Thu'ban ibn Muhammad

Sadīd al-Mulk Thuʿbān ibn Muḥammad ibn Thuʿbān (Arabic: ثعبان بن محمد) was the Fatimid governor of Aleppo between 27 July 1024 and 30 June 1025. Thu'ban was a Kutami Berber commander based in Cairo until he was assigned by Caliph az-Zahir (r. 1021–1036) to replace Thu'ban's brother, Sanad al-Dawla al-Hasan, as governor of Aleppo after al-Hasan died of illness.[1] Thu'ban was given the title sadid al-mulk (the right to kingship).[1] His rule over Aleppo was described as "unpopular" by historian Suhayl Zakkar.[1]

In 1024 Salih ibn Mirdas, leader of the Banu Kilab, began attempts to wrest control of Aleppo. His forces sporadically clashed with Thu'ban's troops beginning in October 1024,[2] and in 22 November, Salih himself besieged the city.[2] After weeks of heavy clashes, Thu'ban was betrayed by Salim ibn Mustafad, the head of Aleppo's ahdath (urban militia), who opened Aleppo's Bab Qinnasrin gate to Salih.[2] The latter entered Aleppo on 18 January 1025, prompting Thu'ban to barricade himself in the former palace of Aziz al-Dawla at the foot Aleppo's citadel.[3] By 30 June, Salih's forces captured the palace and the citadel, and arrested Thu'ban.[4] When Salih returned to Aleppo in September, he freed Thu'ban in return for a payment, but executed Mawsuf, the Fatimid commander of the citadel.[5]