Buyid dynasty The Buyid dynasty or the Buyids ( " Āl - e Buye " ) , also known as Buwaihids , Bowayhids , Buyahids , or Buyyids , were a Shī ‘ ah dynasty of Daylimite or Kurdish origin from Daylaman in Gilan . They founded a confederation that controlled most of modern - day Iran and Iraq in the 10th and 11th centuries . During the 10th and 11th centuries , just prior to the invasion of the Seljuq Turks , the Buyids were the most influential dynasty in the Middle East . History . The founders of the Būyid confederation were ‘ Alī ibn Būyah and his two younger brothers , al - Hassan and Aḥmad . Originally a soldier in the service of the Ziyārīds of Ṭabaristān , ‘ Alī was able to recruit an army to defeat a Turkish general from Baghdad named Yaqut in 934 . Over the next nine years the three brothers gained control of the remainder of the ' Abbāsid Caliphate . While they accepted the titular authority of the caliph in Baghdad , the Būyid rulers assumed effective control of the state . The first several decades of the Būyid confederation were characterized by large territorial gains . In addition to Fars and Jibal , which were conquered in the 930s , and central Iraq , which submitted in 945 , the Būyids took Ray ( 943 ) , Kermān ( 967 ) , Oman ( 967 ) , the Jazīra ( 979 ) , Ṭabaristān ( 980 ) , and Gorgan ( 981 ) . After this , however , the Būyids went into a slow decline , with pieces of the confederation gradually breaking off and local dynasties under their rule becoming " de facto " independent . The approximate century of Būyid rule , coupled with the rise of other Iranian dynasties in the region , represents a period in Iranian history sometimes called the ' Iranian Intermezzo ' since it was an interlude between the rule of the ' Abbāsid Arabs and the Seljuq Turks . Indeed , as Dailamite Iranians the Būyids consciously revived symbols and practices of Persia ' s Sassānid dynasty . In fact , beginning with ' Adud al - Dawla they used the ancient Sassānid title Shāhanshāh ( ) , literally " king of kings " . The Buyid confederation was split between and governed by multiple members of the dynasty . In 945 , " Amir " Mu ' izz al - Dawla seized Baghdad and gained nominal control over the caliphs . The title used by the Buyid rulers was " amīr " , meaning " governor " or " prince " . Generally one of the amīrs would be recognized as having seniority over the others ; this individual would use the title of " amīr al - umarā ' " , or senior " amīr " . Although the senior " amīr " was the formal head of the Būyids , he did not usually have any significant control outside of his own personal amirate ; each amir enjoyed a high degree of autonomy within his own territories . As mentioned above , some of the stronger " amīrs " used the Sassanid title of " Shāhanshāh " . Succession of power was hereditary , with fathers dividing their land among their sons . The Būyid army consisted of their fellow Dailamite Iranians , who served as foot soldiers , and of the Turkish cavalry that had played a prominent role in the ' Abbāsid military . The Dailamites and Turks often quarreled with each other in an attempt to be the dominant force within the army . To compensate their soldiers the Būyid amīrs often distributed " iqtā " ' s , or the rights to a percentage of tax revenues from a province , although the practice of payment in kind was also frequently used . Like most Daylamites at the time , the Būyids were originally Zaydī or Fiver Shī ' as . After taking power in Iran and Iraq , however , they began to lean closer to Twelver Shī ' ism , possibly due to political considerations . In fact , the Būyids rarely attempted to enforce a particular religious view upon their subjects except when in matters where it would be politically expedient . The Sunnī ' Abbāsids retained the caliphate , although they were deprived of all secular power . In addition , in order to prevent tensions between the Shī ' a and Sunni from spreading to government agencies , the Būyid amirs occasionally appointed Christians to high offices instead of Muslims from either sect . The Fall . During the mid - 11th century , the Buyid amirates gradually fell to the Ghaznavid and Seljuq Turks . In 1029 , Majd al - Dawla , who was facing an uprising by his Dailami troops in Ray , requested assistance from Mahmud of Ghazna . When Sultan Mahmud arrived , he deposed Majd al - Dawla , replaced him with a Ghaznavid governor and ended the Buyid dynasty in Ray . In 1055 , Tughrul conquered Baghdad , the seat of the caliphate , and ousted the last of the Buyid rulers . Like the Buyids , the Seljuqs kept the Abbasid caliphate as the titular ruler . Religion . Buyids were Shia and have been called Twelver Shia . However , it is more likely that they began as Zaydi Shia ' . As the reason of this turning from Zaydis to Twelver Moojen Momen suggests that since the Buyids were not descendants of Ali , the first Shia Imam , Zaydis Shi ' ism doctrine would have urged them to install an Imam from Ali ' s family . For that reason Buyids tended toward Twelver Shia ' which its occulted Imam was more politically attractive to them . Buyid rulers . Major rulers . Generally , the three most powerful Buyid amirs at any given time were those in control of Fars , Jibal and Iraq . Sometimes a ruler would come to rule more than one region , but no Buyid rulers ever exercised direct control of all three regions . Daylamids of Fars " Power in Fars seized by the Shabankara Kurdish Chief Fadluya Daylamids of Rey " To the Ghaznavids . " Daylamids of Iraq " To the Seljuqs . " Minor rulers . It was not uncommon for younger sons to found collateral lines , or for individual Buyid members to take control of a province and begin ruling there . The following list is incomplete . Buyids of Basra " To the Buyids of Fars . " Buyids of Hamadan " To the Kakuyids . " Buyids of Kerman " To the Buyids of Fars . " Buyids of Khuzistan " To the Buyids of Fars . " [ 6 ] The Buyid Domination as the Historical Background for the Flourishing of Muslim Scholarship During the 4th / 10th Century by Dr . M . Ismail Marcinkowski * References . Another excellent discussion of the Buyids is Harvard professor Roy Mottahedeh ' s " Loyalty and Leadership in an Early Islamic Society "