Al-Hasan Ibn Zayd Al-Da'i
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Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan ibn Zayd ibn Muḥammad ibn Ismaʿīl ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Zayd (; died 6 January 884), also known as ''al-Dāʿī al-Kabīr'' (, "the Great/Elder Missionary"), was an Alid who became the founder of the Zaydid dynasty of
Tabaristan Tabaristan or Tabarestan (; ; from , ), was a mountainous region located on the Caspian coast of northern Iran. It corresponded to the present-day province of Mazandaran, which became the predominant name of the area from the 11th-century onward ...
.


Biography

''Al-Ḥasan'' was a descendant of Hasan ibn Zayd ibn Hasan, a great-grandson of Ali, the son-in-law of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
and fourth
Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
.Buhl (1971), p. 245 In 864, he was living at Rayy in northern
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, when he was invited by pro- Alid elements in the neighbouring province of
Tabaristan Tabaristan or Tabarestan (; ; from , ), was a mountainous region located on the Caspian coast of northern Iran. It corresponded to the present-day province of Mazandaran, which became the predominant name of the area from the 11th-century onward ...
to join them in an uprising against the Abbasid authorities. Tabaristan, a mountainous region on the southern shore of the
Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
, had remained largely untouched by the
Muslim conquests The Muslim conquests, Muslim invasions, Islamic conquests, including Arab conquests, Arab Islamic conquests, also Iranian Muslim conquests, Turkic Muslim conquests etc. *Early Muslim conquests ** Ridda Wars **Muslim conquest of Persia *** Muslim co ...
of the 7th century. Until conquered by the
Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...
in 759/60, it had been ruled by a native
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
ian dynasty of Caspian origins, the Dabuyids, and even after the imposition of direct Muslim rule local dynasties retained a large measure of autonomy in the mountainous interior. It was only after 840, when Tabaristan came under Tahirid rule (the Abbasids' viceroys for the East), that the Islamization of the province began. It proceeded rapidly, and although the majority of the people adopted
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
, the province offered opportunities for the activities of pro-Alid
Shi'ite Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood to ...
missionaries as well. In the 860s, western Iran was governed by the Tahirid Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir, whose brother Sulayman ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir deputized him in Tabaristan and Gurgan. Popular resentment of the Tahirids' rule increased through the oppression of their officials, especially their fiscal agents in the province. Consequently, in 864 a rebellion broke out in the towns of Ruyan, Kalar and Chalus, led by two "sons of Rustam". The rebels called upon Hasan to lead them, and allied themselves with the neighbouring
Daylam Daylam (), also known in the plural form Daylaman () (and variants such as Dailam, Deylam, and Deilam), was the name of a mountainous region of inland Gilan, Iran. It was so named for its inhabitants, known as the Daylamites. The Church of the Ea ...
ites. Hasan, who assumed the
regnal name A regnal name, regnant name, or reign name is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they accede ...
''al-Dāʿī ilaʾl-Ḥaqq'' ("He who summons to the Truth"), was recognized as
emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...
by a part of the local population, and even secured the allegiance of the Justanid king of Daylam, Vahsudan ibn Marzuban. Despite the rapid success of the rebellion, Hasan's reign was troubled due to repeated invasions, and he was several times forced to seek refuge in Daylam.Madelung (1975), p. 206 Thus he was chased out of Tabaristan in 865 by Sulayman ibn Abdallah, but returned within the same year and recovered the province. Another Alid uprising occurred in
Qazvin Qazvin (; ; ) is a city in the Central District (Qazvin County), Central District of Qazvin County, Qazvin province, Qazvin province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the largest city in the provi ...
and Zanjan in 865, led by Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Kaukabi and aided by the Justanids, but it was suppressed two years later by the Abbasid general Musa ibn Bugha.Bosworth (1975), p. 103 Hasan was forced into Daylam again by the Abbasid general Muflih in 869, but the latter withdrew shortly after. In 874, Hasan came into conflict with Ya'qub al-Saffar for sheltering one of the latter's enemies, Abdallah al-Sijzi. Ya'qub invaded Tabaristan and defeated the Zaydid forces at
Sari A sari (also called sharee, saree or sadi)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * is a drape (cloth) and a women's garment in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of an un-sti ...
, forcing Hasan once again to flee to the mountains of Daylam. Nevertheless, Ya'qub's army soon became bogged down by torrential rainfall and suffered many casualties to disease in the unaccustomed
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
climate of Tabaristan, forcing him to withdraw from the region shortly after. In the complex struggle for control of
Khurasan KhorasanDabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 (; , ) is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plateau in West Asia, West and Central Asia that encompasses wes ...
between Abu Talha Mansur ibn Sharkab and Ahmad ibn Abdallah al-Khujistani, Hasan sided with the former, but was defeated with him in 878/879, when al-Khujistani recovered
Nishapur Nishapur or Neyshabur (, also ) is a city in the Central District (Nishapur County), Central District of Nishapur County, Razavi Khorasan province, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Ni ...
. Exploiting the turmoils of the period, from 867 Hasan also usually controlled Gurgan to the east, and expanded his control temporarily over some neighbouring regions as well: Rayy (864–865, 867, 870 and 872), Qazvin (865–868) and Qumis (873–879). Hasan died at Amul in 884, and was succeeded by his brother Muhammad ibn Zayd. The Zaydids continued to rule Tabaristan until 928. Historians praised him as a just and equitable ruler, but outside the early strongholds of Ruyan and Kalar, the initial enthusiasm for his rule seems to have waned quickly among the broad populace of Tabaristan and Gurgan. This was a result of both his ardent enforcement of Shi'ism and repression of the
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
majority, as well as his regime's reliance on the semi-barbarous Daylamite soldiery. Relations with the autonomous local Iranian rulers also varied: the Qarinids, who ruled the western mountains of Tabaristan, supported Hasan, but the Bavandids in the eastern mountains were usually hostile, and relations with the Justanid Vahsudan and his son and successor Khurshid also turned hostile. In the event, Hasan managed to have the latter replaced by his brother Justan, who once again loyally supported the Zaydid ruler.Madelung (1975), pp. 207–208 The Orientalist Frants Buhl assesses Hasan's character thus: he "possessed rare energy and the capacity for stubborn resistance, was a sincerely religious man, well educated, and a patron of letters".


See also

*
Caspian expeditions of the Rus' The Caspian expeditions of the Rus' were military raids undertaken by the Rus' between the late 9th century and 1041 on the Caspian Sea shores, of what are nowadays Iran, Dagestan, and Azerbaijan. Initially, the Rus' appeared in Serkland in the ...


References


Sources

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External links

* {{Alavids 884 deaths 9th-century monarchs in the Middle East Alavid dynasty Zaydi imams of Tabaristan Year of birth unknown 9th-century Arab people 9th-century Zaydis