Mu'izz al-Dawla

Ahmad ibn Buya (Persian: احمد بن بویه, died April 8, 967), after 945 better known by his laqab of Mu'izz al-Dawla (Arabic: المعز الدولة البويهي‎, "Fortifier of the Dynasty"), was the first of the Buyid emirs of Iraq, ruling from 945 until his death.

The son of Dailamite fisherman who had converted to Islam, Ahmad ibn Buya was born in the mountainous region of Daylam, and by 982, he along with his two brothers served the Dailamite military leader Makan ibn Kaki. However, they quickly changed their allegiance to the Ziyarid ruler Mardavij, but some years later rebelled against him after founding out that he planned to murder one of the brothers. In 935/6, Ahmad ibn Buya unsuccessfully invaded Kerman, and was later sent to Istakhr. From there he started making incursions into Khuzestan and later Iraq; by 945, he was officially recognized as the ruler of Iraq and Khuzestan and had received the title of "Mu'izz al-Dawla" from the Caliph, while his two other brother were the rulers of other territories and had also received titles from the Caliph.

Izz al-Dawla

Bakhtiyar (Persian: بختیار, died 978), better known by his laqab of ʿIzz al-Dawla (Arabic: عز الدولة،, "Glory of the Dynasty"), was the Buyid amir of Iraq (967–978).

Early life

Izz al-Dawla was born as Bakhtiyar, and was the son of Mu'izz al-Dawla. He also had three brothers named Sanad al-Dawla, Marzuban and Abu Ishaq Ibrahim. Bakhtiyar, during his early life, married a daughter of the Dailamite officer Lashkarwarz.

In the spring of 955, Mu'izz al-Dawla became very ill and decided to name his son as his successor. Five years later, the caliph officially recognized this by granting Bakhtiyar the title of "Izz al-Dawla". During his father's military expeditions, Izz al-Dawla ruled in Baghdad. Mu'izz al-Dawla died in 967, leaving behind several pieces of advice for his son. He recommended keeping the services of the Turkish commander Sebük-Tegin, respecting the wishes of the Turks, recognizing his uncle Rukn al-Dawla, who ruled northern Persia, as senior amir, and respecting his cousin 'Adud al-Dawla, who ruled from Fars. He also gave a strategy for dealing with the Hamdanid emir of Mosul, Abu Taghlib.