Batihah
Encyclopedia
The Batihah was a geographical and political unit in Iraq
in the 10th and 11th centuries. It was also known as The Great Swamp or The Marsh.
and the Euphrates
discharged their waters. In its broadest sense, it covered an area approximately fifty miles across and almost two hundred miles in length, laying between Wasit
and Basra
.
The Batihah was a marshland. It was composed of many reeds, which in certain areas gave way to open lagoons. The reeds made the Marsh very difficult for enemies to travel through; only small boats that were driven by poles could navigate the area. Because of this, the Batihah was almost invulnerable to attack and its inhabitants were able to maintain their independence for the better part of a century.
The Batihah state was founded by a criminal named 'Imran
ibn Shahin. He took advantage of the declining authority of the Caliphate
to establish a state in the marshlands. He steadily expanded his power by drawing other criminals and local fishermen to his side. From 945 onwards the Buyids were established in Baghdad
, and thereafter attempted to take over the Batihah. 'Imran successfully resisted the Buyids for several decades, and proved to be a thorn in the side of the Buyid state. He and his successors were termed as amirs, and were recognized by the Buyids as the legitimate rulers of the Batihah.
Shortly after this, Hasan's brother Muhammad succeeded him. In 983 or 984, Muhammad was killed, bringing an end to the power of 'Imran's family. The man responsible for his murder, the Chamberlain Muzaffar ibn 'Ali, then assumed power. He died in 986 and was succeeded by his sister's son Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Nasr. During this time, the Batihah rulers maintained good relations with the Buyids; neither 'Adud al-Daula or his successor Samsam al-Daula
(983) launched any further expeditions against the swamp.
. Sharaf al-Daula
, who had seized Iraq from Samsam al-Daula in 987, conferred on Abu'l-Hasan the title of Muhadhdhib al-Daula.
Sharaf's death in 988 or 989 threw the Buyid state into chaos. The new Buyid amir, Baha' al-Daula
, in his struggles with Samsam al-Daula, asked Muhadhdhib al-Daula for loans several times, and also created arranged for a matrimonial alliance between the two sides. At one point, he even gave the Batihah ruler control of Lower Wasit, in exchange for an annual tribute of 1.3 million dirham
s. As a result of the fighting, one of 'Izz al-Daula's sons, Abu Nasr, ended up taking refuge in the Batihah.
In 1003 or 1004, Muhadhdhib al-Daula sent a soldier of fortune named Abu'l-'Abbas ibn Wasil to wrest Basra from Lashkaristan, who after taking the city had refused to recognize Baha'-al-Daula as his sole overlord. Abu'l-'Abbas completed his task successfully, but then marched back and conquered the Batihah. Muhadhdhib al-Daula was forced to flee to Baghdad, and only after Baha' al-Daula sent several expeditions in support of him was he able to return to the swamp (in 1006 or 1007).
Baha' al-Daula died in 1012 and was succeeded by Sultan al-Daula
. In around 1017, the Buyid ruler of Kerman
, Abu'l-Fawaris
, entered into a struggle with Sultan and asked Muhadhdhib al-Daula for assistance. Around the same time (1017 or 1018), Muhadhdhib al-Daula died.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in the 10th and 11th centuries. It was also known as The Great Swamp or The Marsh.
Geographical Description
The Batihah was an area in which, at the time, both the TigrisTigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
and the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
discharged their waters. In its broadest sense, it covered an area approximately fifty miles across and almost two hundred miles in length, laying between Wasit
Wasit
Wasit is a place in Wasit Governorate, south east of Kut in eastern Iraq.-History:During Ottoman times, it was the head city of the sanjak of Wasit.To quote UNESCO:...
and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
.
The Batihah was a marshland. It was composed of many reeds, which in certain areas gave way to open lagoons. The reeds made the Marsh very difficult for enemies to travel through; only small boats that were driven by poles could navigate the area. Because of this, the Batihah was almost invulnerable to attack and its inhabitants were able to maintain their independence for the better part of a century.
'Imran
Main article:'Imran'Imran
Imran ibn Shahin was a Nabataean and the founder of a state in the Batihah marshlands in the 10th century. His reign was marked by decades of struggle against the Buyids of Iraq.- Life :...
The Batihah state was founded by a criminal named 'Imran
'Imran
Imran ibn Shahin was a Nabataean and the founder of a state in the Batihah marshlands in the 10th century. His reign was marked by decades of struggle against the Buyids of Iraq.- Life :...
ibn Shahin. He took advantage of the declining authority of the Caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
to establish a state in the marshlands. He steadily expanded his power by drawing other criminals and local fishermen to his side. From 945 onwards the Buyids were established in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, and thereafter attempted to take over the Batihah. 'Imran successfully resisted the Buyids for several decades, and proved to be a thorn in the side of the Buyid state. He and his successors were termed as amirs, and were recognized by the Buyids as the legitimate rulers of the Batihah.
'Imran's successors
'Imran died in the summer of 979, and was succeeded by his son Hasan. The Buyid amir 'Adud al-Daula decided to use this as an opportunity to subjugate the Batihah. The army was commanded by the amir's vizier, Mutahhar. He attempted to dam the waterways, and create a raised road to allow his troops to approach Hasan's fortress on foot. The campaign cost a large amount of money, and it effectively stopped any trade boats from traveling the Tigris. Hasan, like his father, managed to stop Mutahhar by breaching the dams. The vizier tried to draw him out into open battle, but was unsuccessful. His failure in the campaign, as well as his fear of 'Adud al-Daula's wrath, eventually caused Mutahhar to commit suicide. 'Adud therefore called for an end to fighting, and all he gained was a money payment from Hasan.Shortly after this, Hasan's brother Muhammad succeeded him. In 983 or 984, Muhammad was killed, bringing an end to the power of 'Imran's family. The man responsible for his murder, the Chamberlain Muzaffar ibn 'Ali, then assumed power. He died in 986 and was succeeded by his sister's son Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Nasr. During this time, the Batihah rulers maintained good relations with the Buyids; neither 'Adud al-Daula or his successor Samsam al-Daula
Samsam al-Daula
Abu Kalijar Marzuban aka Samsam al-Daula was the Buyid amir of Iraq , as well as Fars and Kerman . He was the second son of 'Adud al-Daula.The Abbasaid recognized his succession and conferred upon him the title Samsam Al-Daula. Samsam's rule lasted for barely four years...
(983) launched any further expeditions against the swamp.
Muhadhdhib al-Daula
Abu'l-Hasan kept the relations with the Buyids on good terms. During his reign, the Batihah again became a refuge for criminals and political refugees, including the caliph al-QadirAl-Qadir
Al-Qadir was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 991 to 1031. Grandson of al-Muqtadir, he was chosen in place of the deposed Caliph, at-Taʾi, his cousin. Banished from the Capital earlier, he was now recalled and appointed to the office he had long desired. He held the Caliphate for 40 years...
. Sharaf al-Daula
Sharaf al-Daula
Shirdil Abu'l-Fawaris was the Buyid amir of Kerman and Fars , as well as Iraq . He was the eldest son of 'Adud al-Daula....
, who had seized Iraq from Samsam al-Daula in 987, conferred on Abu'l-Hasan the title of Muhadhdhib al-Daula.
Sharaf's death in 988 or 989 threw the Buyid state into chaos. The new Buyid amir, Baha' al-Daula
Baha' al-Daula
Baha' al-Daula was the Buyid amir of Iraq , along with Fars and Kerman . He was the third son of 'Adud al-Daula....
, in his struggles with Samsam al-Daula, asked Muhadhdhib al-Daula for loans several times, and also created arranged for a matrimonial alliance between the two sides. At one point, he even gave the Batihah ruler control of Lower Wasit, in exchange for an annual tribute of 1.3 million dirham
Dirham
Dirham or dirhem is a unit of currency in several Arab or Berber nations, and formerly the related unit of mass in the Ottoman Empire and Persian states...
s. As a result of the fighting, one of 'Izz al-Daula's sons, Abu Nasr, ended up taking refuge in the Batihah.
In 1003 or 1004, Muhadhdhib al-Daula sent a soldier of fortune named Abu'l-'Abbas ibn Wasil to wrest Basra from Lashkaristan, who after taking the city had refused to recognize Baha'-al-Daula as his sole overlord. Abu'l-'Abbas completed his task successfully, but then marched back and conquered the Batihah. Muhadhdhib al-Daula was forced to flee to Baghdad, and only after Baha' al-Daula sent several expeditions in support of him was he able to return to the swamp (in 1006 or 1007).
Baha' al-Daula died in 1012 and was succeeded by Sultan al-Daula
Sultan al-Daula
Abu Shuja was the Buyid amir of Fars and Iraq . He was the son of Baha' al-Daula.Abu Shuja lived in Baghdad during his youth. Shortly before Baha' al-Daula's death, he named Abu Shuja as his successor. Upon succeeding his father, he took the title "Sultan al-Daula wa 'Izz al-Milla"...
. In around 1017, the Buyid ruler of Kerman
Kerman
- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
, Abu'l-Fawaris
Qawam al-Daula
Abu'l-Fawaris was the Buyid ruler of Kerman . He was the son of Baha' al-Daula.When Abu'l-Fawaris' brother Sultan al-Daula became the senior amir of the Buyids in 1012, he appointed Abu'l-Fawaris as governor of Kerman...
, entered into a struggle with Sultan and asked Muhadhdhib al-Daula for assistance. Around the same time (1017 or 1018), Muhadhdhib al-Daula died.