Badis ibn al-Mansur

Bādīs ibn al-Manṣūr (Arabic: باديس بن المنصور; 14 August 984 ^[1] - 10 May 1016), known fully as ʾAbū Manād Bādīs Nāṣir al-Dawla (أبو مناد باديس ناصر الدولة), was the third ruler of the Zirids in Ifriqiya from 996 to 1016.

Badis ibn Mansur succeeded his father al-Mansur ibn Buluggin (r. 984–996) as viceroy of Ifriqiya on 8 April 996.^[2] At the outset of his reign he faced a revolt by the Zenata Berbers, who threatened the Zirid domains from Tiaret to Tripoli. To focus on them, he left the eastern parts of his emirate in the hands of a deputy.^[2] Throughout his reign, Badis also had to fend off Fatimid forays into Tripolitania.^[2]

He stayed very close to his overlords, the Fatimids of Egypt,^[3] on account of a power struggle amongst the Zirids - his right to rule was challenged by his great-uncle Zawi ibn Ziri, who was ultimately driven into Andalusia where he founded the Zirid dynasty of Granada (1012–1090).

By 1001, Badis had secured his position with a convincing victory over the Zenata, their allies the Maghrawa, and Zawi ibn Ziri.^[2] This success was largely due to another great-uncle, Hammad ibn Buluggin, who defeated another Zenatan attack in 1004/5, and in 1007/8 established the castle of Qal'a.^[2] In 1014, Hammad rose in revolt, and Badis marched against him in May 1015. On 17 October, Badis won a great victory over Hammad at Chelif, but was unable to take Qal'a, being forced to lay siege to the fortress instead.^[2] The siege was still ongoing when Badis died, on 10 May 1016.^[2]

His death made the separation of the Hammadid state from the Zirids inevitable,^[2] while the anti-Shi'a riots that broke out in Tunis during his last year signalled the eventual break between the Zirids and their Fatimid overlords under Badis' son and successor, al-Mu'izz.^[2] His sister, Saïda bint Mansour, was appointed regent of his son as he ascended the throne a minor.^[4]