The title that given to Khorezmshah Ali ibn Mamun



Ali ibn Mamun, who is considered one of the most prominent representatives of the Mamunids dynasty, during his career, entered into relations with the Arab caliph along with the peoples located in the regions of South Siberia. In this article, the history of Ali ibn Mamun's relations with the large states of Karakhanids and Ghaznavids in Central Asia, as well as the history of receiving the title from the Arab caliph, is analyzed using numismatic sources.

Keywords: coin, title, trade route, Karakhanids, Ghaznavids, Samanids.

Али ибн Мамун, считающийся одним из наиболее ярких представителей династии Мамунидов, за свою карьеру вступил в сношения с арабским халифом наряду с народами, населявшими районы Южной Сибири. В данной статье с использованием нумизматических источников анализируется история взаимоотношений Али ибн Мамуна с крупными государствами Караханидов и Газневидов в Средней Азии, а также история получения титула от арабского халифа.

Ключевые слова: монета, титул, торговый путь, Караханиды, Газневиды, Саманиды.

After the fall of the Samanid state, in addition to the Khorezmshah Mamunids state, the Karakhanids, who annexed almost the entire territory of Mawara an-nahr, and the Ghaznavid state, which united Khorasan, Afghanistan, and part of North India, ruled the region. Naturally, in such a situation, the goal of two powerful political forces was aimed at Khorezm. At this time, in addition to Nisa and Farawa in Northern Khorasan, the state of Khorezm included the city of Abivard, where coins were minted in the name of Mamunid rulers 1, p. 59.

Ali (999–1008), the son of Khorezmshah Mamun, the third representative of the Mamunids dynasty, was placed on the throne by the military shortly after his father's death and pledged allegiance to him 2, p. 46.

Lıterature analysıs and methodology

In the conduct and discussion of this research work, together with local scientists, the works of scientists from Eastern and Western countries were used. In addition, the research results were obtained by comparing the data and numismatic materials presented in these sources. Analytical results of the works of Abdujabbar Utbi and Al-Maqdisi were widely used in the creation of this article. Coins belonging to the era of Mamunids kept in the museums of Uzbekistan and the world are also an important source for the study of this topic.

Results and dıscussıon

The first two years of Ali ibn Mamun's reign were directly under the rule of the Samanids. On some coins minted by him, it can be seen that the name of Samani ruler Abdumalik ibn Nuh (who ruled from February to October 999) was recorded. For example, the Ali ibn Ma'mun coin was minted in Jurjania, but it is not known when it was minted. According to researcher E. Begavatov, this type of coin was minted in 389 Hijri (999 BC) in Jurjania 3, p. 259. A coin of this type was found in 2001 in the archeological research conducted in the region of Bilyarsk Aleksevskovo in Tatarstan 4, p. 88. On the obverse side of the coin the phrase "...\...\علي بن مامون\خوارزم شاه\الحاكم" i.e. “...Ali ibn Mamun Khorezmshah. Al-hakim” is written.

In the center of the reverse of the coin, "...\...\القادربالله\الامير الملك\عبد»... that is, “Al-Qadir billah. Al-Amir al-Malik, Abd...” part has been preserved. Here, in the first two lines, must be the sentences "محمد\رسول الله", i.e. “Muhammad is the Messenger of God”. As E. Begavatov says, the last line of the script may contain the name of the last emir of the Samanids, Abdul Malik. Because the title «al-Amir al-Malik» (الامير الملك), mentioned in the previous line, belongs to the Samani rulers 1, p. 61. That means Ali ibn Mamun recognized the authority of Abdul Malik, albeit in name, before the collapse of the Samanid state as a result of the attack of the Karakhanids.

At the end of 999, the Karakhanids made another attack on Bukhara. As a result of the attack, the Samanid dynasty, which ruled Mawara an-nahr and Khorasan for nearly two hundred years, was overthrown 5, p. 184. After that, Khorezm ruled by Ali ibn Mamun became an independent state. At this time, its territory included in addition to Khorezm Farawa in North Khorasan, from Nisa to the Manghishlak Peninsula in the north. During the research conducted in recent years, a total of 33 types of coins of Ali ibn Mamun minted in Jurjania, Kath, Farawa, Nisa, and even in Bukhara were identified 1, p. 52. Although the fall of the Samanid state gave political independence to Khorezm, it remained directly bordered by the Karakhanid state, which reached the peak of its power, and the Ghaznavid state established in Khorasan. These states could attack at any time and occupy Khorezm 6, p. 224–231.

In the year 390 AH (1000 AD), the representative of the Samanids, Abu Ibrahim Ismail ibn Nuh, escaped from captivity in the city of Ozgan under the Karakhanids government and came to Bukhara, then to Khorezm 2, p. 51. This event is described by Abdujabbar Utbiy as follows: “After escaping from captivity, Muntasir hid in Bukhara near an old man until the soldiers gave up hope of finding him. Then he went to Khorezm asking for God's help to take revenge like a sword that destroys fortresses, a flying star that pierces everything and emits sparks, a fire that burns everything...” 7, p. 353.

In Khorezm, the remaining soldiers from the Samanid state, gathering forces opposing the Karakhanids and loyalists, attacked Mawara an-nahr. He captured the central cities of Bukhara and Samarkand and restored the Samanid state under the name of Ismail al-Muntasir (390–395 AH.\ 1000–1005 AD.) 8, p. 535–548. Khorezmshah Ali also helped him in forming this army. Because in this way Khorezmshah achieves two political goals. First, he establishes warm relations with Ismail al-Muntasir, who, as the legal representative of the Samanis, demands their old territories. Secondly, the two political forces that threaten the independence of Khorezm, the Karakhanids and the Ghaznavids, turn their gaze away from Khorezm and focus on the representative of the Samanids. This is evidence of Ali ibn Mamun's maturity as a skilled politician.

According to the traditions of the Muslim world that existed at that time, when the ruler ascended the throne in each Muslim country, the Arab caliph sent him symbols of rulership and a title, which indicated that he had legal authority. Accordingly, it is close to the truth that Ali ibn Mamun received the same title. Because, during this period, a unique political and religious rivalry arose between the Fatimids in Egypt, who were supporters of the Shia sect, and the Abbasid Arab caliph of the Sunni sect, and the caliph tried to be the first to send symbols and titles of sovereignty to each newly formed state. These symbols indicated to the ruler that he was the owner of the legitimate power, but also meant that this country and the ruler were vassals of the caliph. Accordingly, it can be seen that the names of the caliph Al-Qadir Billah (991–1031), who ruled during this period, were recorded on most of the coins minted during the period of Ali ibn Mamun. However, the sources did not record any information about the title given to Ali ibn Mamun. But to find the answer to this question, you can turn to coins. Ali ibn Mamun gained his political independence in 999 (389 AH) and started minting silver coins. These coins were minted in the Gurganch palace. According to Maqdisi, the old palace of Mamun ibn Muhammad is located in front of the southern gate of the city, and the new palace of Ali ibn Mamun is located opposite it 10, p. 288–289. Coins were also minted in this palace area.

One of the coins minted by the Khorezm Shahs was found in 1973–1975 at the Sadvar Monument in South Khorezm 11, p. 168. The obverse center of this coin is damaged, so it is impossible to read the text. In this part, only the words "لا الـ»..., i.e. “There is no other god...” have been preserved. From this sentence, it can be assumed that the word Tawheed is written on the obverse side of the coin. The sentence on the coin's flange is illegible. On the reverse side of the coin is written the phrase " [تا]ج الامة\ [سر]اج الملة\خوارزم شاه" which means “Khorazmshah, the crown of the Ummah and the sun of the nation”.

From the content of the texts recorded on this coin, it is impossible to know which ruler it belongs to. However, the decoration of the coin is characteristic of the 11th century, which allows us to assume that this title and coin belong to Ali ibn Mamun. Because, during this period, it is possible to see the participation of the Mamunids state in several political processes as a major political power in the region. For example, during the reign of Ali ibn Ma'mun, Ismail al-Muntasir, the last representative of the Samanids, fought against the Karakhanids and the Ghaznavids for five years in various cities of the region 8, p. 535. Although relations between Khorezmshah and Ismail looked good at first during these political processes, it can be seen that later relations deteriorated. By the year 394 AH (1004 AD), a dispute arose between the two rulers over the issue of Nisa. The reason for the conflict was that Ismail al-Muntasir retreated to the city of Nisa, which had been the property of the Mamunids since 992, after losing the battle with the Qarakhanids and the Ghaznavids. The governor of the city at that time, Hajib Abu Nasir, gave him a place in the city to get closer to Ismail al-Muntasir. However, the residents of the city did not welcome his arrival and wrote a letter to Ali ibn Mamun. He arrives in the city with his army. The governor of the city, Hajib Abu Nasir, joins the army of Ismail al-Muntasir and participates in the battle. Khorezmshah won in this battle and Ismail al-Muntasir left the city and retreated to Iran 7, p. 67. Therefore, Ali ibn Mamun realized that Ismail al-Muntasir could not fight against the Qarakhanids and Ghaznavids in the region, and tried to eliminate him.

Conclusıon

We can draw the following conclusions from the above-mentioned political events that took place in Khorezm and its surroundings at the beginning of the 11th century. During this period, Ali ibn Mamun acted as an independent force in the region and actively participated in all political processes related to Khorezm. For this reason, the Arab caliph recognized Mamunid Khorezmshahs, who worked at the beginning of the 11th century, as an independent political force. Caliph tried to bring them under his influence, or at least to subjugate them spiritually. During this period, the Fatimids, who believed in the Shia sect of Islam, were operating in Egypt, and the Barmakids and Ziyarids dynasties were operating in the territory of Iran, competing with the caliphate both politically and religiously. The coin mentioned above was also minted by one of the Khorezmshah rulers. But it is impossible to determine by which ruler or dynasty it was minted at a glance. The factors listed above lead to the conclusion that this coin and the title recorded on it belong to Ali ibn Mamun.

References:

1. Ismailov Sh.Z. VIII-XIII asrlada Xorazmshohlar tangalari. PhD dissertatsiyasi. — Urganch, 2024.
2. Özbayraktar A. Me’mûnîler devrinde Harezm. Dok.tezi. Selçuk Üniversitesi. — Konya. 2021.
3. Беговатов Э. А. Заметка по нумизматике прикаспийских государств рубежа Х-ХI вв. // Сентралная Азия от Ахаманидов до Тимуридов. — СП., 2004.
4. А. К. Марков. О клад куфичесчих монет, найденном в сел Крещеный Баран, Спасского уеъзда Казанской губернии//Записки нумизматического отделения императорского отделения русский археологический общества. — СПб.; Императорский Академия наук, 1909.
5. Hunkan Ö. S. Türk Hakanliği (Karahanlilar). — İstanbul, 2011.
6. الميموني. دولة المامونية في خوارزم. 408–385 هـ. — القاهرة. دار المنضمة, 2002.
7. Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Abdujabbor Utbiy. Tarixi Yaminiy // Qo‘lyozma, O‘zR FA SHI № 3252/V.
8. Duman A. Ebû İbrahim İsmail El-Muntasir’in Sâmânî Devletini Diriltme Gayretleri Bağlaminda Karahanlilar ve Gaznelilerle İlişkileri//Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. C. XI/2. — Gaziantep, 2012.
9. Bosvort K. E. Musulmon sulolalari (yilnoma va shajaralar bo‘yicha ma’lumotnoma). Tar: Asror Samad. — T., Fan, 2007.
10. محمد بن احمد المقدسي. أحسن التقاسيم في معرفة الأقاليم. — القاهرة: دار السويدي, 1991
11. Гончаров Е. Ю., Армарчук Е. А. Монеты средневекового Садвара и Южном Хорезме//Вестник института востоковедения РАН, 2 (12), 2020.
12. https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=99998