Ma'danids
Encyclopedia
The Ma'danid dynasty was an Islamic dynasty that ruled Makran
from the late 9th or early 10th century until around the 11th century.
after its conquest by the Muslims in 644. In the 9th century, especially after the Abbasid
dynasty's hold on the frontier provinces of the Caliphate began to weaken, Makran had been overrun by Kharijites
. According to the historian Mas'ūdī the Kharijites were still a significant force in Makran by the time the Ma'danids took control there.
By the early 10th century the Banu Ma'dan had risen to power in Makran. They established their capital at Kiz/Kij
and used the Indian title of Mahraj
. Although seldom playing a major role in regional affairs, it was able to maintain its authority in Makran for at least a century and a half. At some point the Ma'danids became tributary to the Saffarid dynasty of Sistan
. In 907/908 the Saffarid prince Al-Laith
invaded Makran after 'Isa had gone into arrears on the required payments, and was able to compel the Ma'danid to give three years' worth of tribute.
Payments to the Saffarids lasted until the mid-10th century at the latest. In 971 the Buyid amir 'Adud al-Daula
, who had recently conquered the bordering province of Kerman
from the Banu Ilyas
, compelled the Ma'danids to recognize Buyid suzerainty. Soon after this, however, the Ma'danids switched their loyalties to the Turkish
ruler of Ghazni
, Sebük Tigin
, beginning nearly a century of allegiance to the Ghaznavid dynasty.
In the early 11th century the ruler of Makran was Ma'dan. After Ma'dan's death in 1025/1026 a succession dispute broke out among his two sons, 'Isa and Abu'l-'Askar Husayn. The Ghaznavid sultan Mahmud
negotiated a settlement between the brothers, but it broke down when 'Isa rebelled against the Ghaznavids in 1029. Two years later Mahmud's son Mas'ud
sent an army which killed 'Isa and installed Abu'l -'Askar Husayn in his place. The latter ruled Makran until after 1058 and was known as a man of learning. Some time after his death the power of the Ma'danids came to an end, presumably in the late 11th or 12th century.
Makran
The present day Makran is a semi-desert coastal strip in the south of Sindh, Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan, along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. The present day Makran derived its name from Maka, a satrap of Achaemenid Empire....
from the late 9th or early 10th century until around the 11th century.
History
Makran had been one of the easternmost provinces of the CaliphateCaliphate
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...
after its conquest by the Muslims in 644. In the 9th century, especially after the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
dynasty's hold on the frontier provinces of the Caliphate began to weaken, Makran had been overrun by Kharijites
Kharijites
Kharijites is a general term embracing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the authority of the final Rashidun Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then later rejected his leadership...
. According to the historian Mas'ūdī the Kharijites were still a significant force in Makran by the time the Ma'danids took control there.
By the early 10th century the Banu Ma'dan had risen to power in Makran. They established their capital at Kiz/Kij
Kech
Kech may refer to*Kech, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan*Kech District, district of Balochistan*Kech River, river of Balochistan...
and used the Indian title of Mahraj
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
. Although seldom playing a major role in regional affairs, it was able to maintain its authority in Makran for at least a century and a half. At some point the Ma'danids became tributary to the Saffarid dynasty of Sistan
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
. In 907/908 the Saffarid prince Al-Laith
Laith
Al-Laith was amir of the Saffarid amirate from 909 until 910. He was the son of 'Ali ibn al-Laith.In 890 al-Laith and his brother al-Mu'addal helped their father 'Ali escape from imprisonment at the hands of the latter's uncle, the Saffarid amir Amr bin Laith...
invaded Makran after 'Isa had gone into arrears on the required payments, and was able to compel the Ma'danid to give three years' worth of tribute.
Payments to the Saffarids lasted until the mid-10th century at the latest. In 971 the Buyid amir 'Adud al-Daula
'Adud al-Daula
Aḍud al-Dawla or Azod od-Dowleh Panah Khusraw was an emir of the Buyid dynasty in Iran and Iraq...
, who had recently conquered the bordering province 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 :...
from the Banu Ilyas
Banu Ilyas
The Banu Ilyas or Ilyasids were the rulers of Kerman from 932 until 968. Their capital was Bardasir.-Muhammad b. Ilyas:Abu 'Ali Muhammad b. Ilyas was a member of the Samanid army and was of Sogdian origin. He supported the failed 929 coup against the Samanid amir Nasr b. Ahmad. After the rebellion...
, compelled the Ma'danids to recognize Buyid suzerainty. Soon after this, however, the Ma'danids switched their loyalties to the Turkish
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
ruler of Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, Sebük Tigin
Sebük Tigin
Abu Mansur Sabuktigin , also spelled as Sabuktagin, Sabuktakin, Sebüktegin and Sebük Tigin, is generally regarded by historians as the founder of the Ghaznavid Empire...
, beginning nearly a century of allegiance to the Ghaznavid dynasty.
In the early 11th century the ruler of Makran was Ma'dan. After Ma'dan's death in 1025/1026 a succession dispute broke out among his two sons, 'Isa and Abu'l-'Askar Husayn. The Ghaznavid sultan Mahmud
Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
negotiated a settlement between the brothers, but it broke down when 'Isa rebelled against the Ghaznavids in 1029. Two years later Mahmud's son Mas'ud
Mas'ud I of Ghazni
Mas'ud I seized the throne of the Ghaznavid Empire upon the death of his father Mahmud from his younger twin Mohammad who had been nominated as the heir upon the death of their father Mahmud of Ghazni. His twin was blinded and imprisoned...
sent an army which killed 'Isa and installed Abu'l -'Askar Husayn in his place. The latter ruled Makran until after 1058 and was known as a man of learning. Some time after his death the power of the Ma'danids came to an end, presumably in the late 11th or 12th century.