The Nāṣirī Generations 18: II. ’UMRO, SON OF LAIS, SUFFARI.

18

When Ya’kub-i-Lais was removed from this transitory life, his brother, ’Umro, Suffari, sent a written petition to the Lord of the Faithful, the Khalifah, Al-Muwaffik B’illah, tendering his obedience and submission, and soliciting that he should be confirmed in the possession of the greater part of Fars, Gurgan, Sijistan, and Khurasan. His request was acceded to by the Khalifah, and ’Umro retired from the mountain tracts of ’Irak with his own forces and those of his brother, and returned towards Sijistan again. From thence he moved towards Hirat, and arrived there in the year 266 H. From Hirat he marched to Nishapur; and Khujistani, who was one of the Amirs of Muhammad, son of Tahir [the last of the Tahiri dynasty], who had released his master from the hands of the Suffaris, and who was at this period in Gurgan, marched to Nishapur against ’Umro, and there he was joined by Rafi’, son of Harsamah, from Marw.
They fought a battle with ’Umro before the gate of Nishapur, and ’Umro was defeated and put to the rout. He retreated to Hirat, and the Khalifah, Al-Muwaffik B’illah deposed ’Umro-i-Lais from the government of Khurasan in the year 271 H., and the whole of the territories and places which had been annexed by him were given [back] to Muhammad, son of Tahir, son of ’Abd-ullah.
Muhammad was, at that time, at the Dar-ul-Khilafat of Baghdad, and Rafi’, son of Harsamah, was directed to act as his deputy and lieutenant in the government of Khurasan. The government of Mawar-un-Nahr — the territory trans Jihun — was conferred upon Ahmad, Samani, as the deputy likewise of Muhammad, son of Tahir. Between ’Umro-i-Lais and Rafi’, son of Harsamah, many battles and conflicts took place up to the period that Rafi’-i-Harsamah himself rebelled against the authority of the Khalifah.
In the year 284 H., in an encounter which took place between him and ’Umro-i-Lais, Rafi’ was slain; ’Umro sent the head of Rafi’ to the Court of Baghdad, at which time the masnad [throne] of the Khilafat had devolved upon Al-Mu’tazid B’illah, and ’Umro-i-Lais made a request to him that the government of Mawar-un-Nahr, Khurasan, Nim-roz, Pars, Kirman, and Ahwaz, together with the Nakabat, or guardianship of the entrance to the palace of the Khalifah, and of the district of Baghdad, should be made over to him. More than this, he solicited that the name ’Umro should be inscribed on the canopies which every chief had in his residence [which would signify that he was above them all], and that his name should be mentioned in the Khutbah, and on the coins of Makkah and Madinah and of Hijaz. All his demands were acceded to by the Khalifah’s Court, and were duly carried out, and numerous dresses of honour, and countless marks of favour and distinction, were conferred upon him.
The letters patent, acceding to his demands, having reached ’Umro from his Majesty the Khalifah, he made preparation for proceeding and taking possession of Mawar-un-Nahr; and Muhammad Bashir, who was his Hajib [chamberlain], was despatched with a force from ’Umro's army in advance.
Amir Isma'il-i-Ahmad Samani, marched from Bukhara towards Khurasan, crossed the river Jihun and defeated the [advanced] force of ’Umro under Muhammad Bashir, who was slain in the engagement, together with a great number of his troops. Upon this ’Umro-i-Lais proceeded towards Mawar-un-Nahr with a numerous army, for it included 70,000 horsemen armed with spears, besides other troops. Amir Isma’il-i-Ahmad crossed the Jihun, and fought a battle with ’Umro-i-Lais before the walls of Balkh, defeated him, and took him prisoner, and sent him to the court of Baghdad; and then Ismail returned to Bukhara. In the year 288 H., the Khalifah, Al-Mu’tazid, directed that ’Umro should be cast into prison, and in it he died; and the dynasty of the Suffariun terminated.