Nasir al - Dawla Abu Muhammad al - Hasan ibn Abu ' l - Hayja ' Abdallah ibn Hamdan Nasir al - Dawla al - Taghlibi ( ; died 968 or 969 ) , more commonly known simply by his " laqab " ( honorific epithet ) of Nasir al - Dawla ( " Defender of the [ Abbasid ] Dynasty " ) , was the second Hamdanid ruler of the Emirate of Mosul , encompassing most of the Jazira . As the senior member of the Hamdanid dynasty , he inherited the family power base around Mosul from his father , and was able to secure it against challenges by his uncles . Hasan became involved in the court intrigues of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad , and , between 942 and 943 , he , with the assistance of his brother Ali ( known as Sayf al - Dawla ) , established himself as " amir al - umara " , or " de facto " regent for the Abbasid caliph . He was driven back to Mosul by Turkish troops , however , and subsequent attempts to challenge the Buyids who seized control of Baghdad and lower Iraq ended in repeated failure . Twice , his capital Mosul was captured by Buyid forces , which were , however , unable to defeat local opposition to their rule . As a result of his failures to retain power , Nasir al - Dawla declined in influence and prestige . He was eclipsed by the actions of his brother Ali , who established his rule more firmly over Aleppo and northern Syria . After 964 , Nasir al - Dawla ' s eldest son Abu Taghlib exercised " de facto " rule over his domains , and in 967 , Abu Taghlib and his brothers deposed and imprisoned their father , who died in captivity a year or two later . Life . Origin and family . Nasir al - Dawla was born al - Hasan ibn Abdallah , the eldest son of Abu ' l - Hayja Abdallah ibn Hamdan ( died 929 ) , son of Hamdan ibn Hamdun ibn al - Harith , who gave his name to the Hamdanid dynasty . The Hamdanids were a branch of the Banu Taghlib , an Arab tribe resident in the area of the Jazira ( Upper Mesopotamia ) since pre - Islamic times . The Taghlibs had traditionally controlled Mosul and its region until the late 9th century , when the Abbasid government tried to impose firmer control over the province . Hamdan ibn Hamdun was one of the most determined Taghlibi leaders in opposing this move . Notably , in his effort to fend off the Abbasids , he secured the alliance of the Kurds living in the mountains north of Mosul , a fact which would be of considerable importance in his family ' s later fortunes . Family members intermarried with Kurds , who were also prominent in the Hamdanid military . Hamdan ' s possessions were captured in 895 by the Abbasid Caliph al - Mu ' tadid , and Hamdan himself was forced to surrender near Mosul after a long chase . He was put in prison , but his son Husayn ibn Hamdan , who had surrendered the fortress of Ardumusht to the Caliph ' s forces , managed to secure the family ' s future . He raised troops among the Taghlib in exchange for tax remissions , and established a commanding influence in the Jazira by acting as a mediator between the Abbasid authorities and the Arab and Kurdish population . It was this strong local base which allowed the family to survive its often strained relationship with the central Abbasid government in Baghdad during the early 10th century . Husayn was a successful general , distinguishing himself against the Kharijites and the Tulunids , but was disgraced after supporting the failed usurpation of Ibn al - Mu ' tazz in 908 . His younger brother Ibrahim was governor of Diyar Rabi ' a ( the province around Nasibin ) in 919 and after his death in the next year he was succeeded by another brother , Dawud . Hasan ' s father Abdallah served as emir ( governor ) of Mosul in 905 / 6 – 913 / 4 , was repeatedly disgraced and rehabilitated as the political situation changed in Baghad , until re - assuming control of Mosul in 925 / 6 . Enjoying firm relations with the powerful commander of the caliphal army , Mu ' nis al - Khadim , in 929 he played a leading role in the short - lived usurpation of Al - Qahir ( who would later reign as caliph in 932 – 934 ) against Al - Muqtadir ( r . 908 – 932 ) , and was killed during its suppression . According to the researcher Marius Canard , Abdallah established himself as the most prominent member of the first generation of the Hamdanid dynasty , and was essentially the founder of the Hamdanid Emirate of Mosul . Consolidation of control over the Jazira . During his absence in Baghdad in his final years from 920 / 921 on , Abdallah relegated authority over Mosul to Hasan . After Abdallah ' s death , however , al - Muqtadir took the opportunity to avenge himself upon the Hamdanids , and appointed an unrelated governor over Mosul , while Abdallah ' s domains were divided among his surviving brothers . Faced with the claims of his uncles , Hasan was left in charge of a small portion , on the left bank of the Tigris . In 930 , after the caliph ' s governor died , Hasan managed to regain control over Mosul , but his uncles Nasr and Sa ' id soon removed him from power and confined him to the western parts of the Diyar Rabi ' a . In 934 , Hasan again recovered Mosul , but Sa ' id , residing in Baghdad and supported by the caliphal government , evicted him again . Hasan fled to Armenia , from where he orchestrated Sa ' id ' s murder . Only then did his troops occupy Mosul and establish him permanently as its ruler . Finally , after defeating caliphal forces under the " wazir " Ibn Muqla and the Banu Habib , his rivals among the Taghlib , in late 935 the Caliph al - Radi was forced to formally recognize him as governor of Mosul and the entire Jazira , in exchange for an annual tribute of 70 , 000 gold dinar s and supplies of flour for the two caliphal capitals of Baghdad and Samarra . Resistance to Hasan ' s rule outside of his family ' s core region around Mosul remained , however — in Diyar Bakr , the governor of Mayyafariqin , Ali ibn Ja ' far , rebelled against Hasan , and in Diyar Mudar , the Qays i tribes of the region around Saruj also revolted . Hasan subdued them and secured control over the entire Jazira by the end of 936 , due to the efforts of his brother Ali , who was given the governorship of the two provinces as a reward . In the meantime , the defeated Banu Habib , some 10 , 000 strong and under the leadership of al - Ala ibn al - Mu ' ammar , left their lands and fled to territory controlled by the Byzantine Empire . This unprecedented move may be explained by the fact that a significant portion of the tribe still practised Christianity , or by pressure upon their grazing lands by tribes from the south , but the primary goal of the move was to escape from Hamdanid authority and taxation . Hasan also attempted to extend his control to Sajid - ruled Azerbaijan in 934 and 938 , but his efforts failed . Struggle for control of the Caliphate . While he tried to consolidate his rule over Mosul , Hasan showed himself conspicuously loyal to the Abbasid regime , and refused to support the revolt of Mu ' nis al - Khadim against the Caliph al - Muqtadir in 932 . Mu ' nis succeeded in overthrowing and killing al - Muqtadir , but over the next few years the Abbasid government all but collapsed , until in 936 the powerful governor of Wasit , Muhammad ibn Ra ' iq , assumed the title of " amir al - umara " ( " commander of commanders " ) and with it " de facto " control of the Abbasid government . The Caliph al - Radi was reduced to a figurehead role , while the extensive civil bureaucracy was cut down dramatically both in size and power . Ibn Ra ' iq ' s position was anything but secure , however , and soon a convoluted struggle for control of his office , and the Caliphate with it , broke out among the various local rulers and the Turkish and Daylamite military chiefs , which ended in 946 with the ultimate victory of the Buyids . Thus , in the late 930s , Hasan , encouraged by his control over a large and rich domain , entered the intrigues of the Abbasid court , and became one of the main contenders for the title of " amir al - umara " . At first , Hasan tried to exploit the weakness of the Abbasid government to withhold his payment of tribute , but the Turk Bajkam , who had ousted Ibn Ra ' iq in 938 , quickly forced him to back down . Hasan then supported Ibn Ra ' iq in the latter ' s quest to regain his lost position . Bajkam tried to forcefully evict Hasan from his Jaziran domains , but in vain , and was eventually killed in a skirmish with Kurdish brigands in early 941 . Hasan ' s great chance came in early 942 , when the Caliph al - Muttaqi ( r . 940 – 944 ) and his closest aides fled Baghdad to escape the city ' s imminent fall to the Barids of Basra and sought refuge at Mosul . Hasan now made a direct bid for power : he had Ibn Ra ' iq assassinated and succeeded him as " amir al - umara " , receiving the honorific " laqab " of " Nasir al - Dawla " ( " Defender of the Dynasty " ) . He then escorted the Caliph back to Baghdad , which they entered on 4 June 942 . To secure his position further , Nasir al - Dawla married his daughter to the Caliph ' s son . Along with their cousin , Husayn ibn Sa ' id , Nasir al - Dawla ' s brother Ali was instrumental in the Hamdanid enterprise , taking the field against the Baridis , who still controlled the rich province of Basra and were determined to regain Baghdad . After scoring a victory over them , Ali was awarded the " laqab " of " Sayf al - Dawla " ( " Sword of the Dynasty " ) , by which he became famous . This double award marked the first time that a " laqab " incorporating the prestigious element " Dawla " were granted to anyone other than the " wazir " , the Caliphate ' s chief minister , and was a symbolic affirmation of the military ' s predominance over the civil bureaucracy . The Hamdanids ' success and rule over the Abbasid capital lasted for little more than a year . They lacked funds and were politically isolated , finding little support among the Caliphate ' s most powerful vassals , the Samanids of Transoxiana and the Ikhshidids of Egypt . Consequently , when in late 943 a mutiny broke out among their troops ( mostly composed of Turks , Daylamites , Carmathians and only a few Arabs ) over pay issues , under the leadership of the Turkish general Tuzun , they were forced to quit Baghdad and return to their base , Mosul . Caliph al - Muttaqi now appointed Tuzun as " amir al - umara " , but the Turk ' s overbearing manner induced al - Muttaqi to once again seek refuge in the Hamdanid court . The Hamdanid forces under Sayf al - Dawla took the field against Tuzun ' s army , but were defeated . The Hamdanids now concluded an agreement with Tuzun which allowed them to keep the Jazira and even gave them nominal authority over northern Syria ( which at the time was not under Hamdanid control ) , in exchange for an annual tribute of 3 . 6 million " dirham s " . In the meantime , the Caliph was brought to al - Raqqah for greater safety , while Husayn ibn Sa ' id tried to secure control over northern Syria and pre - empt Egypt ' s ruler al - Ikhshid taking control of the region . The attempt failed , as al - Ikhshid himself advanced into Syria , took Aleppo and marched to Raqqah , where he met the Caliph . Al - Ikhshid tried to persuade al - Muttaqi to come to Egypt under his protection , but the Caliph refused , and al - Ikhsid returned to Egypt . Instead , al - Muttaqi , persuaded by Tuzun ' s assurances of loyalty and safety , returned to Baghdad , where Tuzun deposed and blinded him , replacing him with Al - Mustakfi ( r . 944 – 946 ) . At the news of this crime , Nasir al - Dawla again refused payment of tribute , but Tuzun marched against him and forced his compliance . Henceforth , Nasir al - Dawla would be tributary to Baghdad , but he would find it difficult to resign himself to his loss of power over the city he once ruled , and the subsequent years would feature several attempts to regain it . Wars with the Buyids . In late 945 , Tuzun died . His death weakened the Abbasid government ' s ability to maintain its independence against the rising power of the Buyids , who under Ahmad ibn Buya had already consolidated control over Fars and Kerman , and secured the cooperation of the Barids . Al - Mustakfi ' s secretary , Ibn Shirzad , tried to confront the Buyids by calling upon Nasir al - Dawla , but Ahmad advanced on Baghdad with his troops , and in January 946 he obtained his appointment as " amir al - umara " with the honorific " Mu ' izz al - Dawla " ( " Strengthener of the State " ) . To secure their position , the Buyids immediately marched against the Hamdanids . Nasir al - Dawla countered by marching down the eastern bank of the Tigris river and blockading Baghdad . In the end , however , the Buyids defeated the Hamdanids in battle and forced Nasir al - Dawla to retire to Ukbara . From there , Nasir al - Dawla began negotiations with the Buyids , aiming to secure recognition of Hamdanid control over the Jazira , Syria and even Egypt as tributaries of the Caliphate , with the boundary between Buyid and Hamdanid spheres placed at Tikrit . Negotiations were disrupted by a rebellion among the Hamdanids ' Turkish troops , but Mu ' izz al - Dawla , who for the moment preferred a stable Hamdanid state to anarchy on his northern border , helped Nasir al - Dawla suppress it . The peace was agreed on the terms outlined above , and was affirmed by one of Nasir al - Dawla ' s sons being taken as a hostage to Baghdad . Conflict between the two rivals was renewed in 948 , when Mu ' izz al - Dawla again marched against Mosul , but was forced to cut off his campaign to assist his brother Rukn al - Dawla , who was having trouble in Persia . In exchange , Nasir al - Dawla agreed to recommence the payment of tribute for the Jazira and Syria , as well as to add the names of the three Buyid brothers after that of the Caliph in the Friday prayer . Another round of warfare erupted in 956 – 958 . While the Buyids were preoccupied with the rebellion of their Daylamite troops under Rezbahan ibn Vindadh - Khursid in southern Iraq , Nasir al - Dawla the opportunity to advance south and capture Baghdad . After the suppression of the Daylamite revolt , however , the Hamdanids were not able to maintain their position in the face of the Buiyd counteroffensive , and abandoned the city . Peace was renewed in exchange for the recommencement of tribute and an additional indemnity , but when Nasir al - Dawla refused to send the second year ' s payment , the Buyid ruler advanced north . Unable to confront the Buyid army in the field , Nasir al - Dawla abandoned Mosul and fled to Mayyafariqin and then to his brother Sayf al - Dawla in Aleppo . The Buyids captured Mosul and Nasibin , but the Hamdanids and their supporters withdrew to their home territory in the mountains of the north , taking with them their treasures as well as all government records and tax registers . As a result , the Buyid army was unable to support itself in the conquered territory , all the more since the predominantly Daylamite troops were resented by the local people , who launched guerrilla attacks on them . Sayf al - Dawla tried to mediate with Mu ' izz al - Dawla , but his first approaches were rebuffed . Only when he agreed to assume the burden of paying his brother ' s tribute for the entire Diyar Rabi ' a , did the Buyid ruler agree to peace . This agreement marks the reversal of roles between the two Hamdanid brothers , and the establishment of the predominance of the family ' s Syrian branch . In 964 , Nasir al - Dawla tried to renegotiate the terms of the arrangement , but also to secure Buyid recognition for his eldest son , Fadl Allah Abu Taghlib al - Ghadanfar , as his successor . Mu ' izz al - Dawla refused Nasir al - Dawla ' s demands , and again invaded Hamdanid territory . Once again Mosul and Nasibin were captured , while the Hamdanids fled to the mountain fortresses . As in 958 , the Buyids were unable to maintain themselves for long in the Jazira , and soon an agreement was reached which allowed the Hamdanids to return to Mosul . This time , however , Abu Taghlib emerged as the effective leader in his father ' s place , as Mui ' zz al - Dawla concluded a treaty with him and not the aged Nasir al - Dawla . The end of Nasir al - Dawla ' s rule came in 967 , in the same year that saw the deaths of his brother Sayf al - Dawla and his great rival Mu ' izz al - Dawla . Nasir al - Dawla was reportedly so much affected by his brother ' s death that he lost interest in life and became remote and avaricious . In the end , Abu Taghlib , already the " de facto " governor of the emirate , deposed him with the aid of his Kurdish mother , Fatima bint Ahmad . Nasir al - Dawla tried to counter them by turning to one of his other sons , Hamdan , but he was seized and imprisoned in the fortress of Ardumusht , where he died in 968 or 969 . Domestic policies . Nasir al - Dawla was heavily criticized by contemporaries for his oppressive fiscal policies and the suffering they caused among the population . The traveller Ibn Hawqal , who visited Nasir al - Dawla ' s domains , reports in length on his seizure of private land in the most fertile regions of the Jazira , on flimsy legal charges , until he became the greatest landowner in his province . This was linked with the practice of a monoculture of cereals , destined to feed the growing population of Baghdad , and coupled with heavy taxation , so that Sayf al - Dawla and Nasir al - Dawla are said to have become the wealthiest princes in the Muslim world . Nevertheless , the Hamdanid administrative machinery seems to have been fairly rudimentary , and the tribute paid to the Buyids — estimated at somewhere between two and four million " dirhams " , when it was paid at all — was a heavy burden on the treasury .