Muzzafar Husayn

Muzaffar Husayn Mirza-yi Gurkani, son of Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqara (sixteenth century). Bearing the title Abu al-Mansur, the mother of this Tumurid prince and poet was Khadija Beygum. It was at the suggestion of Sultan Husayn Bayqara that Muzaffar Husayn married Badi’ al-Jamal Beygum. A servant of Mirza Muzaffar Husayn informed Sultan Bayqara in March 1493 by an epistle sent to Sultan Badi’ al-Zaman as to Khusraw Shah’s military campaign from Quhandiz against Sultan Husayn Bayqara who dispatched the two princes against Khusraw Shah. Sultan Bayqara seized the province of Gurgan from Badi’ al-Zaman in 1496 and appointed Muzaffar Husayn Mirza as governor who frequently communicated messages to Muhammad Mu’min Mirza, his son, not to appoint Muzaffar Husayn governor but to wage war against him. Having received the intelligence, Sultan Bayqara dispatched Muzaffar Husayn Mirza, Amir Muhammad Barandaq Barlas, and Amir Nasir al-Din ‘Arabik to Istarabad and he himself proceeded towards Balkh (Bactria) to confront Badi’ al-Zaman. Mirza Muhammad Mu’min, having departed from Istarabad on the orders of his father, waged war against his paternal uncle, Muzaffar Husayn, but suffered defeat. Aspiring to seize Istarabad, Muhammad Husayn Mirza, Muzaffar Husayn Mirza’s half-brother staged a rebellion in 1497 and confronted Muzaffar Husayn Mirza in the vicinity of Gunbad Qabus. Muzaffar Husayn experienced such weakness that he had to flee from the engagement and Istarabad fell into the hands of the triumphant Muhammad Mirza. Then, he took part in Sultan Bayqara’s campaign against Abu al-Muhsin Mirza and Muhammad Muhsin Mirza on the Halwa Chashma plain and triumphantly waged war with his own army at the heart of the sultan’s army. Muhammad Husayn Mirza conquered Isfarayin in late 1499 and Muzaffar Husayn Mirza led a military campaign from Sabziwar against his brother, but he suffered defeat and fled to Turshiz. Following the death of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, some influential courtiers favored the accession of Badi’ al-Zaman Mirza and some supported the joint accession of Badi’ al-Zman and Muzaffar Husayn Mirza. Since Khadija Beygu Agha enjoyed utmost influence and the majority of the army generals supported her and the commanders of Barlas, a decision was made as to the joint reign. It was in 1505 that both princes were declared as sovereigns in the sermon of the congregation mosque of Herat and coins were issued in their names and the two engaged themselves in the administration of the affairs of their realm, but consequent to the protests made by other princes, each of the two sovereigns declared themselves as the king in Friday payer sermons. Having been notified of the death of Bayqara, Muhammad Khan Shaybani led a multitudinous army against Persian provinces and arrived in Badghis and laid siege to Balkh. Informed of the intelligence in 1506, Badi’ al-Zaman Mirza and Muzaffar Husayn, supported by other princes, assembled a colossal army to confront the Uzbek Khan, but Muhammad Muhsin Mirza did not render them support from Mashhad. Fearful of Muhammad Muhsin Mirza’s invasion of Herat, the two princes had to spend the winter in Herat and postponed the confrontation against the Uzbek army to the spring. A severe war broke out in May 1507 between the Uzbeks and the Khurasanis and since the Uzbek army was twice as big as that of Khurasan, each of the Timurid princes had to flee in different directions and Muzaffar Husayn Mirza fled towards Istarabad via Turshiz to turn to Firiydun Husayn Mirza. Badi’ al-Zaman Mirza joined him after a while. The two princes engaged in amassing a huge army to confront Muhammad Khan, when Muzaffar Husayn Mirza after a few months contracted some ailment which led to his death. He patronized the poets like Hatifi and Asifi.

Danishnama-yi Adab-i Farsi, Adab-i Farsi dar Afghanistan (3/ 958-959).