Ahmad Maymandi

Abu'l-Hasan al-Kasim Ahmad ibn Hasan Maymandi (Persian: ابوالحسن القاسم احمد بن حسن میمندی‎; died 31 December 1032), better known as Ahmad Maymandi (احمد میمندی; also spelled Maimandi), and also known by his honorific title of Shams al-Kufat (شمس الکفاة; "sun of the capable ones"), was a Persian^[1] vizier of the Ghaznavid Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni^[2] and the latter's son Mas'ud I of Ghazni.^[3]

Biography

Origins and early career

Artwork of Mahmud receiving a robe of honor from the Abbasid caliph al-Qadir, thus legitimizing Mahmud as an independent monarch.

Ahmad's father, Hasan Maymandi, was from a town named Maymand in Zabulistan. Hasan was the governor of Bust under Mahmud of Ghazni's father, Sabuktigin, whose Sultanate was then a vassal state of the Samanids, who were the lords of Greater Khurasan, and ruled much of the region through their vassals. However, during Hasan's governorship of Bust, Sabuktigin crucified him, an action which Sabuktigin later regretted.^[4] Ahmad was raised as a foster brother to Mahmud^[5] and began his administrative career in 994 as head of the department of correspondence during Mahmud's governorship of Khorasan under his Samanid overlords. Ahmad was later promoted to chief accountant and head of the military department. He was also appointed as governor of Bust and Rukhkhaj.^[4]

Sabuktigin died in 997, and was succeeded by his son Ismail as the ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty. Mahmud, who was much more experienced than his brother, claimed the throne for himself, and shortly managed to defeat his brother and gain control over the Ghaznavid kingdom.^[6] Mahmud quickly began increasing his independence from the Samanids, and eventually divided the Samanid state with the Karakhanids, thus putting an end to the Samanid dynasty.^[7]

First vizierate and downfall

The first vizier of Mahmud was a Persian named Abu'l-Hasan Isfaraini, who was chosen by Sebuktegin, although in reality, Mahmud preferred to have Ahmad as his vizier rather than Isfaraini. In ca. 1011, Ahmad was appointed governor of Khorasan, and tax-collector of the region. During his governorship, Ahmad was praised by the inhabitants of the region. Two years later, Isfaraini fell from favor and Ahmad was finally appointed as the vizier of Mahmud.^[4]

Map of Khorasan, Transoxiana and Tokharistan.

Ahmad quickly began centralizing the Empire, and restored Arabic as the administrative language of the Empire (Isfaraini had made Persian as the administrative language). However, according to the historian Richard N. Frye, Ahmad was not successful in his effort to change the administrative language to Arabic.^[8] Ahmad's enemies included Altun Tash, Hasanak Mikali (who later succeeded Ahmad as the vizier of the Empire) and the sister of Mahmud. Among his few supporters were Prince Mas'ud I, Arslan Jadhib, Abu Nasr Mushkan, and probably also the former Iranian king Abu Nasr Muhammad, whom Ahmad Maymandi, in the words of the historian Houtsma, "did all in his power to mitigate the degradation of his fall."^[9]

In 1017, Ahmad and Mahmud agreed to invade Khwarazm,^[10] then under native Iranian Ma'munid dynasty. According to Ghaznavid sources, the reason for Mahmud's invasion of the region was to avenge the murder of his brother-in-law Ma'mun II, but according to modern sources he in reality used the latter's death as an excuse to expand Ghaznavid rule over the Oxus River.^[11] The Ghaznavid army shortly deposed the Ma'munid ruler Abu'l-Harith Muhammad, and Altun Tash was then appointed as the governor of the region.^[11]

During the early 1020s, Ahmad urged Mahmud to invade Jibal, which was then under the control of the young Buyid ruler Majd al-Dawla. However, the real ruler of the region was Majd al-Dawla's mother Sayyida Shirin, which was already known by the neighbors of the Buyids, including the Ghaznavids. Mahmud, however, did not agree with him, and did not feel his empire threatened because of a woman ruling in the region.^[12]

In 1024, because Ahmad had gained a great amount of wealth during his career as a vizier, Mahmud removed him from his office, confiscated his property, and had him imprisoned at Kalinjar in India.^[13] While the nobles who opposed Ahmad urged Mahmud to execute his former vizier, Mahmud chose instead to spare Ahmad.^[4]

Second vizierate and death

Coin of Mas'ud I.

When Mahmud died in 1030, the Ghaznavid Empire fell into civil war; his two sons Mas'ud I and Mohammad Ghaznavi both claimed the Ghaznavid throne. Mas'ud managed to emerge victorious during the civil war, and ordered the release of Ahmad. He then met him at Balkh and offered him to become his vizier. Ahmad first refused, but later agreed and began his second career as vizier in 1031. He received full authority over financial affairs and the postmasters and inspectors of the empire.^[4] Ahmad then took revenge against some of his enemies, while forgiving the rest of them, including Hasanak, who Ahmad tried but failed to save from getting executed. After some time, Ahmad approved Mas'ud's decision to appoint Ali Daya as the commander-in-chief of the army of Khorasan.^[14] He also appointed Abu Sahl Zawzani as the chief administrator of the army. Ahmad died on 31 December 1032 at Herat, and was succeeded by Ahmad Shirazi as vizier.^[15] Ahmad's death was greatly mourned by his supporters, and he was also praised by poets, such as Farrukhi Sistani, who noted the similarities between Ahmad and the celebrated Buyid vizier Sahib ibn 'Abbad.^[4]

Ahmad Maymandi had a son named Abd al-Razzaq Maymandi, who, like his father, also gained the vizier office. He also had another son named Sa'id Maymandi, who had a son named Mansur ibn Sa'id who, like Ahmad, also occupied high offices.^[16]

References

Sources