18 Facts About Bajkam

Abu al-Husayn Bajkam al-Makani, referred to as Bajkam, Badjkam or Bachkam, was a Turkish military commander and official of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Bajkam was challenged throughout his rule by various opponents, including his predecessor as amir al-umara, Muhammad ibn Ra'iq, the Basra-based Baridis, and the Buyid dynasty of Iran, but he succeeded in retaining control until his death.

Bajkam was murdered by a party of Kurds during a hunting excursion in 941, shortly after the accession of al-Muttaqi as Caliph.

Bajkam was known both for his firm rule and for his patronage of Baghdad intellectuals, who respected and in some cases befriended him.

Bajkam's death led to a void in central power, resulting in a brief period of instability and fighting in Baghdad.

Bajkam was a Turk, and began his career as one of the ghilman of a vizier to the Daylamite warlord Makan ibn Kaki in northern Iran.

Ibn Ra'iq himself was defeated and forced to leave Basra to the Baridis, but Bajkam saved the situation by scoring two major victories, despite being outnumbered, that allowed him to take possession of Khuzistan.

Ali's brother Ahmad soon took over Khuzistan, and Ibn Ra'iq was forced to offer possession of the province as an independent domain if Bajkam would recover it.

Bajkam however was repulsed by the Buyid forces, and fell back to Wasit.

Ibn Ra'iq tried without success to impede his advance by destroying the great dams of the Nahrawan Canal and flooding the plain, but Bajkam's army entered the Abbasid capital without opposition, and al-Radi immediately transferred Ibn Ra'iq's title of amir al-umara to Bajkam.

Bajkam, having consolidated his control over Baghdad, now turned to face the threat posed by the Buyids.

Bajkam remained at Wasit, but sent his secretary to Baghdad to convene a council of Abbasid aristocrats, who selected al-Muttaqi, al-Radi's brother, as Caliph.

Bajkam sent a slave named Takinak to the deceased Caliph's palace, the Dar al-Sultan, to procure various items, including the valuable al-Yatimah pearl.

Bajkam obtained three female slaves from al-Radi's palace, whose singing he remembered from his earlier visits to the Caliph.

Bajkam opened a campaign against al-Baridi in early spring 941.

Bajkam's lieutenants were at first defeated by the Baridis, whereupon Bajkam himself left Wasit to take the field.

In 943, the Hamdanids were forced to retreat to Mosul when Tuzun, one of Bajkam's officers, seized power with military support; the following year, Tuzun captured, blinded, and deposed al-Muttaqi, assuming the role of amir al-umara.

Bajkam was solicitous for the welfare of his subjects, and especially the inhabitants of Wasit cherished his memory.