Salih ibn Mirdas
Encyclopedia
Asad al-Daula Salih ibn Mirdas (died 1029) was the first Mirdasid amir of Aleppo
, from 1024 until his death. He established a dynasty that would more or less continuously rule Aleppo for more than five decades.
for several centuries. Salih is first recorded in 1009 as being the amir of Rahba. Between 1009 and 1012 the Kilab participated in the struggles between Mansur b. Lu'lu, a Fatimid
loyalist who ruled Aleppo, the Fatimids, and the Kurdish
Marwanids for control of the region. When the Kilab demanded from Mansur b. Lu'lu several pasture lands, he invited the Arabs to a feast. After the Arabs had become drunk, he had many killed and imprisoned the rest. Salih b. Mirdas was one of the prisoners. In 1014 he escaped and raised an army. He defeated and captured Mansur.
Salih managed to extract a promise from Mansur to return his wife, whom Mansur had seized, along with one of his daughters, a large ransom, and to give half of the revenues of Aleppo to the Kilab. After being released, Mansur did not fulfill all of his promises to the Arabs, causing them to lay waste to the lands around Aleppo. After becoming suspicious of the governor of the Aleppo citadel
, Fath al-Kal'i, Mansur decided to flee to the Byzantine Empire
.
Fath, having become the ruler of Aleppo, was advised by Salih b. Mirdas to honor the promises made by Mansur to the Kalib. Salih also became friendly with the Byzantines. The Fatimids, however, convinced Fath to give up Aleppo to them in 1017. 'Aziz al-Daula Fatik was sent to govern the city, but he quickly established his autonomy from Cairo
and recognized Kalib control over northern Syria. The Fatimids disapproved of Fatik's level of independence and had him assassinated in 1022.
In an effort to prevent the Fatimids from establishing direct control of the region, Salih b. Mirdas formed an alliance with several Arab tribes and entered Aleppo in 1024. Leaving a force behind to besiege the citadel, (which the Fatimid garrison managed to hold until 1025), he met up with his Arab allies and sent them to attack Damascus
and Ramla
. Although the Fatimids managed to defend these cities, Salih b. Mirdas still ended up as the master of northern and central Syria.
Salih's reign after taking Aleppo only lasted for five years. His Arab allies in southern Syria appealed to him to defend them against the Fatimid governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari. The combined Arab forces were defeated by al-Duzbari on the eastern shore of Lake Tiberias in May 1029; Salih, one of his sons and his vizier were killed. Two other sons of Salih's, Shibl al-Daula Nasr
and Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal
, succeeded him.
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, from 1024 until his death. He established a dynasty that would more or less continuously rule Aleppo for more than five decades.
Life
Salih and the Mirdasids originated as members of the Banu Kilab, which had been present in northern SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
for several centuries. Salih is first recorded in 1009 as being the amir of Rahba. Between 1009 and 1012 the Kilab participated in the struggles between Mansur b. Lu'lu, a Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
loyalist who ruled Aleppo, the Fatimids, and the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
Marwanids for control of the region. When the Kilab demanded from Mansur b. Lu'lu several pasture lands, he invited the Arabs to a feast. After the Arabs had become drunk, he had many killed and imprisoned the rest. Salih b. Mirdas was one of the prisoners. In 1014 he escaped and raised an army. He defeated and captured Mansur.
Salih managed to extract a promise from Mansur to return his wife, whom Mansur had seized, along with one of his daughters, a large ransom, and to give half of the revenues of Aleppo to the Kilab. After being released, Mansur did not fulfill all of his promises to the Arabs, causing them to lay waste to the lands around Aleppo. After becoming suspicious of the governor of the Aleppo citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
, Fath al-Kal'i, Mansur decided to flee to the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
Fath, having become the ruler of Aleppo, was advised by Salih b. Mirdas to honor the promises made by Mansur to the Kalib. Salih also became friendly with the Byzantines. The Fatimids, however, convinced Fath to give up Aleppo to them in 1017. 'Aziz al-Daula Fatik was sent to govern the city, but he quickly established his autonomy from Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and recognized Kalib control over northern Syria. The Fatimids disapproved of Fatik's level of independence and had him assassinated in 1022.
In an effort to prevent the Fatimids from establishing direct control of the region, Salih b. Mirdas formed an alliance with several Arab tribes and entered Aleppo in 1024. Leaving a force behind to besiege the citadel, (which the Fatimid garrison managed to hold until 1025), he met up with his Arab allies and sent them to attack Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
and Ramla
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
. Although the Fatimids managed to defend these cities, Salih b. Mirdas still ended up as the master of northern and central Syria.
Salih's reign after taking Aleppo only lasted for five years. His Arab allies in southern Syria appealed to him to defend them against the Fatimid governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari. The combined Arab forces were defeated by al-Duzbari on the eastern shore of Lake Tiberias in May 1029; Salih, one of his sons and his vizier were killed. Two other sons of Salih's, Shibl al-Daula Nasr
Shibl al-Daula Nasr
Shibl al-Daula Nasr was the Mirdasid amir of Aleppo from 1029 until his death. He was the son of Salih ibn Mirdas.-Life:After their father was killed in battle against the Fatimid governor of Damascus, al-Duzbari, Nasr and his brother Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal shared power. They collected their...
and Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal
Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal
Mu'izz al-Daula Thimal was the Mirdasid amir of Aleppo from 1042 until 1057, and again from 1061 until his death. He was the son of Salih ibn Mirdas.-First Reign:...
, succeeded him.