96 E, E. Oliver —Decline of the Sdmdnis and the Rise of the [No. 2, 
cities, as far as known, is more extensive, including Samarkand, Bukhara. 
Shash, Balkh, Nishapiir, Muhammadiyah, Kumm, Andarabah, Ma’din, 
Binkith, Akhsikat, and Tamkat-Ilak, of which some are difficult to iden¬ 
tify. He died in Rajab 331 H. after a reign of 30 years, extending over 
four of the Khalifahs. Of his three sons he had named the youngest but 
was actually succeeded by the eldest. 
Nuh I 331—343 H. 
The reign of Nuh the first, styled Amir-i-Hamid, “ the Laudable 
Amir,” like that of his predecessors was made up of a long series of wars 
and revolts, and even more than Ahmad or Nasr he was in the hands of 
his officials. The Samanis in place of leading themselves, became more 
and more the puppets of the Turks, who had already begun to assert 
their power as the dominant race. Null’s wars commenced with a cam¬ 
paign in 332 against Rukn-ud-daulah, the Dialamah or Buwiah, who 
had seized Rai. Abu ’All, Null’s general, who, after two campaigns 
succeeded in restoring order, demanded the Viceroyalty of IGiurasan as 
his reward, and on being refused broke into open rebellion. Abii Ishak- 
i-Ibrahim, Niih’s uncle and rival, obtained powers from the Khalifah, 
joined the rebellion, and seized upon the high lands of ’Irak and part of 
Khurasan (335 H.) and but for the rebels quarrelling among themselves 
Nuh, would have lost his throne. He had in 332 put down the rebellion 
in Merv, and in 335 proceeded there again on the same errand, the 
nobles and soldiery showing signs of disaffection. On succeeding his 
father he had appointed as Wazir and entrusted with the administration 
of affairs, Shams-ul-Aimmah, a man Minhaj speaks of as having “ by 
his enlightenment and just administration annoyed and irritated the 
rebellious party beyond measure,” who was now charged by a section of 
the army with being the cause of all the confusion and division in the 
State, and demanded as a victim. “ Give him into our hands,” they said 
“ or we will join your uncle.” Niih was constrained by necessity to deli¬ 
ver the Imam into the hands of these tyrants, and they brought him 
forth. At the entrance to the royal residence there stood two tall white 
poplar-trees. These they bent downwards, and, fastening each of that 
unfortunate minister’s feet to a branch of either tree which was nearest 
it, let the trees spring back again into their upright position, and the 
great man was torn asunder.” The risk of being too famous as a “ just 
man ” was even greater under the Samanis than among the Athenians. 
But the sacrifice of the minister did not postpone the evil day. Abu ’Ali 
the general went over and joined Rukn-ud-daulah, and a fresh revolt 
resulted in the latter becoming the independent ruler of Khurasan, the 
