Narratives of the Murder of Mardawij-i Ziyari: A Historical Investigation

Ahmadvand, Abbas

doi:10.30465/afg.2022.7214

Narratives of the Murder of Mardawij-i Ziyari: A Historical Investigation

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Abbas Ahmadvand

Associate Professor in Department of History and Civilization, Shahid Beheshti University

10.30465/afg.2022.7214

Abstract

Mardawij ibn Ziyar (reign: 316-323 AH) was a famous Iranian general and the founder of the Ziyarid dynasty, who claimed his Gilani family descended from the Sassanid kings. It was in Gilan that Mardavij came to serve the Alawites of the region. He then became one of the allies of Asfar ibn Shiruya, the powerful ruler of Qazvin and Zanjan at that time, and played an important role in establishing Asfar’s authority over that region. However, as Asfar’s power declined, at the beginning of the fourth century Mardawij broke away from him and was able to use the conflict between Asfar and the not-so-powerful Samanid generals which eventually led to Asfar’s defeat, and the claim of his affiliation with the Sassanids as the basis of his legitimacy, to gradually dominate large areas in central and northern Iran from Rey to Qom, Karaj Abi Delf, Abhar, Hamedan and, finally, Isfahan, his next capital. Mardawij's territory expanded to the point that even his troops captured Dinawar near the areas under the control of the Abbasid Caliphate in Iraq, thus effectively demonstrating their military power to the Caliphate. What distinguishes Mardawij from other founders of the Iranian dynasties of the third and fourth centuries, is his great attention to the revival of the customs of the Sassanid court, which was followed by his policy and propaganda in the lineage of the Sassanids. By doing so, Mardawij tried to introduce himself as a successor to the Sassanids and gradually oust other rival local rulers. But at the same time, the Buyids gradually sought to expand their authority in parts of Khuzestan and Fars, and appeared as a growing threat to Mardawij. Ali ibn Buya’s territory which had previously served Mardawij as the governor of Karaj Abi Delf, was constantly expanding, and Mardawij feared that an alliance between him and the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad would be formed against him at any moment. In the midst of this, while Mardawij was thinking of simultaneously conquering the Buyid dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate, he was killed suddenly and suspiciously in Isfahan. An examination of earlier sources as well as more recent research shows that Mardawij’s murder occurred due to his anger at his Turkish slaves and by them. However, considering the historical context of this incident and analyzing the neglected angles of it can lead us to the main commanders and motivators behind Mardawij’s murder, providing a more accurate and complete picture of this incident.
The present study, by analyzing the role of the Abbasid Caliphate, the Buyid dynasty, the Turkish slaves and, of course, Mardawij’s ill temper and anger towards his Turkish slaves, has concluded that despite the fact that Turkish slaves were the perpetrators of Mardawij’s murder and his harshness provided the necessary motive for this incident, the turbulent relationships between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Buyids and Mardawij show that Mardawij’s murder was in the best interest of the Caliphate of Baghdad and the Buyids, and that they were the ones who benefited most from the removal of Mardawij and, in fact, escaped the danger of his imminent attack. It can even be claimed that the Buyids benefited more from Mardawij’s murder and also had a greater chance of inciting the Turkish slaves and creating discontent among them. The presence of Hassan ibn Buya, Ali’s brother, as a hostage with Mardawij in Isfahan also paves the way for the Buyids’ connection and more direct contact with those who were dissatisfied with Mardawij and their possible enticement. In addition, Mardawij and Ali ibn Buya must have been suspicious of each other from the beginning of the Buyids rise to power, and Mardawij must have been constantly concerned about the development of the Buyids authority. The concerns and suspicions of the Buyids’ side after the murder of Mardawij are also reflected somehow in the historical sources written in their time, and that is why in the majority of reports on the murder of Mardawij, historians aligned with the Buyids were more interested in stressing the role of Mardawij’s harshness and the reaction of dissatisfied slaves in this incident, rather than the other factors and elements.

Keywords

Full Text

بررسی روایات قتل مرداویح زیاری

عباس احمدوند[1]

چکیده

مرداویج زیاری، سرداری ایرانی است که در آغاز قرن چهارم قمری مناطقی وسیع از کرانههای دریای خزر، مناطق جبال و جنوبی ایران را تصرف کرد؛ به هدف استقلال سیاسی ایران، آهنگ حمله به اَرّجان (بِهبِهان کنونی) برای سرکوب علی بویهی و حمله به بغداد، پایتخت خلافت عباسی را داشت؛ اما چند ماه پیش از اجرای این تصمیم، به شیوهای مشکوک به دست غلامان ترک تبارش کشته شد. این مقاله به روش زمینه شناسی تاریخی و از طریق جمع‌آوری دانستنیهای تاریخی و موشکافی در آنها؛ در تلاش است تا با واکاوی زوایای این حلقه مغفول مانده از قتل سردار خواهان استقلال ایران، به نقش واقعی محرکان این رویداد پرداخته و پشت پرده آن را آشکار سازد. یافتههای تحقیق که با بررسی منابع تاریخی و به شیوه میدانی به دست آمده نشان میدهد که مرداویج خیلی زود و به درستی به علی بویهی حساسیتی ویژه نشان داد و از راههای گوناگون به فکر به دام انداختن این سردار شورشی بود؛ سرانجام نیز مرداویج قربانی جاه طلبی‌های آلبویه شد.

کلیدواژه‌ها: مرداویج، مرداویز، آل زیار، آل بویه، خلافت عباسی، اصفهان.

[1] . دانشیار گروه تاریخ و تمدن ملل اسلامی دانشگاه شهید بهشتی،تهران، ایران، a_ahmadvand@sbu.ac.ir

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