahan killed. Mu'izz al-Dawla first hesitated. But other officers convinced him of the danger of the plot. At night, Mu'izz al-Dawla's guards drowned Ruzbahan in the Tigris river.

Mu'izz al-Dawla then started removing the Daylamites who had followed Ruzbahan from their jobs. He arrested many of them. He gave higher positions and more land to his Turkic ghulams.

Second War with the Hamdanids

Mu'izz al-Dawla then started fighting back against Nasir al-Dawla. Nasir al-Dawla could not hold his position and left Baghdad. Peace was made again. Nasir al-Dawla agreed to start paying tribute and an extra indemnity (payment for damages). But when Nasir al-Dawla refused to send the payment for the second year, the Buyid ruler marched north. Nasir al-Dawla could not face the Buyid army in battle. He left Mosul and fled to Mayyafariqin and then to his brother Sayf al-Dawla in Aleppo. The Buyids captured Mosul and Nasibin. But the Hamdanids and their supporters went to their home territory in the northern mountains. They took their treasures, government records, and tax lists with them. Because of this, the Buyid army could not support itself in the conquered land. This was even harder because the local people disliked the mostly Daylamite troops. They launched guerrilla attacks on them. Sayf al-Dawla tried to make peace with Mu'izz al-Dawla, but his first attempts were rejected. Only when he agreed to pay his brother's tribute for the entire Diyar Rabi'a did Mu'izz al-Dawla agree to peace.

In 964, Nasir al-Dawla tried to change the terms of his agreement with Mu'izz al-Dawla. He also wanted the Buyids to recognize his oldest son, Fadl Allah Abu Taghlib al-Ghadanfar, as his successor. Mu'izz al-Dawla refused Nasir al-Dawla's offer. He invaded Hamdanid land again. Once more, Mosul and Nasibin were captured. The Hamdanids fled to their mountain fortresses. Just like in 958, the Buyids could not stay long in the Jazira. Soon, an agreement was reached that allowed the Hamdanids to return to Mosul. This time, however, Abu Taghlib became the real leader instead of his aging father. Mu'izz al-Dawla made the treaty with him, not with Nasir al-Dawla.

Later Life and Death

Rukn al-Dawla's fights in northern Persia against various enemies made Mu'izz al-Dawla send military help for several years. This, along with constantly dealing with the Hamdanids, stopped Mu'izz al-Dawla from expanding his state for some time. Despite this, he managed to take over Oman with military help from 'Adud al-Dawla. Soon after, he started a campaign against the Shahinids in the Mesopotamian marshlands. It was during this campaign that he died, in 967. His son 'Izz al-Dawla, whom he had named as his successor during a serious illness in 955, took power after his death. Mu'izz al-Dawla also had other sons named Habashi (known as "Sanad al-Dawla"), Abu Ishaq Ibrahim, Abu Tahir, Marzuban, and a daughter named Zubayda.

His Legacy

Mu'izz al-Dawla's arrival in Baghdad in 945 began more than a hundred years of Buyid rule in Iraq. It also meant that the Shi'ite Buyids controlled the Sunni Caliphate. However, by the time he died, some problems were still not solved. The Buyids found it hard to get used to Baghdad. Mu'izz al-Dawla almost left the city for Ahvaz. The Buyids' enemies, like the Hamdanids and the Byzantines, continued to be a threat. The struggle for power between Baghdad and Shiraz, which started during Mu'izz al-Dawla's life, turned violent soon after his death.

Finally, the bad feelings between the Turks and Daylamites in Baghdad continued to be a problem. The Sunni Turks felt their special rights were being taken away by the Daylamite soldiers who came to Baghdad with Mu'izz al-Dawla in 945. They constantly threatened to cause instability in the state. Mu'izz al-Dawla at first favored the Daylamite troops. But later, he tried to find a balance between the two groups. He made a Turk named Sebük-Tegin his chief commander. However, 'Izz al-Dawla becoming ruler soon upset this balance, leading to internal problems.

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