Draft:Al-Baridi
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| Rulers | Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad, Abu al-Husayn 'Abd Allah ('Ali), Abu Yusuf Ya'qub |
Āl-i Barīdī (Persian: آل بَریدی) was a Shia family dynasty founded by Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad al-Baridi. The Baridis asserted their independence during the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate, a period marked by intense power struggles among military commanders (Amirs) for control over Baghdad; at the height of their power, the family briefly conquered Baghdad itself. The Baridi family ruled the cities of Wasit, Ahvaz, and Basra from 316/928 to 338/949.
The Al-Baridi administration was led by three brothers—Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad, Abu al-Husayn 'Abd Allah ('Ali), and Abu Yusuf Ya'qub—alongside Abu al-Qasim, the son of Abu 'Abd Allah al-Baridi. Historical references to the family using the title "Muqta" (fief holder) suggest they held iqta status, which granted them the rights to manage land and collect revenue for the state. Although Abu 'Ali Miskawayh mentions the elder brother, Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad, in records dating to 311/923, his active entry into the political arena began in 316/928.
Scholars characterize the twenty-year history of the Baridi dynasty as being rife with oppression, political intrigue, and exploitation, a trait common among the fragmented states of the 4th and 5th centuries AH. For instance, following their dismissal from the governance of Ahvaz, the Caliph demanded a reinstatement fee of 4,000 dinars. The family paid this sum immediately, a fact cited by historians as evidence of the immense wealth they had accumulated through looting and extractive practices.[1]
Reportedly, the Baridis withheld tax revenues collected within their territories rather than remitting them to Baghdad. Upon seizing control of Baghdad, they secured half a million dinars from the Caliph through coercion and maintained a policy of widespread oppression, imposing heavy taxes and duties on the populace.[2]
According to researchers, the family was notorious for treachery and internecine conflict. Not only did they assassinate their patron, Yaqut, but they also engaged in fratricidal violence: Abu 'Abd Allah killed his brother Abu Yusuf, and Abu al-Husayn rebelled against Abu al-Qasim. The severe fatwa issued by the scholars of Baghdad against Abu al-Husayn is viewed as a reflection of the family's repressive and predatory rule.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Dāʾirat al-maʿārif-i buzurg-i Islāmī, under the entry "Āl-i Barīdī".
- ↑ Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Dāʾirat al-maʿārif-i buzurg-i Islāmī, under the entry "Āl-i Barīdī".
- ↑ Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Dāʾirat al-maʿārif-i buzurg-i Islāmī, under the entry "Āl-i Barīdī".
References
- Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Dāʾirat al-maʿārif-i buzurg-i Islāmī, Chief Editor: Sayyid Muḥammad Kāẓim Mūsawī Bujnūrdī, Tehran, Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, 1377 Sh.