Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Yazdad al-Marwazi

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Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Yazdad al-Marwazi
Abbasid Vizier
In office
863–863
Preceded byUtamish
Succeeded byMuhammad ibn al-Fadl al-Jarjara'i
Personal details
Died875
ParentMuhammad ibn Yazdad al-Marwazi

Abu Salih Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Yazdad al-Marwazi (

Arabic: أبو صالح عبد الله بن محمد بن يزداد المروزي; died 875) was a senior Persian official of the Abbasid Caliphate in the mid-9th century. He briefly served as vizier (Arabic: wazir) during the caliphate of al-Musta'in
(r. 862–866).

Biography

Ibn Yazdad's family originally came from the city of

In June 863, following the murder of the vizier Utamish, Ibn Yazdad was selected by al-Musta'in to succeed him in that office. During his vizierate, Ibn Yazdad attempted to improve the fiscal health of the government, and enacted harsh policies against the commanders of the army, as their salaries constituted a major drain on the state treasury. These measures soon provoked a backlash, however, and a number of military officers, including Bugha al-Sharabi, threatened to kill him. Faced with this hostility, Ibn Yazdad fled to Baghdad, bringing an end to his vizierate after only a few months.[7]

Ibn Yazdad eventually returned to Samarra, and during the caliphate of al-Mu'tazz (r. 866–869) he became a prominent supporter of the Turkish general Salih ibn Wasif. When Salih launched his bid for power in 869 and arrested the senior officials Ahmad ibn Isra'il, al-Hasan ibn Makhlad and Abu Nuh Isa ibn Ibrahim, Ibn Yazdad encouraged him to torture and kill them.[8] During this period al-Mu'tazz considered giving him the vizierate again, but it does not appear that he actually received the office.[9] In December 869, however, Salih was forcibly removed from power by the rival general Musa ibn Bugha al-Kabir, and this seems to have ended Ibn Yazdad's influence in caliphal politics.[10]

After Salih's fall from power, Ibn Yazdad was turned over to al-Hasan ibn Makhlad, although it is not specified what punishment he received, if any.[11] He died in early 875.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ Sourdel, p. 232; Ibn 'Asakir, p. 376
  2. ^ Ibn al-Tiqtaqa, p. 227
  3. ^ Sourdel, p. 292
  4. ^ Al-Tabari, v. 34: p. 163
  5. ^ Duri, p. 324
  6. ^ Sourdel, p. 292; Ibn Sasra, p. 38
  7. ^ Sourdel, pp. 292-93; Al-Tabari, v. 35: pp. 12-13; Ibn al-Tiqtaqa, p. 240
  8. ^ Al-Tabari, v. 36: p. 12
  9. ^ Sourdel, pp. 298, 300; al-Tabari, v. 35: p. 162
  10. ^ Al-Tabari, v. 36: pp. 71-72
  11. ^ Al-Tabari, v. 36: p. 72
  12. ^ Ibn 'Asakir, p. 378

References

Preceded by Vizier of the Abbasid Caliphate
863
Succeeded by