Abu'l-Najm Badr

Badr was either of Turkish[1] or Armenian origins.[2] He was originally a ghulām (slave soldier; pl. ghilmān) of the Fatimid governor of Damascus, Manjutakin,[3] until being acquired by Aziz al-Dawla Fatik; the latter was also a former Armenian ghulām of Manjutakin.[2] During Aziz al-Dawla's reign as the Fatimid governor of Aleppo, beginning in 1017, he appointed Badr as the commander of the ghilmān and governor of the Aleppo Citadel.[1] This demonstrated that Aziz al-Dawla placed significant trust in Badr.[1]

Aziz al-Dawla ruled with virtual independence and maintained his own relations with the Byzantine Empire, Aleppo's powerful, northern neighbor and enemy of the Fatimids. This alarmed Sitt al-Mulk, the effective ruler of the Fatimids. Under her direction, the Fatimid court in Cairo sought to eliminate Aziz al-Dawla; to that end, Sitt al-Mulk conspired with Badr, sending him secretive correspondence, carried either by official envoys or anonymous merchants.[4] According to historian Suhayl Zakkar, the secret letters to Badr may have been delivered by Fatimid envoys from Cairo carrying gifts to Aziz al-Dawla, which allowed them access to Badr.[4]

Badr used Aziz al-Dawla's affection of another ghulām, an Indian named Tuzun, as an avenue to assassinate him.[4] Badr warned Tuzun that Aziz al-Dawla had intended to kill him on several occasions only to be stopped by Badr's interjection.[4] Badr won Tuzun's trust, and the latter, fearful of his own death at Aziz al-Dawla's hand, cooperated with Badr on a plot to assassinate their master.[4] They decided to act on 6 July 1022.[4] That day, Aziz al-Dawla had returned to his sleeping quarters after a day of hunting and drinking with Badr.[5] In this intoxicated state, Aziz al-Dawla went to bed, and Tuzun, who typically attended to Aziz al-Dawla, took the latter's sword and struck off his head.[5] Badr then betrayed Tuzun by letting out a yell accusing his co-conspirator of murdering their master.[5] This gained the attention of the other ghilmān who attacked and killed Tuzun.[5]

After the assassination, Badr reported Aziz al-Dawla's death to the Fatimid court, which publicly mourned the death of their Aleppine governor whilst they quietly rejoiced.[5] Badr was appointed Aziz al-Dawla's replacement and was bestowed the title of wafiyy al-dawla wa-aminahā (loyal and trustworthy one of the state).[3] According to Zakkar, the title is evidence of both Badr and the Fatimid court's role in the assassination. At the same time, Zakkar asserts that Sitt al-Mulk's role in the affair was "questionable", but this was the consensus of the medieval chroniclers.[5]

Badr's appointment was effectively used by the Fatimids merely as a temporary arrangement until a more suitable candidate could be found.[6] Badr was sent correspondence from Cairo via Ali ibn Ahmad al-Dayf of Afamiya to reassure him of the Caliphate's goodwill toward him.[6] Nonetheless, in the meeting between Badr and al-Dayf, the former was persuade to relinquish the governorship, which he had officially held for ninety-six days.[6] Badr's replacement, the Kutami officer, Safiyy al-Dawla, arrived in Aleppo on 10 October.[6] According to Zakkar, after Badr gave up his post, "he was arrested and shortly after met his fate".[6]