Mansur I of Samanid

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Abu Salih Mansur (d. summer 976) was amir of the Samanids (961-976). He was the son of Nuh I.

The death of Mansur's brother Abdul Malik I at the end of 961 caused a succession crisis. The Turkic military establishment, which was effectively in control of the government, split over who should succeed Abdul Malik. Alptigin, the leader of the Samanid Turks and the governor of Khurasan, supported Abdul Malik's brother, while Fa'iq, who had known Mansur since his childhood, pressed for the latter's coronation. Mansur and Fa'iq were eventually victorious; Alptigin fled to Ghazna, where the Ghaznavid Empire was eventually formed.

Mansur's reign was characterized by weak rule and perpetual financial troubles. A new governor of Khurasan, Abu'l-Hasan Muhammad Simjuri, was appointed; he soon went to war with the Buyids, who had in that year expelled the Samanids' Ziyarid vassals from Tabaristan and Gurgan. The death of Vushmgir, the Ziyarid prince, a few years later caused an end to hostilities, and the Buyid 'Adud al-Daula paid tribute to the Samanids. This tribute did not last for long, however, and Mansur continued to have difficulties in raising money. The Buyids would continue to move against the Samanid position; 'Adud al-Daula wrested Kirman from the Banu Ilyas, nominal Samanid vassals, and effectively uprooted Abus, a son Vushmgir and the Samanid candidate to succeed him, from Tabaristan and Gurgan.

In 969 the Saffarid Abu Ahmad Khalaf arrived at the Samanid court, requesting for assistance against his brother Tahir. Military aid was given, although Tahir's death in 970 proved much more effective than the Samanid assistance. Tahir's son Husain eventually continued the struggle, and gained the support of the Samanids; the tribute sent by Khalaf subsequently ceased. In 975, Mansur appointed Abu 'Abd-Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad Jaihani, a grandson of Abu 'Abd-Allah al-Jaihani, as vizier, but he proved unable to stem the Samanid decline. Mansur died in the following year, and was succeeded by his son Nuh II.