arabic commonly known simply epithet sword dynasty founder encompassing northern syria parts western brother ibn better known prominent member dynasty originally served elder brother attempts establish control weak government baghdad early failure ambitious turned syria confronted ambitions control province wars authority northern syria centred western centred recognized series tribal rebellions plagued realm successful overcoming maintaining allegiance important arab tribes court centre vibrant cultural life literary cycle gathered including great helped ensure fame widely celebrated role arab byzantine wars facing byzantine_empire early 10th century begun muslim territories struggle superior enemy launched raids deep byzantine territory managed score successes generally held upper hand new byzantine commander spearheaded offensive broke power byzantines annexed occupied briefly final years marked military defeats growing disability result disease decline authority led revolts closest died early leaving weakened realm lost syrian byzantines byzantine tributary life origin family born second son ibn died son gave dynasty branch arab tribe resident area pre islamic times traditionally controlled region late 9th century government tried impose control province determined leaders opposing notably effort fend secured alliance living mountains north fact considerable importance family later fortunes family members prominent military defeated imprisoned relatives son ibn managed secure family future raised troops exchange tax established commanding influence acting authorities arab population strong local base allowed family survive strained relationship central government baghdad early 10th century successful general distinguishing supporting failed younger brother governor province death year succeeded brother father served governor repeatedly assuming control enjoying firm relations powerful later played leading role short lived killed suppression despite coup failure death able consolidate control virtual founder ruled long baghdad final years relegated authority eldest son future death position challenged able secure confirmation baghdad control entire byzantine frontier early career young began career brother invited younger brother service promising governorship region exchange help far rebellious governor successful preventing far receiving assistance armenian allies secured control northern parts neighbouring province tribes region position launched expeditions aid muslim byzantine frontier zone advancing byzantines intervened armenia reverse growing byzantine influence meantime involved court murder government collapsed powerful governor assumed title commander commanders facto control government reduced role extensive old civil bureaucracy drastically reduced size power position secure soon convoluted struggle control office broke local rulers turkish military chiefs ended victory initially supported assassinated secured post receiving defender dynasty local family desired control continued resist sent ali scoring victory ali named governor awarded sword dynasty famous double award brothers marked time incorporating prestigious element granted chief minister success proved short lived politically isolated found little support powerful consequently mutiny pay issues broke troops composed turks arabs leadership forced quit baghdad appointed soon fled north seek protection defeated field agreement concluded allowed gave nominal authority northern syria time control exchange large tribute henceforth tributary baghdad continued attempts control baghdad led clash eventually forced seek refuge court brother negotiate return establishment control detached egyptian control replaced assassinated attempted impose control region particularly province troops took control valley local inclined authority intervene directly supported governor captured left treasures finally defeated captured cousin ibn ibn executed baghdad proceeded occupy entire province taken storm surrendered fight february sent messages asking support wanted control confined summer arrived syria abandoned egyptian visited exiled confirmed control syria refused relocate egypt egyptian ruler refused commit aid enemies returned egypt powerless went baghdad blinded deposed context turned attention syria previous years seen series personal defeats field followed failure persuade nominate attempt rivals assassinated writes following failure brother designs iraq turn syria born resentment having returned found employed badly paid encouraged brother turn syria failure writing syria lies land prevent taking money troops provided brother invaded northern syria wake departure gained support local tribe appointed governor belonged entered city unopposed october conflict reacted sent army north confront besieging ensuing battle scored crushing victory opened gates set sights damascus briefly occupied city early forced abandon face citizens hostility april led army syria time offered terms proposing accept control northern syria rejected proposals defeated battle june forced retreat egyptian army proceeded raid october sides came agreement broadly lines earlier proposal egyptian ruler acknowledged control northern syria sending annual tribute exchange claims damascus pact sealed marriage niece new domain received purely formal affirmed soon truce lasted death july damascus immediately marched south took damascus proceeded palestine confronted defeated prince battle fought december retreated damascus gathered forces including large arab tribal contingents spring attempted recover damascus defeated battle aftermath occupied july army leader press advantage instead began negotiations maintenance important southern syria damascus egypt eastern long control region threatened willing allow existence state north furthermore realized difficulty asserting maintaining control northern syria traditionally oriented iraq egypt threatened time east spared cost maintaining large army distant lands useful role state incursions iraq byzantium agreement reiterated difference ceased paying tribute damascus frontier established influenced northern syria egyptian controlled southern country seized entire country returned autumn master extensive realm north syrian provinces line running south coast near western exercised nominal towns byzantine frontier domain state expression extensive require capitals alongside main residence selected capital provinces held ostensibly charge elder brother reality size political importance allowed effectively throw continued elder brother henceforth positions reversed arab tribal revolts aside confrontation consolidation realm challenged need maintain good relations native arab tribes time controlled number arab tribes resident area period cases region settled north broad stripe land controlled largely nomadic tribes aforementioned south originally settled coasts settled relations fact ethnic arab unlike contemporary rulers islamic middle_east turkish iranian risen ranks military slaves helped win support arab tribes played prominent role administration accordance usual late practice familiar common muslim states middle_east state heavily reliant increasingly dominated non arab turkish evident composition army alongside arab tribal cavalry heavy use infantry turks horse winning recognition began series campaigns consolidation main target establish firm control syrian routes connecting interior operations included difficult siege fortress held leader controlled lower valley central syria inspired revolt erupted late led certain rebels enjoyed initial success capturing governor quickly crushed north attempts administrators interfering settled arab communities resulted regular rebellion suppressed army finally major rebellion broke involved tribes including close allies able resolve situation quickly initiating ruthless campaign swift repression included driving tribes desert die coupled diplomacy played divisions offered peace return favoured status given additional lands expense evicted homes fled south settle plains north damascus respectively time expelled encouraged suppression great tribal revolt marked words islamic scholar high point success power short time year acknowledged parts established brief control evicted finally captured wars byzantines assumption control syrian byzantium emerged chief arab prince facing byzantine_empire warfare byzantines main reputation stems ultimately unsuccessful war empire early 10th century byzantines gained upper hand eastern muslim neighbours onset decline anarchy followed broken power border marked beginning gradual byzantine arab remained strong continued resist byzantine attacks half century byzantines managed allies advance occupying mountains north city finally peace balkan frontier enabled byzantines turn forces east begin series campaigns culminated fall annexation event sent shock waves muslim followed modern byzantine advance evoked great emotional response muslim world volunteers soldiers civilians participate empire affected atmosphere deeply spirit rise brothers power frontier provinces regarded backdrop byzantine threat manifest inability government stem byzantine offensive words compared indifference muslim rulers surprising popular reputation remained high man attempted defend faith essential hero time early campaigns entered byzantines led expedition aid time besieged byzantines revolt rear forced abandon campaign managed send supplies town fell soon raided region captured byzantine fort arab sources report major victory byzantine advance affected important campaign early years invaded southwestern armenia secured pledge allegiance surrender fortresses local princes muslim christian begun byzantium turning west raiding byzantine territory expedition temporarily broke byzantine brother wars iraq years meant followed major missed chance historian comments sustained policy use armenian princes distrust byzantine form network clients contain byzantines instead given free hand allowed press capture dominance region failures victories establishing resumed warfare byzantium time time death byzantines chief antagonist east end life said fought battles despite frequent destructive raids byzantine frontier provinces victories field mode warfare essentially defensive seriously attempted challenge byzantine control crucial mountain passes conclude alliances local rulers effort roll byzantine conquests compared byzantium ruler minor match means numbers available empire contemporary arab sources report obvious nonetheless indicative byzantine armies numbered largest force numbered origin affected strategic outlook contrary syria based history neglected constructing fleet paying attention mediterranean raid winter limited scale followed prisoner exchange warfare died couple years despite scoring victory byzantine invasion unable prevent sack main muslim strongholds sons schools commander chief expeditions years failures raided theme driven byzantines proceeded sack defeat army raid far year led large force byzantine territory themes return ambushed mountain pass known expedition lost men barely escaped rejected offers peace byzantines launched raid onset winter forced retire year concentrated attention rebuilding fortresses northern syria including launched expedition works defeated launched campaign despite having considerably larger force disposal heavily defeated near battle celebrated byzantine commander lost youngest son constantine captivity expedition led year defeated allowing complete fortification successfully byzantine attack byzantine victories brought replacement eldest son blessed capable subordinates like brother leo nephew bring reversal fortunes struggle byzantines young general benefited culmination military reforms created professional army spring pre planned assault invaded byzantine territory seized pass rear attacked return hard fought battle fought amidst torrential rainfall resulted muslim victory lost men time invaded syria defeated captured cousin left later year obliged help repel raid fleet took razed unable react discovered conspiracy officers surrender byzantines exchange money executed mutilated retaliation spring invaded captured scored victory army led favourite stormed inflicted heavy defeat relief army byzantines exploited weakness led raid far forts way tried use absence army expedition establish position head large army invaded byzantine territory sacked fortress return army attacked annihilated ambush troops managed escape military power broken local governors began terms byzantines authority increasingly questioned capital needed time soon returned victorious crete summer began preparations campaign east byzantines launched attack winter months catching arabs guard captured followed deliberate policy devastation massacre drive muslim population away repaired byzantine territory celebrate easter entered claimed direct control province began rebuild work left incomplete offensive autumn forcing depart region byzantines army reportedly strong proceeded securing western passes sent army north meet byzantines ignored instead byzantine general led troops south mid december suddenly appeared defeating improvised army city walls byzantines stormed city plundered citadel continued hold byzantines departed taking inhabitants young men captives returning ruined half deserted capital refugees illness rebellions death byzantines remained quiet ascend imperial throne troubled onset disorders henceforth confined litter disease limited ability intervene personally affairs state soon abandoned charge chamberlain spent final years leaving senior carry burden warfare byzantines rebellions sprung domains physical decline coupled military failures especially capture meant authority increasingly subordinates military success political legitimacy ibn unsuccessfully tried turn province nephew governor rebelled killing trusted christian secretary favour father sent subdue rebellion forcing flee father court rebelled attacked defended wife intention turning failed retreated armenia managed fortresses lake van autumn attempted obliged abandon subdue revolt new armenian domains travelled armenia meet lieutenant submitted authority resistance murdered winter probably behest wife despite illness spreading famine domains launched raids reached far named successor domestic east responded launching invasion winter destroyed arab army field blood near unsuccessfully besieged lack supplies forced return home autumn emperor campaigned east met little resistance besieged held famine plagued province forced byzantines withdraw returned year stormed city deported inhabitants august surrendered inhabitants secured safe passage proceeded year saw large scale rebellions domains led governor coast grew threatening dimensions rebels captured defeated army sent advanced wounded battle city died shortly autumn revolt broke led governor ibn rebellion obviously motivated inability stop byzantine advance raising army town led defended months siege rebels taken possession lower town killed succeeded named defeated took departed town control rest northern syria year heavily affected death sons early asked received short truce exchange prisoners byzantines held muslim captives great cost forces resolved confront rebel carried litter returned day defeated rebel army helped army surviving rebels punished unable confront resumed advance ruler fled safety fortress byzantines raided turning northern syria launched attacks newly appointed governor ibn went city treasury early february returned died days later source claims died body buried mother sister brick dust collected armour campaigns reportedly placed head succeeded surviving son cousin year old ali better known reign marked internal turmoil able secure control capital time powerless bone contention byzantines new power middle_east egypt cultural activity legacy surrounded prominent intellectual figures notably great poets preacher noted philosopher time court arguably pinnacle career poet years wrote major according demonstrated measure real affection mixed conventional praise arabic poetry celebrated historian poet court dedicated major encyclopedia poetry songs cousin raised court married sister appointed governor accompanied wars byzantines taken prisoner twice second captivity wrote famous roman byzantine poems patronage poets useful political court poet duty patron celebrate work poetry helped spread influence court far muslim world paid special favour poets court contained scholars religious studies history philosophy astronomy comments time certainly held court renaissance italy unusual 10th century syria islam hitherto country reign founder sect benefited patronage turned stable centre new sect sent far persia egypt teachings main theological work dedicated patron active promotion began process syria came host large population 12th century addition played crucial role history cities chose capitals choice raised obscurity status major urban centres attention new buildings taking care fortification especially benefited patronage special note great palace outside gardens built rise chief city northern syria dates reign political legacy remained day best known medieval arab leaders bravery leadership war byzantines despite heavy odds literary activities patronage poets lent court cultural brilliance struck end defeat illness betrayal words time present day arab ideal tragic aspect picture presented contemporaries impact policies favourable 10th century chronicler travelled domains dismal picture economic oppression exploitation common people linked practice extensive estates fertile areas practising destined feed growing population baghdad coupled heavy taxation said wealthiest princes muslim world allowed maintain lavish courts heavy price subjects long term prosperity according capital prosperous following dynasty claims wars economic policies contributed permanent alteration landscape regions ruled destroying urban market gardens vibrant terrain contributed erosion land seizure semi nomadic tribes agricultural lands regions 11th century military record end failure byzantine advance continued death culminating fall transformed vassal state tributary byzantium years bone contention byzantines new muslim power egypt based military defeat end inevitable given strength resources empire weakness compounded failure support brother wars byzantium internal revolts authority domains historian comments martial reputation masks reality power paper tiger short money short soldiers little real base territories controlled
Sayf al-Dawla