Ikhshidids الإخشيديون | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 935–969 | |||||||||||
The Ikhshidid state (bright pink) as one of theAbbasid successor states | |||||||||||
| Status | Vassal of theAbbasid Caliphate | ||||||||||
| Capital | Fustat | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Arabic(predominant) Coptic Western Aramaic Turkic(army) | ||||||||||
| Religion | Islam(predominant) Coptic Orthodox Maronite Church | ||||||||||
| Government | Emirate | ||||||||||
| Wali (governor) | |||||||||||
• 935–946 | Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid | ||||||||||
• 946–961 | Abu'l-Qasim Unujur ibn al-Ikhshid | ||||||||||
• 961–966 | Abu'l-Hasan Ali ibn al-Ikhshid | ||||||||||
• 966–968 | Abu'l-Misk Kafur | ||||||||||
• 968–969 | Abu'l-Fawaris Ahmad ibn Ali ibn al-Ikhshid | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | 935 | ||||||||||
| 969 | |||||||||||
| Currency | Dinar | ||||||||||
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TheIkhshidid dynasty (Arabic:الإخشيديون,ALA-LC:al-Ikhshīdīyūn) was a Turkic[2] dynasty of governors ofmamluk origin, who governedEgypt and parts of theLevant from 935 to 969 on behalf of theAbbasid Caliphate.[3] The dynasty carried the Arabic title "Wāli" reflecting their position as governors on behalf of theAbbasids. The Ikhshidids came to an end when theFatimid armyconqueredFustat in 969.[4]Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, a Turkic[5][6] mamluk soldier, was appointed governor by the Abbasid Caliphal-Radi.[7]
The Ikhshidid family tomb was inJerusalem.[8]
The name "Ikhshidid" comes from the Central Asian dynastic nameIkhshid, a nobiliary title whose prestige in Central Asia remained high as late as the 10th century. It was adopted by theTurkic commander and ruler ofEgyptMuhammad ibn Tughj, whose grandfather had come fromFerghana. After this title, the short-lived dynasty founded by Muhammad al-Ikhshid is known as the Ikhshidid dynasty.[9][10]
The creation of the Ikhshidid state was part of the wider disintegration and decentralisation of theAbbasids after theAnarchy atSamarra, whereupon government became more decentralised. The founder,Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, possessed some form of military power[11] and was on friendly relations withMu'nis al-Muzaffar, a powerful military leader. Before he was appointed to Fustat he held the post of governor ofDamascus. He was first appointed to the post of Governor of Egypt in 933 but did not enter it during the first stint.[12] In 935 he was appointed a second time to the governorship whilst the country was in a state of war with multiple factions. He launched a campaign to conquer Egypt by land and sea, the naval forces takingTinnis and able to outflankAhmad ibn Kayghalagh, the main opponent, forcing his retreat and facilitating ibn Tughj's subsequent entry to Fustat in August.[13]The Fatimids were a major threat at the time and considerable effort was put into repelling them, culminating in their defeat by Ubayd Allah, ibn Tughj's brother, by November 936.[14] There was remarkable stability in the early years, with an absence of economic chaos and Bedouin raids, coupled with prohibition of looting, which helped pacify Egypt. Ibn Tughj sought the honorific title (laqab) of Al-Ikhshīd, which means "King of the Farghanians", from the Abbasids and official designation arrived in July 939.[15]

Muhammad ibn Ra'iq took over Syria in 939, which threatened Egypt. Enraged, ibn Tughj threatened to recognise the Fatimids, the Abbasids' enemy as the Abbasid caliph did not formally declare for ibn Tughj, the de jure governor. Nonetheless, his simple goals resulted in mainly defensive actions and eventually came to terms with ibn Ra'iq where ibn Tughj would continue to have Egypt and the same for ibn Ra'iq in Syria, partitioned along Ramla-Tiberias.[17] In 944, the governorships of Egypt, Syria and Hijaz were awarded for 30 years to ibn Tughj's family, and these posts would pass to his son,Abu'l-Qasim.[18] In 942 he began striking coins in his own name, and the changes of power in Baghdad meant less central authority. In 945 he defeatedSayf al-Dawla, another adversary who took over Damascus,[19] which resulted in a truce until his death in 946. Abu'l-Qasim inherited the conflict with Sayf al-Dawla and fought him at Damascus, and al-Dawla soon occupied Aleppo in 947. There was a simultaneous revolt byGhabun, governor of Middle Egypt, who managed to occupy Fustat before his death in the same year. Nonetheless, Kafur's continuation of the appeasement policy managed to negotiate a settlement between the Ikhshidids and theHamdanids where Damascus became Egyptian again and the tribute to the Hamdanids stopped, with borders largely in line withstatus quo ante bellum.[20] This peace practically settled the Ikhshidid borders and left the Fatimids again as the main threat, with the Byzantines now the responsibility of the Hamdanids.Kafur wielded real authority following ibn Tughj's death in 946 and was highly regarded among contemporaries.[20]

Nubian incursions occurred in 950 and a more serious invasion took place in 965, when Aswan was pillaged. This coincided with the famine of 963–968 while Berbers, Bedouins and Qarmatians all took advantage of the weakened state.[22] In 966 Kafur took over afterAbu'l-Hasan's death, which further increased uncertainty due to his status as a eunuch. Nonetheless, he received the title 'Ustādh,' meaning "master", from Baghdad, which gave him some legitimacy. Ibn Killis, Kafur's vizier, was arrested following Kafur's death in 968 and following his release traveled to FatimidIfriqiya and provided vital information to them.[23] In 934 a Fatimid invasion led by the eunuch Raydan managed to capture Alexandria but was repulsed.[24] Only a later attempt by the Fatimid generalJawhar al-Siqillimanaged to conquer Egypt in 969.Ubayd Allah, brother of Muhammad ibn Tughj, held out in Syria until March 970, when he was defeated and taken prisoner byJa'far ibn Fallah, signalling the end of the Ikhshidid dynasty as a ruling power.
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Like theFatimids after them, the Ikhshidids made use of Black slave troops.[25] The practice began with theTulunids in 870 AD, where the Africans were used as infantrymen, and continued by the Ikhshidids due to financial reasons, as they were cheaper thanTurkic military slaves which were used as cavalry.[26]
Only gold coins are common, with coppers being extremely rare. Dinars were mainly struck at Misr (Fustat) and Filastin (al-Ramla), and dirhams were usually struck at Filastin, and less often at Tabariya, Dimashq, and Hims. Other mints for dirhams are quite rare. Dinars from Misr are often well struck, while the Filastin dinars are more crude. Dirhams are usually crudely struck and often are illegible on half of the coin.[27]
| History of the Turkic peoplespre–14th century | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The two gubernatorial dynasties in Egypt which have already been mentioned, the Tulunids and the Ikhshidids, were both of Mamluk origin.