Abu Kalijar

Abu Kalijar Marzuban
Coin of Abu Kalijar
Amir of Fars
Reign	1024–1048
Predecessor	Sultan al-Dawla
Successor	Abu Mansur Fulad Sutun
Amir of Kerman
Reign	1028–1048
Predecessor	Qawam al-Dawla
Successor	Seljuq conquest
Amir of Iraq
Reign	1044–1048
Predecessor	Jalal al-Dawla
Successor	Al-Malik al-Rahim
Born	1010 Basra
Died	October 1048 (aged 38)
Issue	Abu Ali Fana-Khusrau Abu Mansur Fulad Sutun Al-Malik al-Rahim Kamrava Abu'l-Muzaffar Bahram Abu Sa'd Khusrau Shah
Father	Sultan al-Dawla
Religion	Shia Islam

Abu Kalijar Marzuban (died October 1048) was the Buyid amir of Fars (1024–1048), Kerman (1028–1048) and Iraq (1044–1048). He was the eldest son of Sultan al-Dawla.

The death of Sultan al-Dawla in 1024 prompted a succession crisis within the Buyid state. Not until 1027 did the army in Baghdad pick his brother Jalal al-Dawla as ruler. In the meantime Abu Kalijar had built up his power in Fars, although the first several years of his reign were marked by the oversight of his tutor, a eunuch named Sandal. and entered into a conflict with the Buyid ruler of Kerman, Qawam al-Dawla. The latter's death in 1028 allowed Abu Kalijar to occupy the province. In 1030, Jalal al-Dawla sent a fleet of 1300 ships under his vizier Abu Ali Hasan to capture Basra from Abu Kalijar, but the expedition was a disaster and ended in a complete defeat. Abu Ali Hasan was then taken prisoner, but was soon released. Abu Kalijar shortly sent an army under his vizier Bahram ibn Mafinna, who managed to conquer Khuzistan. Abu Kalijar then made Ahvaz his capital.

In 1033 the Ghaznavids invaded Kerman, with the object of overrunning the Buyid states. However, the financial obligations imposed on the people of Kerman convinced them that Buyid rule would be preferable. In the following year, Bahram ibn Mafinna expelled the Ghaznavids from the province.

Abu Kalijar also wanted to gain control of Iraq. Around 1037 his army marched on Baghdad; although he did not take the city, Jalal al-Dawla recognized him as senior amir. Abu Kalijar subsequently used the title "Shahanshah" on his coins. However, the amir of Mosul, along with the Arab tribe of the Asadids, supported Jalal al-Dawla, and the two Buyids were forced to come to a compromise. Both rulers used the same titles and were genuinely independent of each other. Iraq therefore stayed out of Abu Kalijar's control, though he managed to make his son the governor of Basra. In 1041/1042, Bahram ibn Mafinna died, and was succeeded by Dhu'l-Sa'adat as the vizier of Abu Kalijar.