Saffarid dynasty

Saffarid Dynasty
سلسله صفاریان
←
 861–1002 →
Saffarid Emirate at its Greatest Extent
Capital Zaranj
Language(s) Persian
Government Monarchy
Emir
 - 867-879 Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar
 - 963-1002 Khalaf I
Historical era Medieval
 - Established 861
 - Disestablished 1002
History of Greater Iran
until the rise of modern nation-states
Pre-modern

The Saffarids or the Saffarid dynasty (Persian: سلسله صفاریان) was a Persian empire[1][2] which ruled in Sistan (861-1002), a historical region in southeastern Iran, southwestern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan.[3] Their capital was Zaranj, located in present-day Afghanistan.

The dynasty was founded by – and took its name from – Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar, a man of humble origins who rose from an obscure beginning as a coppersmith (ṣaffār) to become a warlord. He seized control of the Sistan region, conquering all of Afghanistan, modern-day eastern Iran, and parts of Pakistan. Using their capital (Zaranj) as base for an aggressive expansion eastwards and westwards, they overthrew the Tahirid dynasty and annexed Khorasan in 873. By the time of Ya'qub's death, he had conquered Kabul Valley, Sindh, Tocharistan, Makran (Balochistan), Kerman, Fars, Khorasan, and nearly reached Baghdad but then suffered defeat.[4]

The Saffarid empire did not last long after Ya'qub's death. His brother and successor Amr bin Laith was defeated in a battle against Ismail Samani in 900. Amr bin Laith was forced to surrender most of their territories to the new rulers. The Saffarids were subsequently confined to their heartland of Sistan, with their role reduced to that of vassals of the Samanids and their successors.

Contents

Founding

The Saffarid dynasty started with Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari who as a coppersmith moved to the city of Zaranj. He later started his campaign as an Ayyar and eventually got the power to act as an independent ruler. From his capital Zaranj he moved east into al-Rukhkhadj and Zamindawar reaching as far as Zunbil and Kabul by 865. He took vast amounts of plunder and slaves from this campaign.[5][6] The Tahirid city of Herat was taken in 870 and his campaign in the Baghghis region led to the capture of Kharidjites which later formed the Djash al-Shurat contingent in his army. Ya'qub then turned his focus to the west and began attacks on Khurasan, Khuzistan, Kirman and Fars. These attacks forced the Abbasid caliphate to recognize him as governor of Kirman.[7]

In 901, Amr Saffari was defeated at the battle of Balkh by the Samanids, which reduced the Saffarid dynasty to a minor tributary in Sistan.[8]

In 1002, Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Sistan, dethroned Khalaf I and ended the Saffarid dynasty.[9]

Culture

The Saffarids gave great care to the Persian culture and under their rule the Eastern Islamic lands witnessed the emergence of prominent Persian poets like Fayrouz Mashriqi, Abu Salik al-Jirjani, and Muhammad bin Wasif al-Sistani.

From silver mines in the Panjshir Valley, the Saffarids were able to mint silver coins.[10]

Rulers of the Saffarid dynasty

See also

References

  1. ^ The Cambridge History of Iran, by Richard Nelson Frye, William Bayne Fisher, John Andrew Boyle (Cambridge University Press, 1975: ISBN 0-521-20093-8), pg. 121.
  2. ^ The Encyclopedia of World History, ed. Peter N. Stearns and William Leonard Langer (Houghton Mifflin, 2001), 115.
  3. ^ Nancy Hatch Dupree, An Historical Guide To Afghanistan - "Sites in Perspective" (Chapter 3) Link
  4. ^ Britannica, Saffarid dynasty
  5. ^ The Development of Persian Culture under the Early Ghaznavids, C.E. Bosworth, Iran, Vol. 6, (1968), 34.
  6. ^ Saffarids, Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. VIII, Ed. C.E.Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P.Heinrichs and G. Lecomte, (Brill, 1995), 795.
  7. ^ Saffarids, Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. VIII, 795.
  8. ^ The Development of Persian Culture under the Early Ghaznavids, C.E. Bosworth, 34.
  9. ^ C.E. Bosworth, The Ghaznavids 994-1040, (Edinburgh University Press, 1963), 89.
  10. ^ Pandjhir, Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. VIII, 258.

External links