Taj al-Din Shah-i Shahan Abu'l Fath
Encyclopedia
Taj al-Din Shah-i Shahan Abu'l Fath (c. 1349 – February or March 1403) was the Mihrabanid malik of Sistan
from 1383 until his death. He was the son of Mas'ud Shihna.
as an hostage to the camp of Timur
. He was sent with tribute to establish the malik's submission to Timur. Upon his arrival, he apparently made a good impression on Timur and was soon allowed to return to Sistan
.
In 1383 Timur invaded Sistan, surrounded Shahr-i Sistan
and imprisoned Qutb al-Din. Remembering his meeting with Shah-i Shahan a few years before, he decided to appoint the latter governor of Sistan on the condition that he would convince the defenders of the citadel
of Shah-i Shahan (which had not yet fallen) to surrender. Shah-i Shahan agreed and the defenders soon ended their resistance, but instead of being spared like Timur had promised, the city was subjected to a three-day massacre. Shahr-i Sistan was plundered and its notables deported, before the army burned the city. Timur's army proceeded to ravage the rest of Sistan, except for Shah-i Shahan's estates. It then destroyed the fortress of Taq and several dams and irrigation canals before making its way to Bust
and ravaging it, which led to the abandonment of the old city (the location of which is marked by Qala-e-Bost).
Shah-i Shahan therefore had become the governor of an extremely devastated Sistan. He cleared Shahr-i Sistan of corpses and allowed the surviving people of the rural portions of the province to resettle on his own undamaged estates. In the meantime, the governorship of Isfizar had been given to two other Mihrabanids, Shah Giyath al-Din ibn Shah Abu'l-Fath and Shah Jalal al-Din; a year after Shah-i Shahan's coming to power they invaded Sistan and attempted to take control of the province. Shah-i Shahan appealed to Timur for help; he sent an army which forced the rival Mihrabanids out of Sistan.
While in Sistan Shah-i Shahan continued to restore the province, rebuilding some of the dams and irrigation canals that had been destroyed by Timur's army. He also arranged a series of marriage alliances with the line of Muhammad ibn Nusrat al-Din Muhammad
, which was the only other surviving line of the Mirhabanids.
Shah-i Shahan spent a significant amount of time accompanying Timur on the latter's campaigns. He participated in the capture of Aleppo
in 1400 and was present during Timur's campaign against the Ottoman Turks
. While away from Sistan, Shah-i Shahan would have his brother-in-law Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali govern in his stead; when Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali died his son Qutb al-Din Muhammad
was given that responsibility.
In 1403, while on the return trip after the Ottoman campaign, Shah-i Shahan died. Qutb al-Din Muhammad, who had also participated in the campaign against the Ottomans, was then appointed as the malik's successor by Timur.
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
from 1383 until his death. He was the son of Mas'ud Shihna.
Biography
In the early 1380s Shah-i Shahan was sent by the malik Qutb al-DinQutb al-Din ibn 'Izz al-Din
Qutb al-Din was the Mihrabanid malik of Sistan from 1380 until 1383. He was the son of 'Izz al-Din ibn Rukn al-Din Mahmud.-Biography:During his father's lifetime Qutb al-Din had not been given a role in the government...
as an hostage to the camp of Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
. He was sent with tribute to establish the malik's submission to Timur. Upon his arrival, he apparently made a good impression on Timur and was soon allowed to return to Sistan
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
.
In 1383 Timur invaded Sistan, surrounded Shahr-i Sistan
Zaranj
Zaranj or Zarang is a border town in south-western Afghanistan, with a population of approximately 49,851 people as of 2004. It is the capital of Nimruz province and is situated next to Milak, Iran. It is linked by highways with Lashkar Gah to the east, Farah to the north and Zabol in Iran to the...
and imprisoned Qutb al-Din. Remembering his meeting with Shah-i Shahan a few years before, he decided to appoint the latter governor of Sistan on the condition that he would convince the defenders of the 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....
of Shah-i Shahan (which had not yet fallen) to surrender. Shah-i Shahan agreed and the defenders soon ended their resistance, but instead of being spared like Timur had promised, the city was subjected to a three-day massacre. Shahr-i Sistan was plundered and its notables deported, before the army burned the city. Timur's army proceeded to ravage the rest of Sistan, except for Shah-i Shahan's estates. It then destroyed the fortress of Taq and several dams and irrigation canals before making its way to Bust
Bost
-Places:*Alternative name for Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan*Bost Airport, near Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan*Bost, Allier, a commune in central France-People:*John Bost, French Reformed pastor and social pioneer...
and ravaging it, which led to the abandonment of the old city (the location of which is marked by Qala-e-Bost).
Shah-i Shahan therefore had become the governor of an extremely devastated Sistan. He cleared Shahr-i Sistan of corpses and allowed the surviving people of the rural portions of the province to resettle on his own undamaged estates. In the meantime, the governorship of Isfizar had been given to two other Mihrabanids, Shah Giyath al-Din ibn Shah Abu'l-Fath and Shah Jalal al-Din; a year after Shah-i Shahan's coming to power they invaded Sistan and attempted to take control of the province. Shah-i Shahan appealed to Timur for help; he sent an army which forced the rival Mihrabanids out of Sistan.
While in Sistan Shah-i Shahan continued to restore the province, rebuilding some of the dams and irrigation canals that had been destroyed by Timur's army. He also arranged a series of marriage alliances with the line of Muhammad ibn Nusrat al-Din Muhammad
Nusrat al-Din Muhammad
Nusrat al-Din Muhammad was the Mihrabanid malik of Sistan from 1318 until his death. He was the son of Nasir al-Din Muhammad.-Biography:...
, which was the only other surviving line of the Mirhabanids.
Shah-i Shahan spent a significant amount of time accompanying Timur on the latter's campaigns. He participated in the capture of Aleppo
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...
in 1400 and was present during Timur's campaign against the Ottoman Turks
Battle of Ankara
The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20, 1402, took place at the field of Çubuk between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the Turko-Mongol forces of Timur, ruler of the Timurid Empire. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to a period of crisis for...
. While away from Sistan, Shah-i Shahan would have his brother-in-law Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali govern in his stead; when Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali died his son Qutb al-Din Muhammad
Qutb al-Din Muhammad ibn Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali
Qutb al-Din Muhammad was the Mihrabanid malik of Sistan from 1403 until his death. He was the son of Shams al-Din Shah 'Ali.-Biography:...
was given that responsibility.
In 1403, while on the return trip after the Ottoman campaign, Shah-i Shahan died. Qutb al-Din Muhammad, who had also participated in the campaign against the Ottomans, was then appointed as the malik's successor by Timur.