Political and Military Strategies of Badh ibn Dustak against Adud al-Dawla and Samsam al-Dawla Buwayhid with an Emphasis on Ibn Khaldun’s Historical Model

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Theology and Islamic Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Azadshahr Branch, Azadshahr, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Theology and Islamic Studies ,Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Azadshahr Branch, Azadshahr, Iran

10.22111/jhr.2025.52665.3811

Abstract

This study examines the political and military strategies of Badh ibn Dustak, founder of the Marwanid dynasty in Diyar Bakr, Utilizing a descriptive-analytical approach, this research draws on primary and secondary historical sources to analyze the rise of Badh’s power against the backdrop of the gradual decline of the central Buyid authority. The study interprets political and military actions through the lens of Ibn Khaldun’s theory on the role of frontier regions and social dissatisfaction in state formation.The findings reveal that Badh’s emergence was facilitated by social unrest, the strategic geographic position of frontier regions (thugur), and opportunities arising from the power vacuum and internal conflicts following ʿAdud al-Dawla’s death. By adopting pragmatic policies, including alliance with the Byzantine Empire and employing irregular warfare in difficult terrain, Badh was able to establish local legitimacy and mobilize popular support despite opposition from the Abbasid Caliphate. Conversely, ʿAdud al-Dawla and Ṣamṣām al-Dawla responded with a conventional, centralized military approach but failed to achieve lasting success due to limited influence over frontier zones and internal crises after ʿAdud al-Dawla’s demise.

This comparative analysis demonstrates how exploiting the weakness of centralized structures, popular mobilization, and control over frontier regions can foster the emergence of local powers, as Ibn Khaldun’s theory of power transition through borderlands insightfully explains. The study highlights the dynamic interaction between central authorities and peripheral entities in shaping political authority during this period.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Historical Researches of Iran and Islam
Volume 19, Issue 37
November 2025
Pages 107-135

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 27 October 2025

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