Bisutun

Bisutun(بيستون) (died 977) was the ruler of theZiyarids(967–977). He was the eldest son ofVushmgir.

Biography

During his father's lifetime, Bisutun was the governor ofTabaristanAmol.Upon Vushmgir's death in 967 during a hunting expedition, he went toGurganto assume power. His ascension was contested, however, by aSamanidarmy which had arrived shortly before Vushmgir's death for a joint campaign against theBuyidRukn al-Dawla.The army commander supported making Bisutun's brotherQabusas ruler of the Ziyarids. Bisutun then turned to Rukn al-Dawla, recognizing the latter's sovereignty in an attempt to gain support. The Samanid army soon left Gurgan, returning toKhurasan,but Qabus found the support ofal-Hasan ibn al-Fairuzan,who was ruling inSimnanat that time. Bisutun eventually managed to conquer both Gurgan and Simnan, forcing Qabus to give up his claims.

For the rest of his reign, Bisutun maintained good relations with the Buyids. He married a daughter of'Adud al-Dawla,the eldest son of Rukn al-Dawla, and in 971 theCaliphal-Muti,who was a Buyid puppet, confirmed upon Bisutun the title ofZahir al-Dawla.

Bisutun also paid attention to his western border. He released theAlidal-Hasan al-Tha'ir,who his father had imprisoned, and gave him money so that he could dislodge the ruler of the coastal town ofHausam(located inGilan),Abu Muhammad al-Nasir.Al-Hasan al-Tha'ir, however, was defeated and killed by Abu Muhammad. His sonAbu'l-Hasan 'Alieventually expelled Abu Muhammad from Hausam, probably with Bisutun's support, and he acknowledged the Ziyarid as his overlord.

Bisutun died in 977. After a short power struggle, his brotherQabussucceeded him.

References

• Frye, Richard N.,ed. (1975).The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 4: From the Arab Invasion to the Saljuqs.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-20093-8.