Zaidianism in Medieval Persia

  November 25, 2021   Read time 3 min
Zaidianism in Medieval Persia
In 311/923 Ahmad again made common cause with his brother Ja'far against the Da'i. As the latter fled to the highlands, the brothers entered Amul, and Ahmad took over the rule until his death two months later. Ja'far succeeded him and warded off an attack of the Da'i who eventually retired to Gilan.

When Ja'far died in 312/925 the Dailamite leaders in Amul put a son of Ahmad, Abu 'All Muhammad, on the throne. The constant quarrels among the 'Alids had indeed greatly strengthened the hands of the Dailamite and Gilite chiefs, who more and more were able to use the 'Alids as pawns in their own power struggle. Two Dailamite leaders soon emerged as the main rivals in this struggle: Makan b. Kakl and Asfar b. Shiruya. Makan and his cousin al-Hasan b. al-Fairuzan conspired in favour of a young son of Ja'far, Isma'il, who was a half brother of al-Hasan through his mother. They seized Abu 'All and put Isma'il on the throne. Abu 'All succeeded, however, in killing the brother of Makan, who was supposed to kill him, and gained the support of Asfar. Makan was defeated and fled to the highlands, while Abu 'All returned to reign. Within months he was killed in an accident and was succeeded by his brother Abu Ja'far Muhammad.

As his reign was weakened by the revolt of Asfar, Makan in 314/926 descended from the highlands and expelled him from Amul. The Da'i, who had not responded to earlier overtures of Makan, now joined him from Gilan and was once more restored to the rule of Tabaristan, while Abu Ja'far found refuge in the highlands. In 316/928 the Da'i and Makan set out on an ambitious campaign and conquered Ray and the province of Jibal as far as Qum. Asfar, who governed Gurgan under Samanid suzerainty, used the occasion of their absence to invade Tabaristan. The Da'i, without Makan, returned and met Asfar at the gate of Amul. As his army was routed, the Da'i was mortally wounded by Mardavij b. Ziyar, who had entered the Samanid service even before Asfar and thus avenged the murder of his uncle Harusindan. Asfar then defeated Makan at Ray, and the latter fled to Dailaman.

Zaidi sentiment was still strong among the Dailamites and Gilites, and Asfar's Dailamite governor in Amul restored Abu Ja'far al-Nasir as the Imam. On the protest of Nasr b. Ahmad, Asfar's Samanid overlord, Asfar arrested Abu Ja'far and sent him together with some other 'Alids to Bukhara. In 318/930 Makan once more conquered Tabaristan, Gurgan and Nishapur. His cousin al-Hasan b. al-Fairuzan, whom he left in charge of Tabaristan, revolted and again raised his half-brother Isma'll as the imam, but the mother of Abu Ja'far, Isma'il's cousin, contrived to have the latter poisoned. Abu Ja'far, released from prison in Bukhara during a rebellion against Nasr b. Ahmad, at this time gained the support of Mardavij b. Ziyar who had revolted against Asfar and had taken possession of Ray. In 319/931 Mardavij sent him with an army to conquer Tabaristan from Makan, but he was defeated. Later Vushmglr, the brother and successor of Mardavij, established him in Amul as his governor. After the conquest of Ray by the Buyid Rukn al-Daula (331/943) Abu Ja'far came to live there without any political authority until his death. The cAlids were no longer able to recover their dominion in Tabaristan. The descendants of al-Utrush remained influential in Amul where they were centred on the shrine of their illustrious ancestor and owned much property. Repeatedly descendants of al-Utrush are mentioned as governors of the town under both Buyid and Ziyarid rule.

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