Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Muhallabi (died 963) was an

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

statesman who served as the vizier of the

Buyid The Buyid dynasty or Buyid Empire was a Zaydi and later Twelver Shi'a dynasty of Daylamite origin. Founded by Imad al-Dawla, they mainly ruled over central and southern Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062. Coupled with the rise of other Iranian dyna ...

amir Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...

Mu'izz al-Dawla Ahmad ibn Buya (Persian language, Persian: احمد بن بویه, died April 8, 967), after 945 better known by his ''laqab'' of Mu'izz al-Dawla (, "Fortifier al-Dawla, of the Dynasty"), was the first of the Buyid emirs of Iraq (region), Iraq, ...

. He was from the prominent Muhallabi family. He was born in 903, and was the son of Muhammad ibn Harun from the Muhallabi family. Al-Muhallabi later served as the administrator of

Ahvaz Ahvaz (; ) is a city in the Central District of Ahvaz County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is home to Persians, Arabs and other groups such as Qashqai and Kurds. Languages spok ...

, and soon began serving the

Buyids The Buyid dynasty or Buyid Empire was a Zaydi and later Twelver Shi'a dynasty of Daylamite origin. Founded by Imad al-Dawla, they mainly ruled over central and southern Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062. Coupled with the rise of other Iranian dyna ...

who were the new masters of

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 ...

and western

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. Al-Muhallabi quickly rose to be a prominent figure at the Buyid court, and later became the companion of Abu Ja'far Saymari, the chief secretary of

, who was the Buyid ruler of Iraq. In 950/951, Mu'izz al-Dawla appointed Muhallabi as his vizier and gave him the title of '' ostadh''. In 950/951, after constant conflicts with the

Batihah The Batihah () was a geographical and political unit in Iraq in the 10th and 11th centuries. It was also known as The Great Swamp or The Marsh. Geographical description The Batihah was an area in which, at the time, both the Tigris and the Euphrat ...

ruler

'Imran ibn Shahin Imran ibn Shahin () (died 979) was a Nabataeans of Iraq, Nabataean and the founder of a state in the Batihah marshlands in the 10th century. His reign was marked by decades of struggle against the Buyids of Iraq. Life 'Imran created the marsh ...

, Mu'izz al-Dawla sent an army against 'Imran ibn Shahin under the joint command of al-Muhallabi and the

Daylamite The Daylamites or Dailamites (Middle Persian: ''Daylamīgān''; ''Deylamiyān'') were an Iranian people inhabiting the Daylam—the mountainous regions of northern Iran on the southwest coast of the Caspian Sea, now comprising the southeastern ...

general

Ruzbahan Ruzbahan ibn Vindadh-Khurshid (), better known as Ruzbahan (also spelled as Rezbahan), was a Daylamite military officer who served the Buyid dynasty. A native of Daylam, Ruzbahan began serving the Buyids at an unknown date and quickly rose into hi ...

. Ruzbahan, who disliked al-Muhallabi, convinced him to directly attack 'Imran. He kept his forces in the rear and fled as soon as fighting between the two sides began. 'Imran used the terrain effectively, laying ambushes and confusing al-Muhallabi's army. Many of al-Muhallabi's soldiers died in the fighting and he only narrowly escaped capture, swimming to safety. Mu'izz al-Daula then came to terms with 'Imran, acceding to his terms. Prisoners were exchanged and 'Imran was made a vassal of the Buyids, being appointed as governor of the Batihah. Al-Muhallabi died in 963 after becoming ill during a campaign in

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

. According to

Ibn Miskawayh Ibn Miskuyah ( Muskūyah, 932–1030), (Arabic: مِسْكَوَيْه، أبو علي محمد بن أحمد بن يعقوب مسكويه الرازي) full name Abū ʿAlī Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb Miskawayh al-Rāzī was a Persian c ...

, al-Muhallabi had been poisoned by Mu'izz al-Dawla.

Sources

* * * Buyid viziers 963 deaths 10th-century Arab people Year of birth unknown Muhallabids {{Iraq-bio-stub