Sadakiyans

Sadakiyans or Sadakiya, Sadaqiya, (صدقیه), ( ca. 770 – 827/8 A.D.) were a dynasty ruling in central and northeastern Kurdistan, centered at Urmia. The dynasty, originally a Mawali (client) of Azd tribe, was founded by Sadaka ibn Ali, a local chieftain, who enganged in skirmishes with Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Al-Mansur. Together with his brothers, Sadaka was able to take control of large areas from Mosul as fars as Lake Urmia. According to Baladhuri, after taking Urmia he built several castles and further fortified it by digging a canal around it. He extended his dominion to include Khoy, Salmas, Ushno, Lajan, Sindus, etc. in modern-day northwestern Iran. During reign of Abbasid Harun al Rashid, Sadakiyans were able to further extend their dominon, and even the governor of Tabriz accepted their suzerainty. The successful expeditions by Sadakiyans horrified Abbasids, who subsequently sent a large army under command of a general known as Khazima. He could only occupy Maragha and soon was defeated by Sadakiyan forces. After Sadaka, his son Ali took power. Ali extended further their dominion.

Ali's son Sadaka II, better known as Zariq (Zardiq, Zuraiq, Zarir) ruled between 209–212 A.H. (824–827/8 A.D.) Like his grandfather (Sadaqa), Zariq was a capable warlord. He contacted Abbasids and claimed he is ready to battle Babak Khurramdin in return for his rule over Armenia and Azarbaijan. The Abbasid Caliph Mamun accepted the deal and persuaded him to counter Babak Khorramdin who hid himself in the mountains of Azarbaijan.

In 211 A.H. Zariq sent an army to Mosul in order to recapture it. He was initially defeated, but attacked again with a force of forty thousand troops, captured Mosul and killed Sayid ibn Yunus Azdi. This angered Mamun; he sent an army under Muhamad ibn Humaid. Finally, Zuraiq was defeated; he was executed in 212 after Hijra (ca. 827–8 AD).