Mohammad ibn Ba'ith
Encyclopedia
Muhammad ibn Ba'ith ibn Halbas (Muhammad the son of Ba'ith the son of Halbas) (circa early 9th century) also known as Ibn Ba'ith (Son of Ba'ith) was an Arab governor of Marand
during the Abbassid caliphate. After the Arab conquest of Iran
, Halbas (his grandfather), who was a mercenary took Marand
. Muhammad ibn Ba'ith built castles in Marand
and eventually took Tabriz
(815 AD) and Shahi (a place near lake Urmia). He started in good terms with the Khurramite
movement of Babak, but later joined the Caliph against the Khurramites
by capturing one of Babak's generals. However, his relationship with the Abbassids did not last long and he was imprisoned under the Caliphate of
Mutawwakil
. Ibn Khurdabih who wrote in 848 AD mentions that Marand
as being Muhammad ibn Ba'iths fiefdom. The historian Tabari retells a very graphic expedition sent against the town. Tabari states that there were walls which enclosed Marand, and its Garden's was a Farsang
in circumference. The forest outside of the town gave the town of Marand further protection. Ibn Ba'ith had collected some 2200 adventurers reinfornced by a number of non-Arab Iranian elements. But this was not enough and he was seized in around 849-850 AD by the forces of the Abbassid caliphate. When he was taken to the court of Mutawwakil (the Abbassid Caliphate), Mutawwakil ordered Ibn Ba'ith to be beheaded. However, Ibn Ba'it recited some Arabic poetry
and Mutawwakil
was amazed by his poetic gifts. Subsequently he was only imprisoned and he died in prison.
Ibn Ba'ith was also considerably Iranicized and the elders of Maragha praised his bravery and quoted his Persian poetry. His Persian poetry also is an evidence of the existence of the cultivation of poetry in Persian in northwest Iran (Azerbaijan) at the beginning of the 9th century.
Marand
Marand is a city in and the capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 114,165, in 29,755 families....
during the Abbassid caliphate. After the Arab conquest of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Halbas (his grandfather), who was a mercenary took Marand
Marand
Marand is a city in and the capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 114,165, in 29,755 families....
. Muhammad ibn Ba'ith built castles in Marand
Marand
Marand is a city in and the capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 114,165, in 29,755 families....
and eventually took Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
(815 AD) and Shahi (a place near lake Urmia). He started in good terms with the Khurramite
Babak Khorramdin
Bābak Khorram-Din was one of the main Persian revolutionary leaders of the Iranian Khorram-Dinān , which was a local freedom movement fighting the Abbasid Caliphate. Khorramdin appears to be a compound analogous to dorustdin and Behdin "Good Religion" , and are considered an offshoot of...
movement of Babak, but later joined the Caliph against the Khurramites
Khurramites
The Khurramites were an Iranian religious and political movement with its roots in the movement founded by Mazdak. An alternative name for the movement is the Muḥammira "Red-Wearing Ones" , a reference to their symbolic red dress.-Origins and History:The sect was founded by the Persian cleric...
by capturing one of Babak's generals. However, his relationship with the Abbassids did not last long and he was imprisoned under the Caliphate of
Mutawwakil
Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil ʻAlā Allāh Jaʻfar ibn al-Muʻtasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861...
. Ibn Khurdabih who wrote in 848 AD mentions that Marand
Marand
Marand is a city in and the capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 114,165, in 29,755 families....
as being Muhammad ibn Ba'iths fiefdom. The historian Tabari retells a very graphic expedition sent against the town. Tabari states that there were walls which enclosed Marand, and its Garden's was a Farsang
Parasang
The parasang is a historical Iranian unit of itinerant distance comparable to the European league.In antiquity, the term was used throughout much of the Middle East, and the Old Iranian language from which it derives can no longer be determined...
in circumference. The forest outside of the town gave the town of Marand further protection. Ibn Ba'ith had collected some 2200 adventurers reinfornced by a number of non-Arab Iranian elements. But this was not enough and he was seized in around 849-850 AD by the forces of the Abbassid caliphate. When he was taken to the court of Mutawwakil (the Abbassid Caliphate), Mutawwakil ordered Ibn Ba'ith to be beheaded. However, Ibn Ba'it recited some Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present knowledge of poetry in Arabic dates from the 6th century, but oral poetry is believed to predate that. Arabic poetry is categorized into two main types, rhymed, or measured, and prose, with the former greatly preceding the latter...
and Mutawwakil
Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil ʻAlā Allāh Jaʻfar ibn al-Muʻtasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861...
was amazed by his poetic gifts. Subsequently he was only imprisoned and he died in prison.
Ibn Ba'ith was also considerably Iranicized and the elders of Maragha praised his bravery and quoted his Persian poetry. His Persian poetry also is an evidence of the existence of the cultivation of poetry in Persian in northwest Iran (Azerbaijan) at the beginning of the 9th century.