Yazid ibn Asid al-Sulami's Governorship of Armenia

ولاية يزيد بن أسيد السلمي لأرمينية

between 754 and 775 CE

In al-Baladhuri: al-Mansur gave Armenia to Yazid ibn Asid al-Sulami, who opened Bab al-Lan, stationed there a ribat of diwan men, and tamed the Sanariyya till they submitted to kharaj; al-Mansur wrote ordering him to marry into the Khazar king's family — he did so, the Khaqan's daughter bearing him a son who died while she died in her lying-in; Yazid sent to Shirwan's salt-source and salt-pans, taxed them and set a deputy over it; he built the city of Arjil the Lesser and Arjil the Greater, settling Palestine's people in them; and it is told from a body of Bardha'a's shaykhs that al-Shamakhiyya in Shirwan's district was named for al-Shamakh ibn Shuja', who was king of Shirwan in Sa'id ibn Sam al-Bahili's governorship of Armenia.

Overview

Al-Baladhuri relates that the caliph al-Mansur appointed Yazid ibn Asid al-Sulami over Armenia. Yazid opened the Gate of the Lan and set up a garrison there of men from the register, and subdued the Sanariyya until they submitted by giving the land tax. ¹

The marriage alliance

Al-Mansur wrote to him ordering him to marry into the family of the king of the Khazars, and he did. The king's daughter bore him a son who died, and she herself died in childbirth. ¹

Administration and building

Yazid sent to the salt-workers and the saltpans of the land of Shirwan and collected from them and appointed an agent over them. He built the two cities of Arjil the Lesser and Arjil the Greater, and settled in them people of Palestine. ¹

The Shimakhiyya

It is related from a number of the elders of Bardha'a that the Shimakhiyya in the district of Shirwan were named after al-Shimakh ibn Shuja', and that the king of Shirwan was in the governorship of Sa'id ibn Sam al-Bahili over Armenia. ¹

The date in the caliphate of al-Mansur (around 754 to 775 CE) is derived and approximate. All the information on this page rests on the single report, and needs an additional source.

Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands

In al-Baladhuri: after Maslama, Hisham gave the march to Sa'id al-Harashi, who held it two years, then to Marwan ibn Muhammad — who camped at Kisal, having built its city (forty farsakhs from Bardha'a, twenty from Tiflis), then entered the Khazar land by way of Bab al-Lan, Asid ibn Zafir al-Sulami Abu Yazid guiding him in with the mountain kings by way of Bab wa-l-Abwab; Marwan raided Slavs in the Khazar land, carrying off ten thousand households whom he settled in Khakhit — they later killed their amir and fled, and he overtook and slew them; when the Khazar great-king learned the numbers Marwan trod into his lands and their strength and array, it stung his heart and filled it with dread, and as Marwan drew near he sent a messenger summoning him to Islam or war — Marwan answered 'I accept Islam; send me one to present it', which was done, and the Khaqan showed forth Islam, Marwan making peace confirming him in his kingdom; with him Marwan settled a body of Khazars between al-Samur and al-Shabiran in the Lakz plain; then Marwan entered the land of al-Sarir, fell upon its people, took castles, and its king submitted and obeyed — he compounded with him for a thousand heads, five hundred lads and five hundred girls black of hair, brow and lash each year, and a hundred thousand mudd poured into Bab's granaries, taking hostages of him; Marwan compounded with Tuman's people for a hundred heads — fifty girls and fifty five-year-old boys black of hair, brow and lash — and twenty thousand mudd yearly to the granaries; then entered Zirikeran's land, whose king compounded for fifty heads and ten thousand mudd yearly; then came to Hamzin's land — Hamzin refusing peace — took their fortress after a month's siege, burned and demolished it, its treaty then being five hundred heads delivered in one payment, no further claim on him, and thirty thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; then came to Sadan, which he opened by treaty for a hundred heads its lord delivered at once, no claim thereafter, and five thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; and he assessed the people of Tabarsaranshah at ten thousand mudd borne yearly to the granaries, while assessing Filanshah nothing — for his fine service, handsome conduct and praiseworthy way; then Marwan camped on the fortress of al-Lakz — its lord having withheld the levy and gone out to join the Khazar king, whereupon a herdsman killed him with an arrow not knowing him — so the Lakz people compounded for twenty thousand mudd borne to the granaries, and he set Khashrama al-Sulami over them; and Marwan went to Shirwan's lord's fortress called Khirsh upon the sea — he submitted, was ordered down to the plain, and they were bound to ten thousand mudd yearly; on Shirwan's lord he laid it that he be in the van when the Muslims began raiding the Khazars and in the rear when they returned; on Filanshah, that he raid with them only; and on Tabarsaranshah, in the rear at the outset and the van at the return; and Marwan went to the Dudaniyya and fell on them — then word of al-Walid ibn Yazid's killing reached him.

Yazid ibn Asid al-Sulami's Governorship of Armenia

At a glance

In time

Overview

The marriage alliance

Administration and building

The Shimakhiyya

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands