Hamdanid-Marwanid War

The **Hamdanid–Marwanid War** was a series of conflicts in the late 10th century between the Hamdanid dynasty and the Marwanid dynasty in Upper Mesopotamia. The fighting focused on control of important cities such as Mayyafariqin, Amid, and Mosul.The conflict ended with the defeat of the Hamdanids and the rise of Marwanid rule in the region, mainly due to the military successes of Badh ibn Dustak and his successors.

## Conflict
The Hamdanid-Marwanid war was not a single formal war but a series of battles and power struggles

Badh ibn Dustak seized key cities such as Mayyafariqin and Amid resisting repeated Hamdanid attempts to regain control. His growing power marked the beginning of Marwanid dominance in Diyar Bakr he seized Mayyāfāriqīn and held it with the rest of Diyār Bakr against the generals of Ṣamṣām al-Daula the Buwaihid, and against the sons of Nāṣir al-Daula the Ḥamdānid.
During the 980s, Mosul was threatened by the Kurdish chieftain Badh ibn Dustak. Left without support from Baghdad, the local Buyid governor turned to the local Arab tribes of the Banu Uqayl and the Banu Numayr for assistance. This threatened Buyid control of the area as much as the Kurds, and in 989, the new Buyid emir, Baha al-Dawla, allowed the Hamdanid brothers to return to Mosul, in the hope that their local ties would mobilize opposition against Badh, and keep the Arab tribes reined in.
In 984, he had captured Mayyafaraqin  and the whole of the  Diyarbakır area
Relationship with Regional Powers: The Hamdanids had a working relationship with the local Kurds, whereas the Buyids did not.
Defiance of the Buyids: Bādh and his tribesmen began defying the Buyids starting in 372/982.
Tactics: Kurdish forces frequently used the mountain fastnesses as a retreat when threatened by Turkish cavalry on the plains.
Territorial Control: In 374/984, the government of Ṣamṣām al-Dawla recognized Bādh's control over Diyār Bakr and western Ṭūr ‘Abdīn.
March on Mosul: In 379/990, Bādh gathered 5,000 Kurds to march on Mosul, where he was opposed by the Hamdanids Ibrāhīm and al-Ḥusayn.
Conflict with Arab Tribes: The Hamdanids recruited ‘Uqaylī and Numayrī Arab tribesmen, whose pastures were threatened by Kurdish expansion.
Death of Bādh: Although the Kurds were more numerous, the mobile Arab horsemen drove them from the northern Jazīra plains; Bādh was killed during the retreat.
Escape of al-Ḥasan: Bādh’s nephew, al-Ḥasan b. Marwān, escaped to the mountains with 500 horsemen and established himself in Mayyāfāriqīn (modern Silvan)
A Hamdanid counter-offensive followed in the region of Amida against Badh's successor, Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn Marwan, but failed to score any success. Indeed, al-Husayn was taken prisoner during the campaign, only to be released and seek refuge in the Fatimid Caliphate.In 990 Badh ibn Dustak attempted to capture Mosul a major Hamdanid stronghold. He was killed during the campaign by a coalition of Hamdanid and Uqaylid forces.After the death of his uncle Badh, the elder son of Marwan came back to Hisn-Kayfa and married the widow of the old warrior chief his uncle and first Emir of Amida Abu Shujā' Badh bin Dustak. He fought the last Hamdanid Emirs of Aleppo, confused them and took again all the fortresses. Elias related the tragic end of this prince who was killed in Amed (Diyarbakır) in 997 by insurged inhabitants. His brother, Abu Mansur Sa’id, succeeded him under the name of Mumahhid al-Dawla.

After his death, leadership passed to his nephew, Abu ʿAli al-Hasan ibn Marwan. He successfully defeated the remaining Hamdanid forces on two occasions and secured control over Mayyafariqin and Amid, firmly establishing Marwanid rule.
According to Elias of Nisibis, Abu ‘Ali al-Hasan defeated the remaining Hamdanids and retook their fortresses he was killed in Amid in 997

## Aftermath
The conflict ended with a clear Marwanid victory. The Hamdanids were expelled from Diyar Bakr and confined mainly to Mosul. Their former territories in northern Iraq were later divided between the Marwanids and the Uqaylids.

As a result, the Marwanid Emirate emerged as an independent state and became the dominant power in Diyar Bakr during the late 10th and early 11th centuries.

## References