Abi'l-Saj Devdad

Abi'l-Saj Devdad (died 879) was an Abbasid military commander and the eponym of the Sajid dynasty of Azerbaijan. His father was named Devdasht.

Career

A member of a Soghdian family from Usrushana, Abi'l-Saj entered into the service of the Abbasids and fought under the Afshin Haidar during the latter's final campaign against the rebel Babak in 837 AD. Over the next several decades he served the caliphs in various provinces.^[1] In 865 he sided with the caliph al-Musta'in during the civil war of that year, and was put in charge of the defense of al-Mada'in.^[2] In the 870s he was sent to Khuzistan to battle the Zanj rebels.

In 876 Abi'l-Saj joined the Saffarid amir Ya'qub bin Laith, who had led his army into Khuzistan during his advance into Iraq against the caliph. He was present during the Battle of Dair al-'Aqul, which ended in a Saffarid defeat, and reportedly remonstrated Ya'qub after the battle for his bad tactics. Following the defeat, the caliphal regent al-Muwaffq seized his properties in Iraq.

In 879 Abi'l-Saj died. His two sons, Muhammad and Yusuf, would both go on to have distinguished careers, becoming the first and third, respectively, Sajid governors of Azerbaijan.

Notes

1. ^ Madelung, "Dynasties," 228
2. ^ Madelung, "Banu Saj"

References

• 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.

• Madelung, Wilfred. "Banu Saj." Encyclopaedia Iranica. Ed. Ehsan Yarshater. Columbia University. Retrieved 17 August 2011.

• Madelung, Wilferd. "Minor Dynasties of Northern Iran." 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.