Hausam, the town at the eastern edge of the area inhabited by the Gllites, where al-Nasir al-Utrush had been active, became a centre of learning of the Nasiriyya and the seat of a series of 'Alid rulers. The founder of the 'Alid regime in the town was Abu'-Fadl Ja'far b. Muhammad, a grandson of al-Utrush's brother al-Husain al-Sha'ir, who in 320/932 established himself there, adopting the regnal name al-Tha'ir fi'llah, and reigned for three decades. In the years from 337/948 to 341/953 he thrice occupied Amul. The first time he was allied with the Ustandar of Ruyan, the second time with Vushmgir, and finally with Rukn al-Daula, but each time he was dislodged within months. He died in 3 50/961 and was buried in Miyandih, 30 km east of Hausam, where his tomb is still standing.
Two of his sons, Abu'l-Husain Mahdl al-Qa'im bi'llah and Abu'l-Qasim Husain al-Tha'ir fi'llah, succeeded him in turn. The latter soon was captured by Langar, a son of Vushmgir, who since the last years of Abu'-Fadl al-Tha'ir had been trying to wrest eastern Gllan from the 'Alids. The Ziyarids were indeed permanently interested in maintaining their influence in their home country. The Biiyids of Ray, too, tried to assert their authority in the region, which contained their own original home Liyahij (later Lahijan). Rukn al-Daula succeeded in luring Siyahgil b. Harusindan, the king of the Gllites, to Ray despite the offers which Vushmgir, his cousin, made in the hope of enticing him to join the Ziyarid camp. After the death of Siyahgil Langar had begun to claim the kingship among the eastern Gilites.
He partially blinded al-Husain al-Tha'ir and sent him to his father Vushmgir, who kept him in prison. Al-Husain was avenged by Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Nasir, a son of Abu Ta'far Muhammad who before his death had come to reside in Ray under the protection of Rukn al-Daula. Abu Muhammad, probably supported or at least favoured by Rukn al-Daula, gained control of Hausam and in 353/964 killed Langar in a battle. Shortly afterwards he was expelled from Hausam by another son of Abu'1-Fadl al-Tha'ir, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan, known as Amirka.
The Bavandid Ispahbads and the Ustandars of Ruyan
