Ibn Mulhim
Makin al-Dawla Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Mulhim al-Uqayli | |
|---|---|
| FatimidGovernor ofAleppo | |
| In office August 1058 – April 1060 | |
| Appointed by | Al-Mustansir |
| Preceded by | Mu'izz al-Dawla Thimal |
| Succeeded by | Asad al-Dawla Atiyya |
Makīn al-Dawla al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ibn Mulhim ibn Dīnār al-ʿUqaylī(Arabic:مكين الدولة الحسن بن علي بن ملهم بن دينار العقيلي) (fl.1053–1062), also known asIbn Mulhim,was aFatimidgeneral who led the Fatimid reconquest ofIfriqiyaand expeditions inSyria.He served as the governor ofAleppoin 1058–1060 and military governor ofJund al-Urdunnin 1062.
Biography
[edit]Origins
[edit]Ibn Mulhim belonged to theArabtribe ofBanu Uqayl.[1]The tribe made its own home in the Syrian steppe, fromHawranin the south to theEuphratesvalley in the north during theQarmatianperiod in the late 9th century.[2]Ibn Mulhim's grandfather, Mulhim ibn Dinar, served as a governor of theHawranandBathaniyyasubdistricts ofJund Dimashq(Damascus District) during the reign ofAbu al-Misk Kafur(r. 966–968), ruler of theEgypt-basedIkhshidid dynasty.[1]Ibn Mulhim's uncle, Abu’l-Qays Hamid ibn Mulhim later served as governor of Jund Dimashq in 1009 during the reign of the Egypt-basedFatimidcaliphal-Hakim.[1]
Military career
[edit]Ibn Mulhim entered the service of the Fatimids and was dispatched by thevizierAbu Muhammad al-Yazurito conquerIfriqiyafrom itsZiridruleral-Mu'izz ibn Badis.[3]The vizier had previously encouraged the nomadicBanu Hilalclans of Riyah and Zughba to invade Zirid territory, prompting Ibn Badis to launch a counteroffensive in which his forces were routed at theBattle of Haydaran.[3]The Hilali clans fought over the booty and Ibn Mulhim was sent to settle the dispute, after which he utilized theirBedouinwarriors to besiegeKairouan,the Zirid capital.[3]With Ibn Badis confined to Kairouan, Ibn Mulhim set about to conquer the rest of the region, capturingGabesand most of the Ifriqiyan countryside.[3]A leader of theSanhaja,the Berber confederation whose cavalry formed the backbone of the Zirid military, defected to Ibn Mulhim and was appointed governor of Gabes, while the chieftain of the Riyah was made governor of the countryside.[3]Ibn Mulhim returned toCairobringing with him several Ifriqiyan noblemen ready to offer their allegiance to the Fatimid caliphal-Mustansir(r. 1036–1094) and the caliph's share of the booty from Haydaran.[3]He was received with pomp and honors.[3]
In 1055, Ibn Mulhim was sent on an expedition by al-Yazuri against theByzantine Empire’s territory in the northern coastal strip of Syria nearAntioch.[4]This came in response to the refusal of the Byzantine empressTheodorato Egypt's request for grain amid a severe shortage.[4]However, theByzantine navycountered the Fatimid army and took Ibn Mulhim captive.[4]After Theodora's death in July 1056, the Byzantine alliance with the Fatimids was renewed and Ibn Mulhim was released.[5]He resumed command of the Fatimid army in northern Syria and was made governor ofAleppoin 1058 after itsMirdasidemir,Thimal ibn Salih,agreed to exchange it for the governorships ofBeirutandAcre.[5]Aleppo was restored to Thimal in 1060 and the latter's governorship over Acre passed to Ibn Mulhim.[6][7]He was also made governor ofTiberias.[7]In effect, he was the military governor ofJund al-Urdunn(Jordan District).[2]Ibn Mulhim was additionally put in charge of the district's resident Arab tribes, theBanu FazaraandBanu Sulaym,both of which belonged to theQaysconfederation as the Banu Uqayl.[7]
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Bianquis, Thierry(1989).Damas et la Syrie sous la domination fatimide (359-468/969-1076): essai d'interprétation de chroniques arabes médiévales, Volume 2.Institut française de Damas.
- Brett, Michael (2017).Fatimid Empire.Edinburgh University Press.ISBN978-0-7486-4077-5.
- Gil, Moshe(1997) [1983].A History of Palestine, 634–1099.Translated by Ethel Broido. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-59984-9.