Asfar ibn Shiruya

Asfar ibn Shiruya al-Jiliyya, a Daylami commander who seized Tabaristan, al-Rayy, Jurjan, Qazvin, Zanjan, Abhar, Qum, Hamadhan and al-Karkh after fighting Makan ibn Kaki and the summoner al-Atrush. ²

He was among the companions of Makan ibn Kaki, then Makan expelled him from his army. He joined Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ilyas in Nishapur and served him, and Bakr sent him to Jurjan to conquer it. ³

He summoned Mardawij ibn Ziyar from Gilan and made him commander of the army, and they seized Tabaristan. Nasr ibn Ahmad appointed him over Jurjan in 315 AH after Bakr's death. ³

Al-Mas'udi describes him as not professing Islam. He relates that he wanted to set up a golden throne for the king in al-Rayy, that he ruined Qazvin, enslaved its people, tore out its gates, ruined the mosques and forbade the prayers. ²

He imposed a dinar on every head, Muslim, dhimmi or stranger, and wrote them documents like those of the people of protection. Al-Mas'udi says that he saw strangers pay this poll-tax in al-Rayy and take its documents. ²

Al-Mas'udi relates that a plot was turned against him by his vizier Mardawij ibn Ziyar and Salar, lord of al-Tarm. He fled to the fortress of Alamut to take his treasures, and Mardawij slaughtered him at once. ²

• The descriptions and judgements in the earlier paragraphs are from al-Mas'udi alone and need an additional source.