Abuʾl-Ḥārith Arslān al-Muẓaffar al-Basāsīrī (died 15 January 1059) was a
Turkoman slave-soldier (''
mamlūk'') who rose to become a military commander of the
Buwayhid dynasty in
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
. When the Buwayhids were ousted by the
Seljuks in 1055, he transferred his allegiance to the
Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, in whose name he conquered
Baghdad
Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
, which he ruled for almost a year.
Early years
The name al-Basāsīrī (or al-Fasāsīrī, al-Fasāwī) is a ''
nisba'' derived from his first owner's place of origin, Basā (
Fasā) in the
province of Fars. Abuʾl-Ḥārith is a ''
kunya'', while his ''
ism'' (given name) was the Turkish Arslān. He became a freedman (''
mawlā'') of the Buwayhid emir
Baha al-Dawla (). His military career, however, can be traced only from the reign of Baha's son,
Jalal al-Dawla ().
Al-Basasiri took part in Jalal's conflicts with his nephew,
Abu Kalijar, the emir of Fars, and with the rival
Uqaylid dynasty
The Uqaylid dynasty () was a Shia Islam, Shia Arab dynasty with several lines that ruled in various parts of Al-Jazira (caliphal province), Al-Jazira, northern Bilad al-Sham, Syria and Iraq in the late tenth and eleventh centuries. The main line ...
of
Mosul
Mosul ( ; , , ; ; ; ) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. It is the second largest city in Iraq overall after the capital Baghdad. Situated on the banks of Tigris, the city encloses the ruins of the ...
. He was also a favourite of the Buwayhid emir
al-Malik al-Rahim (), from whom he received the town of
Anbar as a fief. This was a period of growing unrest among the Turkish troops in Baghdad, growing strife between
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
and
Shi'a
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor ( caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community ( imam). However, his right is understoo ...
, constant
Kurdish raiding and the ongoing war with the Uqaylids.
Conflict with the vizier, 1054–55
In 1054, al-Basasiri was unable to prevent Turkish troops from rioting and looting in Baghdad. In the same year the Uqaylid leader
Quraysh raided
Baradan and carried off al-Basasiri's camels and horses. In November, Quraysh captured Anbar and formally renounced Buwayhid lordship, ordering the Seljuk sultan
Tughrul to be named in the public sermon (''
khuṭba'') during
Friday prayer.
According to
Ibn al-Athir's ''
Complete History'', "the estrangement of the
bbasidcaliph and Basasiri began this year in Ramadan", that is, between 4 December 1054 and 2 January 1055. In 1054, al-Basasiri fell out with the
caliphal vizier Ibn al-Muslima over Turkish policy. He accused the vizier of being in contact with Tughrul since 1052/3. Ibn al-Muslima in turn blocked al-Basasiri's efforts to combat Quraysh's supporters in Baghdad. In retaliation, al-Basasiri impounded the vizier's boat and cut off his monthly stipend. He also cut off the caliph
al-Qa'im's monthly subsidy.
In March 1055 al-Basasiri reconquered Anbar. On his way he plundered the villages of
Dimimma and
Fallujah. He was joined by his brother-in-law,
Dubays I of the
Mazyadid dynasty. Anbar was defended by the Uqaylid client Abu'l-Ghana'im ibn al-Muhallaban. Al-Basasiri, employing
trebuchets and
Greek fire, destroyed a tower and some defensive works. The town was stormed and Abu'l-Ghana'im was captured along a hundred
Khafaja soldiers.
The conflict with the vizier continued after al-Basasiri's return to Baghdad. In July 1055, during a Sunni protest, the vizier convinced some fanatics to board a ship and break some wine jars belonging to a Christian merchant and destined for al-Basasiri, then staying at
Wasit with the Buwayhid sultan. Because the wine had belonged to a Christian, al-Basasiri was able to obtain a
Hanadi legal ruling (''
fatwā'') declaring the vizier's actions illegal. Ibn al-Muslima then denounced him as having Shi'a sympathies and being in contact with the Abbasids' rivals, the Shi'a
Fatimid Caliphate. He turned the Turkish troops and the caliph against him, and had his house in Baghdad burnt down. In fact, although the Fatimid chief missionary
al-Mu'ayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi wrote to al-Basasiri, his letters did not reach him until after the arrival of Tughrul in Baghdad.
Ibn al-Muslima ordered the sultan al-Malik al-Rahim to send his favourite away, but the sultan refused. On 15 December 1055, the name of Tughrul, who was nominally passing through on his pilgrimage (''
ḥajj'') to
Mecca
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, was pronounced in the ''khuṭba'' in Baghdad. On 18 December, he solemnly entered the city. The presence of his troops sparked disorders, and he arrested the Buwayhid sultan on 23 December for failing to control the people. Although al-Malik al-Rahim returned to Baghdad from Wāsiṭ to greet Tughrul, al-Basasiri went to the court of his brother-in-law, Dubays. Tughrul ordered Dubays to disassociate with al-Basasiri, and the latter went to
Rahba.
In Fatimid service against the Seljuks, 1055–59
Governor of Rahba
From Rahba, al-Basasiri wrote to the Fatimid caliph
al-Mustansir () for permission to come to
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
and for assistance in defending
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and Egypt from the Seljuks. The Fatimid vizier
al-Yazuri refused the first request, but granted the second. Al-Basasiri was appointed governor of Rahba, and the caliph sent him
gold dinars, clothing valued at dinars, bows, swords, 500 horses and a quantity of lances and arrows. Al-Mu'ayyad accompanied the supplies and brought the letter of investiture.
In 1056–57, al-Mu'ayyad won several Syrian and Iraqi emirs over to the Fatimid cause. Dubays, al-Basasiri's former protector, who had submitted to Tughrul, changed allegiance and had the Fatimid caliph's name pronounced in the ''khuṭba''. He renewed his alliance with al-Basasiri. The Baghdadi Turks, who had been a thorn in the side of al-Basasiri in previous years, found the rule of Tughrul intolerable and joined al-Basasiri in Syria. The army of al-Basasiri and Dubays, reinforced by the Turks and some
Bedouin, marched on
Sinjar, where they defeated a Seljuk force under
Qutalmish and Quraysh. While Qutalmish escaped capture and fled to
Adharbayjan, Quraysh was injured and surrendered on 9 January 1057.
After his victory at Sinjar, al-Basasiri entered
Mosul
Mosul ( ; , , ; ; ; ) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. It is the second largest city in Iraq overall after the capital Baghdad. Situated on the banks of Tigris, the city encloses the ruins of the ...
and the city declared for the Fatimid caliph. This situation only lasted a few days. Tughrul soon recaptured Mosul and set about devastating the region of Sinjar, while al-Basasiri retreated to Rahba. Dubays and Quraysh temporarily switched sides again, but the
anti-Arab sentiment in the Seljuk camp repulsed them. Dubays went to Jami'an and Quraysh joined al-Basasiri at Rahba.
In early 1058, Tughrul's brother
Ibrahim Inal entered into an agreement with al-Basasiri and al-Mu'ayyad, whereby the latter would support him in usurping his brother's throne and he would proclaim the name of the Fatimid caliph in the ''khuṭba''. He abandoned Mosul to al-Basasiri, who still had to spend four months besieging the citadel before it surrendered. After capturing the citadel, al-Basasiri retired to Rahba. Again his victory did not last. Tughrul soon retook Mosul and marched on
Nisibis. Al-Basasiri retreated to
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
.
Conquest of Baghdad
During al-Basasiri's retreat, Ibrahim rose in revolt in the
Jibal. Tughrul's response largely denuded Iraq of Seljuk troops, allowing al-Basasiri to launch an invasion. He quickly took
Hit and Anbar. On 27 December 1058, he entered Baghdad with 400 ''mamlūk'' cavalry accompanied by Quraysh and his 200 cavalry. The next Friday, 1 January 1059, the Shi'a call to worship (''
adhān'') was announced in
western Baghdad, which was predominantly Shi'a. On 8 January, al-Basasiri crossed the
Tigris
The Tigris ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the eastern of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian Desert, Syrian and Arabia ...
and occupied
eastern Baghdad. The name of the Fatimid caliph was pronounced in the
Great Mosque. There skirmishes in the streets throughout the following week. On 19 January, the
Hasani Palace was assaulted and the Abbasid caliph al-Qa'im placed himself and his household under the protection of Quraysh. On 29 January, al-Basasiri celebrated the
Feast of the Sacrifice in the prayer space (''
muṣallā'') outside the Great Mosque with Fatimid banners flying.
As the new authority in Baghdad, al-Basasiri took over the Abbasid insignia, the turban (''mindīl''), cloak (''ridāʾ'') and lattice screen (''shibbāk''). He allowed Quraysh to retain custody of al-Qa'im, removed from the city and confined at
Haditha, but he ordered him to hand over the vizier Ibn al-Muslima, whom he paraded through the streets and executed on 16 February 1059.
Al-Basasiri followed up his conquest of Baghdad by taking Wasit and
Basra
Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...
. His invasion of
Khuzistan, however, was repelled. The ruler of Khuzistan,
Hazarasp ibn Bankir, asked Dubays to mediate with al-Basasiri. He offered to pay tribute to al-Basasiri, but the latter refused demanding that the ''khuṭba'' and the coinage be made in the name of the Fatimid caliph. Hazarasp refused this. When al-Basasiri realised that he was receiving troops from Tughrul, he made peace with him and retired to Wasit, which he reached on the 12 September 1059.
In July 1059, Tughrul defeated his brother. He offered to leave al-Basasiri in power in Baghdad provided the ''khuṭba'' and the coinage were in his name and the Abbasid caliph was restored. Al-Basasiri tried to pry al-Qa'im away from the Seljuks, but the caliph refused. Quraysh tried to convince al-Basasiri to accept Tughrul's authority, but he refused. Tughrul marched on Baghdad. Al-Basasiri abandoned the city with his family on 14 December 1059. Tughrul and the Abbasid caliph entered it on 4 January 1060. The Fatimid name was said to have been pronounced in the ''khuṭba'' in Baghdad's mosques forty times, meaning that the rule of al-Basasiri in Baghdad lasted forty Fridays.
Al-Basasiri headed towards
Kufa
Kufa ( ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates, Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000.
Along with Samarra, Karbala, Kadhimiya ...
and joined up with Dubays. When the Seljuk cavalry overtook them, Dubays fled but al-Basasiri offered battle. On 15 January, at Saḳy al-Furat near Kufa, he was defeated and killed. His horse was first killed under him by an arrow and he was then killed by the clerk of the Seljuk vizier
al-Kunduri. His head was brought to Tughrul at Baghdad.
References
Sources
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Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Basasiri
1059 deaths
11th-century people from the Abbasid Caliphate
Buyid generals
Generals of the Fatimid Caliphate
Ghilman
Slaves under the Buyid dynasty
Governors of the Fatimid Caliphate
Iraqi rebels
Military personnel killed in action
Year of birth unknown
Fatimid ghilman