The Kaysite dynasty () was a

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

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 ...

dynasty that ruled an emirate centered in

Manzikert Malazgirt (; ; ), historically known as Manzikert (), is a town in Muş Province in Turkey. It is the seat of Malazgirt District.Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

after the collapse of the ''ostikan''ate of Arminiya in the late 9th century.

Origin

The Kaysites were members of the Hejazi

Banu Sulaym The Banu Sulaym () is an Arab tribe that dominated part of the Hejaz in the pre-Islamic era. They maintained close ties with the Quraysh of Mecca and the inhabitants of Medina, and fought in a number of battles against the Islamic prophet Muha ...

tribe, which had settled in the

Jazira Jazira, al-Jazira, Jazeera, al-Jazeera, etc. are all transcriptions of Arabic language, Arabic meaning "the island" or "the peninsula". The term may refer to: Business *Jazeera Airways, an airlines company based in Kuwait Locations * Al-Jazir ...

after the Muslim conquest. By the reign of the

Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...

Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

Harun al-Rashid Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn ibn Muḥammad ar-Rāshīd (), or simply Hārūn ibn al-Mahdī (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Hārūn al-Rāshīd (), was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, reigning from September 786 unti ...

(786–809) the Sulaym which were based in

Upper Mesopotamia Upper Mesopotamia constitutes the Upland and lowland, uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq, northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey, in the northern Middle East. Since the early Muslim conquests of the mid-7th century, the regio ...

had probably advanced into the region around

Lake Van Lake Van (; ; ) is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey in the provinces of Van Province, Van and Bitlis Province, Bitlis, in the Armenian highlands. It is a Salt lake, saline Soda lake, soda lake, receiv ...

. Manzikert and the surrounding regions, however, weren't in Arab hands until the rebellion of the Armenians against the Arab ''

ostikan ''Ostikan'' () was the title used by Armenians for the governors of the early Caliphates. In modern historiography, it is chiefly used for the caliphal governors of the province of Arminiya, which included Greater Armenia. Arab governors of Arm ...

'' (governor) in 850. This rebellion prompted the caliph

al-Mutawakkil Ja'far ibn al-Mu'tasim, Muḥammad ibn Harun al-Rashid, Hārūn al-Mutawakkil ʿalā Allāh (); March 82211 December 861, commonly known by his laqab, regnal name al-Mutawwakil ala Allah (), was the tenth Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid caliph, rul ...

(842–861) to send the Turkic general

Bugha al-Kabir Bugha al-Kabir (), also known as Bugha al-Turki (), was a 9th-century Khazar general who served the Abbasid Caliphate. Biography He was of Khazar origin, and was acquired along with his sons as a military slave ('' ghulam'') by al-Mu'tasim i ...

into Armenia with an army. Bugha defeated the leading princes of Armenia and took several prisoner, before departing the country in 855. His defeat of the Armenian princes had enabled the Sulaym Arabs to surge into the area of Apahunik', which included the city of Manzikert. By 860 the region had fallen under the control of the first Kaysite amir, Abu'l-Ward.

Suzerains

For most their existence of the Kaysite state, the amirs recognized their stronger neighbors as suzerains, though often these declarations were only nominal and in effect the Kaysites were independent. When Abu'l-Ward took control of Apahunik', the ''ostikan''ate of Arminiya was still extant. As a result, Abu'l-Ward, as with all the other Arab and Armenian rulers in Armenia, were subject to the caliph's ''ostikans''. The ''ostikans'' served as protectors of the Kaysites, and relations between them were overall friendly. When a pan-Arab coalition led by the ''ostikans'' against the increasingly powerful Christian princes of Armenia in the late 870s was formed, Abu'l-Ward was one of its most powerful members. The ultimate failure of the coalition against the Christian Armenians foreshadowed the end of the Arminiyan ''ostikan''ate in the next decade. In place of the ''ostikans'', in 885 the caliph

al-Mu'tamid Abu’l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Al-Mutawakkil, Jaʿfar ibn al-Mu'tasim, Muḥammad ibn Harun al-Rashid, Hārūn al-Muʿtamid ʿalā’Llāh (; – 14 October 892), better known by his regnal name al-Muʿtamid ʿalā 'llāh (, 'Dependent on God'), ...

(870–892) sent a crown to the Bagratid prince Ashot I, thereby restoring the Kingdom of Armenia. This move made the Kaysites subject to Ashot, who Abu'l-Ward was on bad terms with. By the late 890s the reigns of both Ashot and Abu'l-Ward were at an end; Ashot was succeeded by his son

Smbat I Smbat I (; 850–912/14), sometimes Smbat A Martyr () was the second king of the medieval Kingdom of Armenia of the Bagratuni dynasty, and son of Ashot I. He is the father of Ashot II (known as Ashot Yerkat) and Abas I. Rule Smbat I was cro ...

(890–912) while Abu'l-Ward's three grandsons eventually assumed power. When Smbat I fell into difficulties early in his reign Abu'l-Ward's grandsons revolted against his authority but were defeated in battle. They were forced to resume paying tribute to the king and to send hostages. Smbat I was murdered by the Sajid amir of

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

in 912 and was eventually succeeded by his son

Ashot II Ashot II the Iron (; died 929) was king of Bagratid Armenia from 914 to 929. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign invasions, which Ashot fo ...

(914–928). During the civil war following Smbat's death the Kaysites ceased to recognize the suzerainty of the Bagratids. At the same time, however, the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

became active in Armenian affairs. The proximity of the Byzantines compelled the three grandsons of Abu'l-Ward to begin forwarding tribute to the Empire.Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 81 Other than the tribute, Byzantine authority over the Kaysites was restricted, although periodic raids by them into Kaysite territory are recorded. In 940 the

Hamdanid The Hamdanid dynasty () was a Shia Muslim Arab dynasty that ruled modern day Northern Mesopotamia and Syria (890–1004). They descended from the ancient Banu Taghlib tribe of Mesopotamia and Arabia. History Origin The Hamdanids hailed ...

amir

Sayf al-Daula ʿAlī ibn ʾAbū'l-Hayjāʾ ʿAbdallāh ibn Ḥamdān ibn Ḥamdūn ibn al-Ḥārith al-Taghlibī (, 22 June 916 – 8 February 967), more commonly known simply by his honorific of Sayf al-Dawla (, ), was the founder of the Emirate of Aleppo, ...

came to

Ahlat Ahlat (; ) is a town in Turkey's Bitlis Province in Eastern Anatolia Region. It is the seat of Ahlat District.Artsrunis of

Vaspurakan Vaspurakan (, Western Armenian pronunciation: ''Vasbouragan'') was the eighth province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered on Lake Van. Located in what is now southeaster ...

and the princes of Syunik. He took Ahlat from the prince of Taron and, as mentioned above, was one of the leaders of the Arab coalition formed against the Christian princes of Armenia. Even after the coalition was defeated Abu'l-Ward remained active in Armenian affairs; he convinced the Artsruni prince of Vaspurakan to seize and imprison Ashot, the prince of Taron. At the same time, Ashot I (who had not yet been crowned king) invaded Kaysite territory and besieged Manzikert but, when he heard about Ashot of Taron's fate, lifted the siege and headed to Vaspurakan to save him. Abu'l-Ward was succeeded by his son 'Abd al-Hamid, who ruled for only a short time. He was succeeded by his three sons. The eldest, Abu Sawada, received the chief city of Manzikert, as well as Koroy Jor and Hark'. The second brother, Abu'l-Aswad gained Arces, Ahlat and Arcke, while the third, Abu Salim, received territory in the northwest portion of the Kaysite lands. Relations between the brothers was amicable and, despite this division, the Kaysite state continued to function as one unified unit. It was these three brothers who unsuccessfully rebelled against Smbat I in the late 890s. During this period of joint rule the Kaysite domains were expanded, with the conquest of Berkri from the Arab Uthmanids in the early 10th century. Some time in the early 10th century the eldest brother, Abu Sawada, died and was succeeded by his son 'Abd al-Rahim. Upon 'Abd al-Rahim's death, his brother Abu'l-Mu'izz was too young to rule so Manzikert and the other lands fell into the hands of Abu'l-Aswad, ruler of Ahlat. When Abu'l-Aswad himself died, his territories were split; the lands he had inherited from 'Abd al-Rahim (including Manzikert) were taken by his remaining brother, Abu Salim, while his original possessions (centered on Ahlat) fell to his adopted son Ahmad. The Kaysite lands were now in the hands of two rulers instead of three. It was around this time that the Kaysites became Hamdanid vassals.Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 89 When Abu Salim died, his son Abu'l-Ward Iinherited his territories. Abu'l-Ward killed Ahmad and took over his possessions, thereby unifying the Kaysite lands. This took place before 952, since this was when the

Byzantine Emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...

Constantine Porphyrogenitus Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Byzantine emperor of the Macedonian dynasty, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, an ...

completed his work ''

De Administrando Imperio (; ) is a Greek-language work written by the 10th-century Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII. It is a domestic and foreign policy manual for the use of Constantine's son and successor, the Emperor Romanos II. It is a prominent example of Byz ...

'' which covers many of these events. Abu'l-Ward remained the sole ruler of the Kaysite amirate until his death. In 964 he was probably murdered by a ''ghulam'' of Sayf al-Daula named Nadja who had risen in revolt. Nadja and his two brothers ruled the Kaysite lands until Sayf al-Daula had Nadja murdered. The Hamdanid amir then led an army into Armenia, captured Nadja's brothers and secured his rule over the former territories of the Kaysites. This done, he departed from Armenia in the beginning of 966. The Kaysite lands thereby came under the rule of Sayf al-Daula.

Aspects of the Kaysite amirates

The Arabs of southwest Armenia never constituted a majority of the regional population. Most of the Muslims, who were probably (like the Kaysites) Sulaym Arabs resided in the cities. Consequentially, the Kaysite amirs rule was strongest in the cities that were under their control. Their power was much weaker in the surrounding rural areas, which generally remained under the control of local (Christian) leaders. Given that the Muslims formed a minority within the Kaysite amirate, the Armenian Christians were given a degree of autonomy when it came to dealing with their own private affairs. Although the

sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...

prevailed in the governance of Muslims, when resolving issues amongst themselves most Armenians living under the Kaysites followed the canons of the

Armenian Church Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

. In the early years of the Kaysite amirate, the T'ondrakian religious sect was active in the provinces of Apahunik' and Hark'. The T'ondrakians were opposed to both the Armenian Church and the Muslim amirs of Armenia. Abu'l-Ward considering them a threat to his rule, slaughtered a large number of them and executed their leader Smbat Zarehawanc'i. Despite this, the T'ondrakian movement survived into the 11th century and caused trouble for both Armenian ecclesiastical and Byzantine authorities. Several Kaysite cities lay on the southern of two commercial routes that traversed Armenia from east to west. The traders that passed through Armenia therefore benefited the Kaysite lands. Despite this, the cities of the Kaysites never became major urban centers. Even Manzikert, the capital, was never considered to be a very prosperous city. Militarily, the Kaysites benefited from a regular influx of ''ghazi'' warriors on their way to fight the

holy war A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war (), is a war and conflict which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion and beliefs. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent t ...

against the Byzantine Empire. These warriors would travel through Apahunik', which was controlled by the Kaysites, then make their way to

Karin Karin may refer to: *Karin (given name), a feminine name Fiction * ''Karin'' (manga) or ''Chibi Vampire'', a Japanese media franchise * Karin Hanazono, title character of the manga and anime ''Kamichama Karin'' *Karin Kokubu, a main character in ...

, a chief Muslim outpost against the Byzantines. The Kaysites often utilized these ''ghazi'' volunteers to reinforce their own army against their enemies. For example, during the revolt of Abu Sawada, Abu'l-Aswad and Abu Salim against Smbat I, the Kaysite army was supported by "Persian raiders who were making attacks on the Greeks yzantines"

Aftermath of Kaysite rule

Hamdanid rule over the former Kaysite territories did not last long. After Sayf al-Daula's death in 967 the fate of the Kaysite lands is unknown for a time, although they were probably in the hands of local rulers. In 969 a Byzantine army raided Apahunik', besieged Manzikert and razed its walls, but the Byzantines made no attempt to maintain a presence in the city. The Bagratid kings eventually gained control of the northern portion of the Kaysite realm. The Artsruni king of Vaspurakan attempted to take the remaining Kaysite lands, including Berkri, Manzikert and Ahlat, though without much success. Around this time Ahlat and Manzikert were conquered by a

Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish language ** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) **Central Kurdish (Sorani) **Southern Kurdish ** Laki Kurdish *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern ...

family, that of the Marwanids. Its leader, Badh ibn Dustak, took advantage of a civil war within the Byzantine Empire and the weakness of the Hamdanids and created a powerful principality stretching from Manzikert to

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 ...

. Badh's successes proved to be temporary, however, and when he was killed in 990 while attempting to retake Mosul the Marwanid amirate quickly shrank. Most of the former Kaysite lands in their possession were taken by the Georgian Bagrationi King David III,

Curopalates ''Kouropalatēs'', Latinized as ''curopalates'' or ''curopalata'' (, from " he one incharge of the palace"). and anglicized as curopalate, was a Byzantine court title, one of the highest from the time of Emperor Justinian I to the Komnenian peri ...

Tao The Tao or Dao is the natural way of the universe, primarily as conceived in East Asian philosophy and religion. This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. T ...

. Only Ahlat remained in the hands of the Marwanids.Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 115 David held Apahunik' until his death in 1000. As per agreement with the Byzantines, his domain was incorporated into the Empire. Manzikert henceforth remained in Byzantine hands until the coming of the

Seljuks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of th ...

in the mid-11th century.

Notes

References

* {{The Arab Emirates in Bagratid Armenia Arab dynasties 9th century in Armenia Arab–Byzantine wars 960s disestablishments Banu Sulaym 10th century in Armenia Former emirates States and territories established in the 850s