'Adud al-Dawla
In 977, as Bakhtiyar found himself driven from Baghdad by the ambitious 'Adud al-Dawla, he turned again to the Hamdanids for aid. Abu Taghlib agreed to support him in exchange for the handing over of Hamdan, who was promptly executed. Although this secured Abu Taghlib's position in his family, it also brought him to the attention of 'Adud al-Dawla. In May 978, Bakhtiyar and Abu Taghlib were defeated in a battle near Samarra by 'Adud al-Dawla. Bakhtiyar himself was captured and executed at the orders of 'Adud al-Dawla, who then advanced on Mosul. Unlike earlier Buyid expeditions against the Hamdanids, that had failed chiefly because they were unable to sustain themselves in the Jazira, this was far better organized, as 'Adud al-Dawla brought along experienced administrators familiar with the area. The Buyids took Mosul and forced Abu Taghlib to flee to Mayyafariqin and then to the mountains of Armenia; while the Buyids laid siege to Mayyafariqin, he even visited Skleros in Byzantine territory in Anzitene, trying to secure his assistance, but in vain, for Skleros too was hard-pressed by the loyalist general Bardas Phokas. After the fall of Mayyafariqin in 978, Abu Taghlib fled to Rahba, from where he tried in vain to negotiate with 'Adud al-Dawla.