Abu Nasr Muhammad (died 1015 or 1016) was the ruler of Gharchistan from an unknown date to the 990s. He was from an

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

princely family which ruled Gharchistan, and bore the title of ''Shar'' (meaning "greatness and lordship"). Although the family had already ruled the region before Abu Nasr Muhammad, he is the first known member of the family. His father was named Asad, and may have ruled before him.

Biography

Abu Nasr lived during the lifetime of his suzerain, the

Samanid The Samanid Empire () was a Persianate society, Persianate Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim empire, ruled by a dynasty of Iranian peoples, Iranian ''dehqan'' origin. The empire was centred in Greater Khorasan, Khorasan and Transoxiana, at its greatest ...

ruler

Nuh II Nuh II (, r. 13 June 976–22 July 997)'' Tabaqat-i Nasiri'' by Minhaj-i-Siraj, pg. 107, Lahore Sangmil Publications 2004 was amir of the Samanids (976–997). He was the son and successor of Mansur I. Beginning and Middle of Reign Havin ...

(r. 976 – 997). Abu Nasr was fond of learning, and his court was visited by many scholars, whom he patronized. He also had a young son named Shah Muhammad. When his son became an adult, Abu Nasr abdicated in favor of him, and began completely focusing on increasing his knowledge. However, in 994, the Simjurid rebel Abu 'Ali Simjuri, whose family's power had grown strong, invaded Gharchistan, thus forcing Abu Nasr Muhammad and his son Shah Muhammad to flee from their homeland to a fortress, where they fortified themselves. Luckily for the Shar family, the

Ghaznavid The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus to the Indus Va ...

prince

Sabuktigin Abu Mansur Nasir ad-Din wa'd-Dawla Sabuktigin (; 940s – August-September 997) was the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty, and amir of Ghazna from 977 to 997. Sabuktigin was a Turkic slave who was bought by Alp-Tegin, the commander of the r ...

, who was a Samanid vassal, shortly attacked Abu 'Ali, and managed to repel the latter to Gurgan, thus giving the Shars the opportunity to reconquer their homeland. However, in 998, the Ghaznavids under Mahmud had grown so powerful that they declared independence from the Samanids, and soon began subduing the vassal states of the Samanids, including Gharchistan. In 1012, Mahmud used Shah Muhammad's bad behavior as an excuse to invade his domains in 1012. Abu Nasr did not resist the invasion, and quickly surrendered to the Ghaznavid troops, while Shah Muhammad chose to fight the Ghaznavid troops, but was defeated and captured. While Shah Muhammad was treated badly during his captivity, Abu Nasr was treated with respect and was honored. Mahmud's vizier Ahmad Maymandi also greatly honored him, and even tried to protect him. Abu Nasr later died in 1015 or 1016, but his family is some decades later mentioned as serving the

Ghurids The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; ; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty of eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the 8th-century in the region of Ghor, and became an Empire from 1175 to 1215. The G ...

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Nasr Muhammad 1010s deaths 10th-century births 11th-century Iranian people 10th-century Iranian people 10th-century monarchs in Asia