The Ma'danid dynasty was a medieval Islamic dynasty that ruled the Sultanate of Makran. It ruled

Makran Makran (), also mentioned in some sources as ''Mecran'' and ''Mokrān'', is the southern coastal region of Balochistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in the Balochistan province in Pakistan and in Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. I ...

from the late 9th or early 10th centuryBosworth (1994), p. 256 until around the 11th century.

History

Makran had been one of the easternmost provinces of the

Caliphate 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 ...

after its conquest by the Muslims in 644. In the 9th century, especially after the

Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...

dynasty's hold on the frontier provinces of the Caliphate began to weaken, Makran had been overrun by

Kharijites The Kharijites (, singular ) were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the conflict with his challeng ...

. 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. Ibn Haukal does not mention their origins. Ma'danids used the Sanskrit title of Mahraj. They established their capital at Kiz or Kij, and although seldom playing a major role in regional affairs, Ma'danids were able to maintain their authority in Makran for at least a century and a half. At some point the Ma'danids became tributary to the

Saffarid The Saffarid dynasty () was a Persianate dynasty of eastern Iranian origin that ruled over parts of Persia, Greater Khorasan, and eastern Makran from 861 to 1002. One of the first indigenous Persian dynasties to emerge after the Islamic conque ...

dynasty of

Sistan Sistān (), also known as Sakastān (, , current name: Zabol) and Sijistan (), is a historical region in south-eastern Iran and extending across the borders of present-day south-western Afghanistan, and south-western Pakistan. Mostly correspond ...

. 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 The Buyid dynasty or Buyid Empire was a Zaydi and later Twelver Shi'a dynasty of Daylamite origin. Founded by Imad al-Dawla, they mainly ruled over central and southern Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062. Coupled with the rise of other Iranian dyna ...

amir 'Adud al-Daula, who had recently conquered the bordering province of

Kerman Kerman (; ) is a city in the Central District (Kerman County), Central District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. History Kerman was founded as a def ...

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 Ghazni (, ), historically known as Ghaznayn () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana (), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan with a population of around 190,000 people. The city is strategica ...

, 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.Baloch, p. 297 and Bosworth (1975), p. 173 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.

Notes

References

*Baloch, N.A. and Rafiqi, A.Q. "The regions of Sind, Baluchistan, Multan and Kashmir: the historical, social, and economic setting." ''History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume 4, Part 1.'' Ed. M.S. Asimov and C.E. Bosworth. New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1999. *Bosworth, C.E. "The Early Ghaznavids." ''The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 4: The Period From the Arab Invasion to the Saljuqs.'' Ed. R. N. Frye. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1975. *Bosworth, C.E. ''The History of the Saffarids of Sistan and the Maliks of Nimruz (247/861 to 949/1542-3)''. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 1994. {{ISBN, 1-56859-015-6 Dynasties of Pakistan Former monarchies in Pakistani history Sunni dynasties

History

See also

Notes

References