Fakhr Al-Dawla - Return and Height of Power

Return and Height of Power

The deaths of 'Adud al-Dawla in 983 and Mu'ayyad al-Dawla in 984 gave Fakhr al-Dawla the chance to recover his inheritance. Mu'ayyad al-Dawla's vizier, Sahib ibn 'Abbad, held a gathering of the army in Gurgan and convinced it to accept Fakhr al-Dawla as his late master's successor. Fakhr al-Dawla, who was still in Khurasan, traveled to Gurgan, where he was proclaimed amir. This second ascension resulted in him actually possessing more territory than he had owned before his expulsion in 980. In addition to Ray, he now controlled Mu'ayyad al-Dawla's holdings of Hamadan, as well as the formerly Ziyarid lands of Gurgan and Tabaristan. Taking the title of Shâhanshâh, he made Sahib ibn 'Abbad his vizier, and took his advice not to restore Qabus to his former territory.

Fakhr al-Dawla managed to gain recognition as senior amir by Taj al-Dawla and Diya' al-Dawla, who had in the years following 'Adud al-Dawla's death become the rulers of Khuzestan and Basra respectively. This diplomatic success was of little consequence, however, as the two princes were relatively minor and were forced to seek refuge in Ray when Sharaf al-Dawla, who ruled in Fars, expelled them from their provinces. At the same time, Fakhr al-Dawla attempted to gain a footing in Samanid Khurasan, by supporting the Turkish rebel Tash in his attempts to recover the governorship of that province. This support did not help him, however, as he was defeated and forced to flee to Gurgan at the end of 987. Fakhr al-Dawla made him the governor of Gurgan, where Tash died in 988.

Sharaf al-Dawla, who had united Fars and Iraq in 987, had died in 988 and left his brother Baha' al-Dawla his empire. Another brother, Samsam al-Dawla, seized Fars, Kerman and Khuzestan, depriving Baha' al-Dawla of those areas. Fakhr al-Dawla attempted to take advantage of their rivalry by invading Khuzestan, with the goal of cutting off Iraq from Fars. This action failed due to the rough terrain and climate, and succeeded only in uniting the two brothers against him.

This threat did not last, however, as Samsam al-Dawla and Sharaf al-Dawla eventually resumed hostilities against each other. Only a few years later, Samsam al-Dawla recognized Fakhr al-Dawla as senior amir in an effort to secure his increasingly weak position. This marked the height of Fakhr al-Dawla's power; in addition to his own territories, he now had authority over Samsam al-Dawla, who ruled Fars, Kerman, Khuzestan, and Oman.