The
Saffarid dynasty of
Persia ruled a short-lived empire centred on
Seistan, a border district between modern-day
Afghanistan and
Iran, between
861-
1003. The Saffarid capital was
Zaranj in Afghanistan. The dynasty was founded by – and took its name from –
Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar, a man of humble origins who rose from an obscure beginning as a coppersmith (
saffar) in eastern Iran. He became a warlord and seized control of the Seistan region, using it as a base for an aggressive expansion eastwards and westwards. By the time of his death, he had conquered
Khorasan (thus ending that region's
Tahirid dynasty) as well as parts of northern
India and western Iran, nearly reaching
Baghdad. The Saffarid empire did not last long after Ya'qub's death. His brother and successor Amr bin Laith was defeated in battle by the
Samanids in
900. He was forced to surrender Khorasan and the Saffarids were subsequently largely confined to their heartland of Seistan, with their role reduced to that of
vassals of the Samanids and their successors.
Rulers of the Saffirid Dynasty
See also
