Abū'l-Futūh Barjawān al-Ustādh[1][2] (عَبْدُ الْفُتُوحِ بَرْجَوَانِ الْأُسْتَاذِ; died 25/26 March 1000) was a eunuch palace official who became the prime minister (wāsiṭa) and de facto regent of the Shia Fatimid Caliphate in October 997, and held the position until his assassination.
[2] Already before the death of al-Aziz, Barjawan was appointed tutor of the Caliph's son and heir Mansur, the future al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, whence he is also mentioned with the title of ustādh, "master", often borne by eunuch preceptors of princes.
[3][4] After al-Aziz died, the Kutama Berbers, Shia Muslim soldiers who had traditionally provided the mainstay of the Fatimid armies but had begun to be eclipsed by other groups—chiefly the Turkish and Daylamite mercenaries from the Islamic East or Mashāriqa ("Easterners")—used the opportunity presented by the accession of the underage al-Hakim to demand they be given control of the government.
[9] At the same time, Barjawan chose fellow palace eunuchs to fill many of the highest positions in the capital and the provinces, and created a considerable network of patronage by promoting people from various origins to office.
Led by Jaysh ibn al-Samsama, the Fatimids were successful in suppressing the rebellion at Tyre in June 998, although the inhabitants had called upon the Byzantine fleet for help, and subduing Mufarrij and his Bedouin.
[13] Dalassenos' defeat forced Emperor Basil II to personally lead a campaign to Syria the following year, pillaging the region of Homs, Beirut, and Tripoli, although he failed to capture the latter.
Both empires were not interested in pursuing warfare in the region further, however, and through the mediation of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, a truce was concluded in 1001 that confirmed the status quo and ushered a long period of peaceful, if not always untroubled, relations between the two major powers of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Barjawan installed eunuch governors over both cities, but the capture of Tripoli proved short-lived and had unintended consequences, as the Fatimid troops confronted the Sanhaja Berbers over its control.
As a result, al-Hakim developed a fierce hatred of his over-powerful minister, encouraged by another court eunuch, Abu'l-Fadl Raydan al-Saqlabi, who pointed out the danger of Barjawan becoming a second Kafur, the slave who had become the de facto ruler of Ikhshidid Egypt after the death of the dynasty's founder, Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid.
Al-Hakim however was able to quiet their fears and consolidate his authority by appearing before the armed crowds above the gates of the palace, justifying his action as being well within his rights as caliph and denouncing Barjawan as plotting against him, while appealing to the people to assist him in his youth and inexperience.