Anushirvan Sharaf al-Ma'ali was the ruler of the

Ziyarids The Ziyarid dynasty () was an Iranian dynasty of Gilaki origin that ruled Tabaristan from 931 to 1090 during the Iranian Intermezzo period. The empire rose to prominence during the leadership of Mardavij. After his death, his brother Vushmgir an ...

(c. 1030–1050). He was the son of

Manuchihr Falak al-Ma'ali Manuchihr (), better known as Manuchihr (died c. 1031), was the ruler of the Ziyarids (1012 at the latest – c. 1031). He was the son of Qabus. Early life During his father's reign Manuchihr was appointed as governor of Tabari ...

. Upon his father's death, Anushirvan became the Ziyarid ruler. His ascension was confirmed by Mahmud of Ghazna, in exchange for a promise that tribute would continue to be paid by the Ziyarids. In 1032, however, Anushirvan's army chief and maternal relative Abu Kalijar ibn Vayhan effectively took control of the state. Mahmud's successor Mas'ud recognized this change upon being assured that the tribute would still be paid, and in 1033 married one of Abu Kalijar's daughters. The Ziyarid tribute was not regularly paid, however, leading to a

Ghaznavid The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus to the Indus Va ...

invasion in 1035.''The Ghaznavids'', C.E. Bosworth, ''History of Civilizations of Central Asia'', Vol.IV, part 1, ed. M.S. Asimov, C.E. Bosworth, (Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1997), 107. Mas'ud's army marched as far as

Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...

, forcing Abu Kalijar to flee. When the Ghaznavids left, however, Abu Kalijar regained control of the state and made peace with Mas'ud, promising to pay the tribute. Sometime after 1040, Anushirvan managed to arrest Abu Kalijar and resumed the rule on his own. In 1041 or 1042, however, the

Seljuks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of th ...

under

Toghril Beg Abu Talib Muhammad Tughril ibn Mika'il (), better known as Tughril (; also spelled Toghril / Tughrul), was a Turkoman"The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes by the Turkomans at the battle of Malazgirt (Manzikert) is ...

conquered

Gurgan Gorgan (; ) is a city in the Central District of Gorgan County, Golestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It lies approximately to the northeast of the national capital Tehran, and some a ...

. Toghril Beg installed a former Ghaznavid commander, Mardavij ibn Bishui as governor of the region. Mardavij eventually made peace with Anushirvan, causing the latter to accept Toghril as his overlord. The Ziyarids would remain as Seljuk vassals until the last quarter of the 11th century. Anushirvan died in 1050, and was succeeded by cousin Keikavus.

Notes

References

* E. Merçil (1989). ''Gazneliler Devleti Tarihi'' (History of Ghaznavids), Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara. * R. N. Frye (1975). ''The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume Four: From the Arab Invasion to the Saljuqs''. Ziyarid dynasty 11th-century monarchs in Asia 11th-century Iranian people {{iran-royal-stub