Muhammad ibn Ilyas
| Muhammad ibn Ilyas | |
|---|---|
| Emir of Ilyasid dynasty | |
| Reign | 932 - 967/968 |
| Successor | Ilyasa ibn Muhammad |
| Born | Unknown Sogdia |
| Died | 967/968 Bukhara |
| House | Ilyasid |
| Father | Ilyas |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Abu 'Ali Muhammad ibn Ilyas (Persian: ابوعلی محمد بن الیاس; died 967 or 968) was the Ilyasid ruler of northern Kerman from 932 until 967. For over thirty years he was able to maintain a virtually independent territory against his aggressive neighbors, the Samanids and Buyids.
Muhammad is first mentioned as a commander in the service of the Samanids. In 929 he was imprisoned after angering the Samanid amir, Nasr ibn Ahmad. He was freed after receiving the support of Nasr's vizier Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami and was sent on a campaign in Gurgan. At this point Muhammad joined a rebellion started by Nasr's brothers, headed by Yahya ibn Ahamd. As the rebels began to lose Muhammad traveled to Nishapur but was not allowed into the city by its governor, Makan ibn Kaki. Muhammad entered into Makan's service but when the latter left for Gurgan, he allowed the rebel Yahya into Nishapur.
In 932, Nasr's army approached Nishapur, and Yahya's supporters fled. Muhammad made his way to Kerman, a province loosely in the hands of the Abbasids. He was able to establish his authority in the northern portion of Kerman; the southern and eastern parts were inhabited by the Qufs and Baluch tribes who maintained their autonomy.
In 934, Nasr sent Makan b. Kaki against Muhammad. The Ilyasid attempted to gain the support of the Abbasid general Yaqut but failed, was defeated by Makan and forced to flee. In 935/936 Makan was summoned by Nasr's governor of Khurasan, the Muhtajid Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar, to assist him in fighting the Ziyarids. After Makan left Muhammad returned to Kerman, and after battling the Samanid garrisons left behind by Makan restored his position there.
Meanwhile in Fars, the Buyids had come to power in 934. Two years later 'Ali sent his younger brother Ahmad to Kerman to take over the province. The Samanids remaining in Kerman withdrew, and Muhammad decided to head to Sistan rather than fight the Buyids. Ahmad soon ran into trouble with the Qufs and Baluch, however, and in one battle with them was seriously wounded. He gradually gained some ground against them, and defeated Muhammad when he returned from Kerman, but eventually 'Ali decided to recall Ahmad from the province. This withdrawal allowed Muhammad to reestablish himself in Kerman.
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Wikipedia