Amr II
Encyclopedia
Abu Hafs 'Amr was the Saffarid amir of Sistan
for slightly over a year (912–913). He was the son of Ya'qub, the brother of Tahir I
.
In 912, opposition to the Samanid
governor of Sistan
Mansur b. Ishaq resulted in a revolt. As he was the only surviving member of the Saffarids descended from Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar
still in Sistan, the ten-year old 'Amr was made the figurehead of the movement. Chief among the leaders of the revolt was Muhammad b. Hurmuz, a former Kharijite and Samanid soldier, who enlisted the support of the 'ayyarun
, imprisoned Mansur b. Ishaq and wrested control of Zarang from the Samanids.
Although 'Amr was the leader of the rebellion in name, Muhammad b. Hurmuz had no intention of handing power over to him once the Samanids had been driven out of Sistan. He declared himself amir, inserting his name in the khutba
and minting his own coins. He was soon opposed, however, by the pro-Saffarid party, led by an Ibn al-Haffar, who took over the Ya'qubi palace and proclaimed 'Amr as amir on May 2, 912. When Muhammad b. Hurmuz attempted to recover his power he was killed.
'Amr and Ibn al-Haffar were soon forced to deal with a Samanid invasion launched in an attempt to recover Sistan. The Samanids occupied the outskirts of Zarang but were unable to enter the city. For nine months the Samanids and Saffarids fought around the city; at last on May 24, 913 'Amr and Ibn al-Haffar surrendered. Mansur b. Ishaq was released, and safe conduct was promised for the defenders, but 'Amr, Ibn al-Haffar and the ‘ayyar leaders were sent to Herat
and then to Bukhara
. 'Amr was sent to Samarkand
, while the 'ayyar leaders were executed.
'Amr eventually left Samarkand for Baghdad
, where the Abbasids gave him refuge. Some time later he was invited back to Sistan by Abu Ja'far Ahmad
, who had reestablished Saffarid rule over the province. He was given full honors and the position of redresser of grievances.
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
for slightly over a year (912–913). He was the son of Ya'qub, the brother of Tahir I
Tahir I
Abu'l-Hasan Tahir was amir of the Saffarid amirate from 901 until 909. He was the son of Muhammad b. Amr.In 900 the ruling Saffarid amir, Amr bin Laith, was captured by the Samanids while campaigning against them in Khurasan...
.
In 912, opposition to the Samanid
Samanid
The Samani dynasty , also known as the Samanid Empire, or simply Samanids was a Persian state and empire in Central Asia and Greater Iran, named after its founder Saman Khuda, who converted to Sunni Islam despite being from Zoroastrian theocratic nobility...
governor of Sistan
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
Mansur b. Ishaq resulted in a revolt. As he was the only surviving member of the Saffarids descended from Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar
Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar
Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar or Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari was the founder of the Saffarid dynasty in Sistan, with its capital at Zaranj . He ruled territories that are now in Iran and Afghanistan, as well as portions of West Pakistan...
still in Sistan, the ten-year old 'Amr was made the figurehead of the movement. Chief among the leaders of the revolt was Muhammad b. Hurmuz, a former Kharijite and Samanid soldier, who enlisted the support of the 'ayyarun
Ayyarun
Áyyār, refers to a person associated with a class of warriors in Iraq and Iran from the 9th to the 12th centuries. The word literally means vagabond...
, imprisoned Mansur b. Ishaq and wrested control of Zarang from the Samanids.
Although 'Amr was the leader of the rebellion in name, Muhammad b. Hurmuz had no intention of handing power over to him once the Samanids had been driven out of Sistan. He declared himself amir, inserting his name in the khutba
Khutba
Khutbah serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition.Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic tradition can be formally at the dhuhr congregation prayer on Friday...
and minting his own coins. He was soon opposed, however, by the pro-Saffarid party, led by an Ibn al-Haffar, who took over the Ya'qubi palace and proclaimed 'Amr as amir on May 2, 912. When Muhammad b. Hurmuz attempted to recover his power he was killed.
'Amr and Ibn al-Haffar were soon forced to deal with a Samanid invasion launched in an attempt to recover Sistan. The Samanids occupied the outskirts of Zarang but were unable to enter the city. For nine months the Samanids and Saffarids fought around the city; at last on May 24, 913 'Amr and Ibn al-Haffar surrendered. Mansur b. Ishaq was released, and safe conduct was promised for the defenders, but 'Amr, Ibn al-Haffar and the ‘ayyar leaders were sent to Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
and then to Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. 'Amr was sent to Samarkand
Samarkand
Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came...
, while the 'ayyar leaders were executed.
'Amr eventually left Samarkand for Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, where the Abbasids gave him refuge. Some time later he was invited back to Sistan by Abu Ja'far Ahmad
Ahmad I bin Mohammed
Abu Ja'far Ahmad b. Muhammad was the amir of Sistan from 923 until his death. He is responsible for restoring Saffarid rule over Sistan, and was a great patron of the arts.-Ancestors:Abu Ja’far Ahmad’s father was named Muhammad...
, who had reestablished Saffarid rule over the province. He was given full honors and the position of redresser of grievances.