Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj

Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj was an Ikhshidid prince and briefly governor of Palestine and regent for his underage nephew Abu'l-Fawaris Ahmad in 968–969. After his departure from Egypt, he assumed control of the remaining Ikhshidid domains in southern Syria and Palestine until defeated and captured by the Fatimids in March 970. He died in captivity in Cairo in 982.

Life

Hasan was a son of Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj, and hence member of a cadet branch of the main Ikhshidid dynasty, founded by Ubayd Allah's brother Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid.[1] Following the death in April 968 of Abu al-Misk Kafur—who had formally ruled the Ikhshidid state since 966, but had been the real power behind the throne since al-Ikhshid's death in 946[2]—Hasan was appointed to the governorship of Palestine, where he confronted and ousted the previous governor, Akhu Muslim Abdallah.[3]

In autumn 968 he decided to intervene in the power struggle over control of the government and the young emir Abu'l-Fawaris Ahmad, and took over Fustat. He imprisoned the long-time vizier Ja'far ibn al-Furat, ordered construction of a palace on Rawdah Island.[4] His name was added on the coinage, which were the last coins minted by the Ikhshidid dynasty. Tellingly Hasan's name is found in the second position, after that of the Abbasid caliph al-Muti, and is followed by that of his nephew and nominal ruler, Ahmad.[5] To further enhance his legitimacy, he married his cousin Fatima, daughter of al-Ikhshid, in January 969.[6] Hasan seemed to have established himself as regent, but he was opposed by the local elites, and in early 969, after only three months in Fustat, he suddenly departed the capital for Palestine, leaving Egypt in the charge of Ibn al-Furat, whom he released from prison.[4][7] The situation in Palestine had deteriorated in his absence: an invasion by the Qarmatians in alliance with the Tayy Bedouin had sacked the provincial capital, Ramla, and only departed after receiving a tribute of 125,000 gold dinars,[7][8] while further north, the collapse of Hamdanid power in northern Syria exposed the entire region to the Byzantines, who laid siege on Antioch, capturing the city in October 969.[9]

Following his departure from Egypt, the province was invaded and swiftly taken over by the Fatimids under Jawhar al-Siqilli.[4][10] Following the demise of Ikhshidid rule in Egypt, Hasan remained the last Ikhshidid ruler, controlling the dynasty's possessions in Palestine and Syria.[11] Hasan moved his residence north to Damascus, where in October 969 he confronted another Qarmatian invasion. Defeated once again, he promised the Qarmatians an annual tribute of 300,000 dinars.[8][12] In late 969, as the Fatimid forces moved to invade Palestine, Hasan moved back to Ramla to supervise the situation, leaving Damascus and its province in the hands of the commander Shamul, and the province of Jordan under the ghulam Fatik.[8] Although his army was augmented by the remnants of the Ikhshidid regiments from Egypt, as well as Qarmatians, in March 970 the Ikhshidids were defeated in battle by Ja'far ibn Fallah, and Hasan was taken prisoner and sent to the Fatimid caliph, al-Mu'izz.[11][13] Eventually, he was brought back to Cairo, where he died, still in prison, in 982.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Bacharach 2006, p. 61.
  2. ↑ Bianquis 1998, pp. 115–117.
  3. ↑ Brett 2001, pp. 298–299.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bianquis 1998, p. 118.
  5. ↑ Bacharach 2006, pp. 81–82.
  6. ↑ Bacharach 2006, pp. 82–83.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Bacharach 2006, p. 83.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Brett 2001, p. 311.
  9. ↑ Brett 2001, p. 308.
  10. ↑ Brett 2001, pp. 295–303.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Bacharach 2006, p. 84.
  12. ↑ Bacharach 2006, pp. 83–84.
  13. ↑ Brett 2001, pp. 311–312.
  14. ↑ Bacharach 2006, pp. 61, 84.

Sources