View source for Sa'ad al-Dawla

{{Short description|Jewish physician and statesman}}
{{about|the 13th-century Jewish physician of Persia|the 10th-century Hamdanid ruler of Aleppo|Sa'd al-Dawla}}
'''Saʿd al-Dawla ibn Ṣafī ibn Hibatullāh ibn Muhassib al-Dawla al-Abharī''' ({{langx|ar|سعد الدولة بن هبة الله بن محاسب ابهري}}) (c. 1240 &ndash; March 5, 1291) was a [[Jew]]ish physician and statesman in thirteenth-century Persia ([[Iran]]).<ref name="Brill">{{cite encyclopedia | title = Saʿd al-Dawla | first1 = Reuven | last1 = Amitai | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World | editor = Norman A. Stillman | editor-link = Norman Stillman | publisher = Brill Online | url = https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world/sad-al-dawla-SIM_0018760?s.num=11&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world&s.q=Azerbaijan | year = 2010}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Originally from the town of [[Abhar]] in western Iran,<ref name="Brill" /> he was grand [[vizier]] from 1289 to 1291 under the [[Mongol]]ian [[Ilkhan]] in Persia, [[Arghun Khan]]. According to [[Bar-Hebraeus|Abu al-Faraj]], Sa'ad was the father-in-law of the prefect of [[Baghdad]]. Sa'ad held a position in the [[treasury]] department, where he so distinguished himself that the Mongolian governor was jealous and recommended him to court as a physician. Here Sa'ad made a friend of [[Ordu Kia]], a powerful general, and through his influence was sent to collect the arrears of taxes in Baghdad. He was so successful in raising money that Arghun appointed him assistant (''musharrif'') in the department of finances at Baghdad, Ordu Kia being appointed military governor, or ''[[emir]]'', of that province. The historian [[Wassaf]] says that Sa'ad cured Arghun of an illness, and, having thus gained his confidence, informed the Ilkhan of the corruption among the officials at Baghdad. At the same time he impressed Arghun with his ability, his knowledge of the [[Mongolian language|Mongolian]] and [[Turkish language]]s, and by his intimate acquaintance with the conditions existing in the province. He was soon made general controller of the finances of Baghdad, and then of the whole empire, becoming grand vizier. "Thus," remarks Abu al-Faraj, "were the Muslims reduced to having a Jew in the place of honor," a situation which they greatly resented. Arghun, as a [[Lamaism|Lamaist]] [[Buddhist]], had no such compunctions.

The administration of Sa'ad al-Daulah ([[Arabic]] for "Felicity of the Empire," an [[laqab|honorific name]] which he took as vizier) appears to have been wise and just, although Von Hammer calls it "sanguinary and golden." He instituted regulations which, although strict, were wise and aimed at a sure increase of the revenue. The taxes were on a fixed basis, and no extraordinary requisitions—of food or animals—were allowed. He employed only Jews and [[Christians]] in office, and, as was natural, a large share of the positions fell into the hands of his own relatives. Under him the Jews enjoyed a short period of prosperity, and Abu al-Faraj says they flocked to Baghdad from all parts of the world. It is possible that Sa'ad was instrumental in establishing diplomatic relations with [[Europe]]. Besides, he patronized the arts and literature; and a collection of poems and eulogies dedicated to him was made and circulated in Baghdad. On account of this work, mentioned by Wassaf, [[Heinrich Grätz]] identifies Sa'ad with [[Mordecai ibn al-Kharbiya]], who is described in a poem (still extant) dedicated to him in terms that might well apply to Sa'ad (Grätz, "Gesch." vii, note 10).

Sa'ad had many enemies. The Mongolian officials hated him because they could no longer divert the revenues to their own use; and the Muslims felt it a degradation to have a Jew placed over them. Sa'ad had also made an enemy of Arghun's favorites and was himself proud and haughty in his bearing. False reports were circulated about him; and no opportunity was lost of maligning him to Arghun, although without effect. It was said that Sa'ad was trying to introduce a new religion at the head of which was to be the Ilkhan. Finally Arghun fell ill, and Sa'ad's enemies took advantage of the opportunity to get rid of the Jew. He was killed, as stated above, on March 5, 1291; his goods were confiscated; and his family and the Jews in general were persecuted. Arghun died soon after.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Resources==
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=38&letter=S&search=Sa'ad%20al-Daulah Jacobs, Joseph and Mary W. Montgomery. "Sa'd al-Daulah".] ''[[Jewish Encyclopedia]]''. Funk and Wagnalls, 1901–1906, which gives the following bibliography:
**[[Bar-Hebraeus|Abu al-Faraj]], ''Chronicon Syriacum'', pp.&nbsp;610, 624–625, Leipzig, 1789;
**Hammer-Purgstall, ''Gesch. der Ilchane'', i.377 et seq., Darmstadt, 1842;
**Howorth, ''History of the Mongols'', iii.331 et seq., London, 1888;
**Grätz, ''Gesch.'' vii.173, 183–186;
**Weill, ''Gesch. der Chalifen,'' iv.146 et seq.

==References==
*{{JewishEncyclopedia|title=Sa'd al-Daulah|first1=Joseph |last1=Jacobs|author-link1=Joseph Jacobs|first2=Mary W.|last2=Montgomery|url=https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12987-sa-d-al-daulah|volume=10|pages=629–630}}

{{Islamic medicine}}
{{High-ranking ministers and commanders of the Mongol Empire}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawla, Saad}}
[[Category:Jewish viziers]]
[[Category:Medieval Jewish physicians of Persia]]
[[Category:1240s births]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:1291 deaths]]
[[Category:13th-century Iranian physicians]]
[[Category:13th-century Jews]]
[[Category:Jews from the Ilkhanate]]
[[Category:Viziers of the Ilkhanate]]
[[Category:People from Abhar]]