Abu Tahir Yazid


Abu Tahir Yazid or Yazid I was sixth Shah of Shirvan and third Shah of Layzan.

Reign

He was reigning as Layzanshah as heir of his father Muhammad. He attacked Shirvan and captured its ruler Ali I alongside his son Abbas and grandson Abu Bakr in Marzūqiya, near Derbent. While shah and son were executed, Abu Bakr managed to flee. He subsequently fortified Yazidiya in 918.
Around 932, Muflih al-Saji arrived in Shirvan, who was escaping Daysam al-Kurdi. Fearing retribution, Abu Tahir handed him over to Balduya, possibly a general of Daysam.
He intervened in Emirate of Derbent when inhabitants expelled their ruler Ahmad b. Abd al-Malik I and appealed to Abu Tahir to take over emirate, who in turn sent his second son Ahmad to Derbent. However this rule proved short as Derbentis deposed Ahmad again and returned former emir to rule. Abu Tahir plundered environs of citadel as a retribution.
He soon had to face an invasion by Marzuban ibn Muhammad and was forced to make a common cause with Derbentis against Sallarid invasion. Despite that he won the battle, he was nevertheless forced to pay tribute later.
Towards the end of his reign, Abu Tahir was allied with Emirate of Derbent and Sallarids in a campaign against Christian neighbors, probably Bagratid Armenia.

Family

Abu Tahir Yazid had at least two sons: