Kaysites
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2010) |
Kaysite dynasty | |||||||||
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c.860–964 | |||||||||
Manzikert | |||||||||
Common languages | Classical Arabic | ||||||||
Religion | Sunni Islam, Armenian Apostolic Church | ||||||||
Government | Emirate | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
• Established | c.860 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 964 | ||||||||
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Historical Arab states and dynasties |
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The Kaysite dynasty (
Origin
The Kaysites were members of the
Bugha defeated the leading princes of Armenia and took several prisoner, before departing the country in 855. His defeat of the Armenian princes had enabled the Sulaym Arabs to surge into the area of Apahunik', which included the city of Manzikert. By 860 the region had fallen under the control of the first Kaysite amir, Abu'l-Ward.
Suzerains
For most their existence of the Kaysite state, the amirs recognized their stronger neighbors as suzerains, though often these declarations were only nominal and in effect the Kaysites were independent.
When Abu'l-Ward took control of Apahunik', the ostikanate of Arminiya was still extant. As a result, Abu'l-Ward, as with all the other Arab and Armenian rulers in Armenia, were subject to the caliph's ostikans. The ostikans served as protectors of the Kaysites, and relations between them were overall friendly. When a pan-Arab coalition led by the ostikans against the increasingly powerful Christian princes of Armenia in the late 870s was formed, Abu'l-Ward was one of its most powerful members.
The ultimate failure of the coalition against the Christian Armenians foreshadowed the end of the Arminiyan ostikanate in the next decade. In place of the ostikans, in 885 the caliph
Smbat I was murdered by the
In 940 the
From this point on the Kaysites were Hamdanid vassals, and remained so until the end of their rule in 964.Kaysite rulers
The first Kaysite amir, Abu'l-Ward, ruled from c. 860 until probably the 890s. He was a very active statesman and under him the Kaysites became very influential in Armenia, being rivaled only by the Bagratids, the
Abu'l-Ward was succeeded by his son 'Abd al-Hamid, who ruled for only a short time.
Some time in the early 10th century the eldest brother, Abu Sawada, died and was succeeded by his son 'Abd al-Rahim. Upon 'Abd al-Rahim's death, his brother Abu'l-Mu'izz was too young to rule so Manzikert and the other lands fell into the hands of Abu'l-Aswad, ruler of Ahlat. When Abu'l-Aswad himself died, his territories were split; the lands he had inherited from 'Abd al-Rahim (including Manzikert) were taken by his remaining brother, Abu Salim, while his original possessions (centered on Ahlat) fell to his adopted son Ahmad. The Kaysite lands were now in the hands of two rulers instead of three. It was around this time that the Kaysites became Hamdanid vassals.[12]
When Abu Salim died, his son Abu'l-Ward [II] inherited his territories. Abu'l-Ward killed Ahmad and took over his possessions, thereby unifying the Kaysite lands. This took place before 952, since this was when the
Abu'l-Ward remained the sole ruler of the Kaysite amirate until his death. In 964 he was probably murdered by a ghulam of Sayf al-Daula named Nadja who had risen in revolt. Nadja and his two brothers ruled the Kaysite lands until Sayf al-Daula had Nadja murdered. The Hamdanid amir then led an army into Armenia, captured Nadja's brothers and secured his rule over the former territories of the Kaysites. This done, he departed from Armenia in the beginning of 966. The Kaysite lands thereby came under the rule of Sayf al-Daula.[13]
Aspects of the Kaysite amirates
The Arabs of southwest Armenia never constituted a majority of the regional population. Most of the Muslims, who were probably (like the Kaysites) Sulaym Arabs[14] resided in the cities. Consequentially, the Kaysite amirs rule was strongest in the cities that were under their control. Their power was much weaker in the surrounding rural areas, which generally remained under the control of local (Christian) leaders.[15]
Given that the Muslims formed a minority within the Kaysite amirate, the Armenian Christians were given a degree of autonomy when it came to dealing with their own private affairs. Although the sharia prevailed in the governance of Muslims, when resolving issues amongst themselves most Armenians living under the Kaysites followed the canons of the Armenian Church.[16]
In the early years of the Kaysite amirate, the T'ondrakian religious sect was active in the provinces of Apahunik' and Hark'. The T'ondrakians were opposed to both the Armenian Church and the Muslim amirs of Armenia. Abu'l-Ward [I], considering them a threat to his rule, slaughtered a large number of them and executed their leader Smbat Zarehawanc'i. Despite this, the T'ondrakian movement survived into the 11th century and caused trouble for both Armenian ecclesiastical and Byzantine authorities.[17]
Several Kaysite cities lay on the southern of two commercial routes that traversed Armenia from east to west.[18] The traders that passed through Armenia therefore benefited the Kaysite lands. Despite this, the cities of the Kaysites never became major urban centers. Even Manzikert, the capital, was never considered to be a very prosperous city.[19]
Militarily, the Kaysites benefited from a regular influx of
Aftermath of Kaysite rule
Hamdanid rule over the former Kaysite territories did not last long. After Sayf al-Daula's death in 967 the fate of the Kaysite lands is unknown for a time, although they were probably in the hands of local rulers.[21] In 969 a Byzantine army raided Apahunik', besieged Manzikert and razed its walls, but the Byzantines made no attempt to maintain a presence in the city. The Bagratid kings eventually gained control of the northern portion of the Kaysite realm. The Artsruni king of Vaspurakan attempted to take the remaining Kaysite lands, including Berkri, Manzikert and Ahlat, though without much success.[22]
Around this time Ahlat and Manzikert were conquered by a
David held Apahunik' until his death in 1000. As per agreement with the Byzantines, his domain was incorporated into the Empire. Manzikert henceforth remained in Byzantine hands until the coming of the
Notes
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 54
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, pp. 65-6
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 74
- ^ a b c Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 81
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 82
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, pp. 85-6
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 53
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 55
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 59
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 65
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 80
- ^ a b Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 89
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, pp. 89-90
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 133
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, pp. 81-2
- ^ Since the Bagratid kingdom had no civil code, Armenians living in Christian territory were similarly governed by the rules of the Church. Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 145
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, pp. 135-7
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 139
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 132
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 66
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 105
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 106
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 112
- ^ Ter-Ghewondyan, p. 115
References
- OCLC 490638192.