la the Hamdanid prince
of Mosul, who then marched against Bagdad, and succeeded in repelling
Baridi. In return he obtained the office of Amir al-Omara. But the
Dailamite and Turkish soldiery did not suffer him to keep this office
longer than several months. Tuzun, a former captain of Bajkam, compelled
him to return to Mosul and took his place. Mottaqi fled again to Mosul
and thence to Rakka. The Ikshid, sovereign of Egypt and Syria, offered
him a refuge, but Tuzun, fearing to see the caliph obtain such powerful
support, found means to entice him to his tent, and had his eyes put
out, Saphar 333 (October 944).

22. _Reign of Mostakfi._--As successor Tuzun chose _al-Mostakfi billah_
("he who finds full sufficiency with God"), a son of Moktafi. This
prince, still more than his predecessors, was a mere puppet in the hands
of Tuzun, who died a few months later, and his successor Ibn Shirzad.
Such was the weakness of the caliph that a notorious robber, named
Hamdi, obtained immunity for his depredations by a monthly payment of
25,000 dinars. One of the Buyid princes, whose power had been steadily
increasing, marched about this time against Bagdad, which he entered in
Jomada I. A.H. 334 (December 945), and was acknowledged by the caliph as
legal sovereign, under the title of Sultan. He assumed at this time the
name of Mo'izz addaula. Mostakfi was soon weary of this new master, and
plotted against him. At least Mo'izz addaula suspected him and deprived
him of his eyesight, Jomada II. A.H. 334 (January 946). There were thus
in Bagdad three caliphs who had been dethroned and blinded, Qahir,
Mottaqi and Mostakfi.

23. _Reign of Moti._--Mo'izz addaula soon abandoned his original idea of
restoring the title of caliph to one of the descendants of Ali, fearing
a strong opposition of the people, and also dreading lest this should
lead to the recovery by the caliphs of their former supremacy. His
choice fell on a son of Moqtadir, who took the title of _al-Moti'
billah_ ("he who obeys God"). The sultan, reserving to himself all the
powers and revenues of the Caliphate, allowed the caliph merely a
secretary and a pension of 5000 dirhems a day. Though in public prayers
and on the coins the name of the caliph remained as that of the supreme
authority, he had in reality no authority out of the palace, so that the
saying became proverbial, "he contents himself with sermon and coin."

The Hamdanid prince of Mosul, who began to think his poss