Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal
Encyclopedia
Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal was the Mirdasid amir of Aleppo
from 1042 until 1057, and again from 1061 until his death. He was the son of Salih ibn Mirdas
.
governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari, Thimal and his brother Shibl al-Daula Nasr
shared power in Aleppo. During an absence from the town, however, Thimal was removed from power by his brother. Nasr was thereafter the sole ruler of the Mirdasid territories until he was killed fighting al-Duzbari as well, in 1038. Thimal fled, together with his Numayrid ally Shabib b. Waththab, back to Aleppo. Al-Duzbari advanced on the town, however, and received in a friendly manner by the citizenry, who were upset of the Mirdasids' alignment with the Byzantine Empire
. Thimal had already retreated from Aleppo; his cousin Mukallad b. Kamil b. Mirdas, who had been in charge of the citadel, was allowed to depart peacefully.
Al-Duzbari then attempted to deprive Thimal of his remaining possessions. Thimal lost several towns, although he managed to retain Rahba. He then married his brother Salih's widow. The Byzantines attacked sometime around 1040 and forced Thimal and his cousin Mukallad to pay tribute. Meanwhile, al-Duzbari fell out of favor of the Fatimid government in Cairo. The Fatimid vizier publicly condemned him, causing the army of Syria to abandon him. Al-Duzbari took refuge in Aleppo, where he died in early 1042. Not long afterwards, Thimal recovered the town, although al-Duzbari's ghulams
managed to hold out in the citadel for several months. The Byzantines immediately recognized Thimal as the ruler of Aleppo, and the Fatimids recognized his governorship in 1045, although relations with the latter continued to be less than friendly.
In 1048 the Fatimid governors of Damascus and Hims coordinated an attack against the Mirdasids. Thimal managed to force the Fatimid army to retreat to Damascus, following which he tried to negotiate a peace with Cairo officials. This did not prevent a second Fatimid expedition from being undertaken against him. The Byzantines attempted to mediate a peace between the two sides; after being unsuccessful in this effort the Emperor sent imperial forces into the region to make sure the situation did not get completely out of hand. Fortunately for Thimal, the Fatimid army was extremely heterogeneous, consisting of Berbers
, Turks
, blacks and Bedouins, making it difficult to control. In August 1050, Thimal's army defeated the Fatimids at Djabal Djawshin near Aleppo and captured their commander, who died shortly after. A peace was eventually established between the Mirdasids and Fatimids, with the Fatimid caliph recognizing Thimal as his vassal in all the lands that he controlled.
The next seven years of Thimal's reign were mostly peaceful. Tribute was paid to the Byzantine Emperor, who promoted several Mirdasid officials with imperial titles. In Baghdad
, a revolt by Basasiri
against the Seljuks, who had taken the city in 1055, received support from Thimal. By 1057, however, Thimal was having difficulties with the Kilab, who were displeased that they were not treated as well as his Numayrid allies. The Mirdasid decided that the situation was beyond dealing with and offered to give the Fatimid caliph Aleppo in exchange for several coastal towns, including Beirut
and Akka
.
Thimal's second reign lasted little more than a year. He led several successful expeditions against Byzantine positions to the west, between Antioch
and Aleppo. He died at the end of 1062. He had named his brother 'Atiyya as his successor, but Mahmud contested this, causing more strife between the Mirdasids.
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
from 1042 until 1057, and again from 1061 until his death. He was the son of Salih ibn Mirdas
Salih ibn Mirdas
Asad al-Daula Salih ibn Mirdas was the first Mirdasid amir of Aleppo, from 1024 until his death. He established a dynasty that would more or less continuously rule Aleppo for more than five decades.-Life:...
.
First Reign
After their father was killed in battle against the FatimidFatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari, Thimal and his brother Shibl al-Daula Nasr
Shibl al-Daula Nasr
Shibl al-Daula Nasr was the Mirdasid amir of Aleppo from 1029 until his death. He was the son of Salih ibn Mirdas.-Life:After their father was killed in battle against the Fatimid governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari, Nasr and his brother Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal shared power. They collected their...
shared power in Aleppo. During an absence from the town, however, Thimal was removed from power by his brother. Nasr was thereafter the sole ruler of the Mirdasid territories until he was killed fighting al-Duzbari as well, in 1038. Thimal fled, together with his Numayrid ally Shabib b. Waththab, back to Aleppo. Al-Duzbari advanced on the town, however, and received in a friendly manner by the citizenry, who were upset of the Mirdasids' alignment with the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. Thimal had already retreated from Aleppo; his cousin Mukallad b. Kamil b. Mirdas, who had been in charge of the citadel, was allowed to depart peacefully.
Al-Duzbari then attempted to deprive Thimal of his remaining possessions. Thimal lost several towns, although he managed to retain Rahba. He then married his brother Salih's widow. The Byzantines attacked sometime around 1040 and forced Thimal and his cousin Mukallad to pay tribute. Meanwhile, al-Duzbari fell out of favor of the Fatimid government in Cairo. The Fatimid vizier publicly condemned him, causing the army of Syria to abandon him. Al-Duzbari took refuge in Aleppo, where he died in early 1042. Not long afterwards, Thimal recovered the town, although al-Duzbari's ghulams
Ghilman
Ghilman Ghilman Ghilman (singular ghulam describes either young servants in paradise or slave-soldiers in the Ottoman, Mughal and Persian Empires.-Islamic Theology:...
managed to hold out in the citadel for several months. The Byzantines immediately recognized Thimal as the ruler of Aleppo, and the Fatimids recognized his governorship in 1045, although relations with the latter continued to be less than friendly.
In 1048 the Fatimid governors of Damascus and Hims coordinated an attack against the Mirdasids. Thimal managed to force the Fatimid army to retreat to Damascus, following which he tried to negotiate a peace with Cairo officials. This did not prevent a second Fatimid expedition from being undertaken against him. The Byzantines attempted to mediate a peace between the two sides; after being unsuccessful in this effort the Emperor sent imperial forces into the region to make sure the situation did not get completely out of hand. Fortunately for Thimal, the Fatimid army was extremely heterogeneous, consisting of Berbers
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
, Turks
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...
, blacks and Bedouins, making it difficult to control. In August 1050, Thimal's army defeated the Fatimids at Djabal Djawshin near Aleppo and captured their commander, who died shortly after. A peace was eventually established between the Mirdasids and Fatimids, with the Fatimid caliph recognizing Thimal as his vassal in all the lands that he controlled.
The next seven years of Thimal's reign were mostly peaceful. Tribute was paid to the Byzantine Emperor, who promoted several Mirdasid officials with imperial titles. 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...
, a revolt by Basasiri
Basasiri
Basasiri was a Turkish slave who rose to become a general in Iraq, and staged a revolt against the Seljuks.Basasiri had been a favorite of the Buwayhid amir al-Malik al-Rahim. When the Buwayhids were expelled from Iraq by the Seljuks in 1055, Basasiri began a rebellion against their authority...
against the Seljuks, who had taken the city in 1055, received support from Thimal. By 1057, however, Thimal was having difficulties with the Kilab, who were displeased that they were not treated as well as his Numayrid allies. The Mirdasid decided that the situation was beyond dealing with and offered to give the Fatimid caliph Aleppo in exchange for several coastal towns, including Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and Akka
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
.
Second Reign
In 1060, Thimal was in Cairo when he was informed by the caliph that his nephew Rashid al-Daula Mahmud had seized Aleppo, and as a result the caliph would be retaking the coastal provinces allotted to him. Thimal decided to return to Aleppo, but found Mahmud unwilling to yield control, while another Mirdasid, 'Atiyya ibn Salih, Thimal's brother, had become independent in Rahba. After several military engagements between Thimal and Mahmud, the Kilab came up with a compromise. Mahmud gave up Aleppo to his uncle, in exchange for cash and grain. Thimal therefore reentered Aleppo in 1061.Thimal's second reign lasted little more than a year. He led several successful expeditions against Byzantine positions to the west, between Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
and Aleppo. He died at the end of 1062. He had named his brother 'Atiyya as his successor, but Mahmud contested this, causing more strife between the Mirdasids.