ABSTRACT
Unlike the rebellions of Abu Muslim and Sharik ibn Sheikh, Muqanna represented government by Persians and opposition to Arabs and Islam. The greater power of Arabs in Khurasan kept Muqanna’s rebellion from succeeding there, but in Mavarannahr the people had taken control over their own affairs for five years. He inspired the people to rebel against the Arabs at every opportunity. Khurasan prospered under the governorship of the Persian Fazl al-Barmaki, from an important family of Balkh. However, the Caliph Harun al-Rashid appointed a replacement, Ali ibn Isa, who despoiled the population. This provoked the rebellion of Rafi ibn al-Layth in Samarkand. The next caliph, al-Ma’mun, concluded that he must appoint native rulers to govern Khurasan and Mavarannahr. This ultimately led to the appointment of the sons of Asad ibn Saman and their family as governors. The Samanids developed an independent national state with its capital in Bukhara.
