Mohammed bin Tugc
It is the second Turkish dynasty that dominated the Egypt and Syria. The founder of the state, Mohammed b. Tugc was born in Baghdad in 882. His father was commissioned in the service of Tuluni State and was assigned as the governor of the Damascus and Taberriye. Therefore, Mohammed was brought up within the administration of the state and he even deputised his father in Taberriye for a short period. Pursuant to the collapse of Tuluni State, Mohammed worked in the service of Abbasi State. Meanwhile, he was commissioned sometimes in Egypt and sometimes in Syria. He was promoted gradually in the high-ranking offices of the state and his influence got widespread all over Syria in the year of 933. However, he wanted to establish dominion in Egypt. On the other hand, the problems that emerged in Egypt pursuant to the collapse of Tuluni State indicated that there was a need for a powerful government in this region. Egypt was left between the two states that were in struggle for the leadership of Islam world in the east and in the west. The Abbasi government in Baghdad was convinced that it would be proper to have a powerful and self-satisfied state in Egypt. A powerful state that would dominate Egypt would also constitute an obstacle against the progress of Fatimi State in the west and would have the control over the Bedouin dynasties that newly appeared in Syria. Mohammed b. Tugc who got the advantage of these circumstances found support from el-Fazl b.Cafer el-Furat who was the tax collector (auditor)of Egypt and Syria.
He was assigned as the governor of Egypt in addition to Syria. As a result, he penetrated into Fustat by means of his powerful army and navy (935). Therefore, he laid the foundation of the Ihsidi State and suppressed the environment of conflicts in Egypt. Meanwhile, he had to struggle with Ebû Bekir Muhammed el-Madârâî that was a powerful financier in the region just like Ahmed b. Tulun had. However, Mohammed reduced his resistance and employed him in his service and therefore, he found a competent and influential assistant in the economical issues. The relations of Mohammed b. Tugc with Abbasi State were in a friendly manner. He was entitled with the title of Ihsid by the Caliph Razi (939) and the state that he founded was called as Ihsidiler. Ihsid is a Farsi title with the meaning of prince or ruler and it was used by the ıranian rulers in Sogd and Ferghana.
Before long, Muhammed b. Tugc had to defend Syria, one of the provinces under his dominion against Mohammed b. Raika who was one of the capable emirs of Abbasi State. Ibn-i Raik quickly captured Syria and invaded Ramle (939). Pursuant to a struggle with the forefront forces of Mohammed b. Tugc, both parties had reached to an agreement. According to this agreement, Syria extending towards the north of Taberiyye was given to Ibn-i Raik providing that Ramle and its environs were abandoned to Mohammed. However, Ibn Raik set on motion again in the following year. Mohammed b. Togc defeated him in el-Aris (24th June 940), but he was busted and defeated in Laccun (18th August 940). As a result, they came to a new agreement based on the same conditions. However, Mohammed had accepted to pay additionally 140.000 dinars annually to Ibn-i Raik. Pursuant to the murder of Ibn-i Raik by Hamdani people in 942, Mohammed b. Togc had some peace. He organised an expedition to Syria and stayed there for six months.
But for this time, his rivals in Syria were Hamdani people. Afterwards, Mohammed participated in the struggle for the position of Emir of Staff Officers and to this effect, he met the Caliph el-Mutteki in Rakka (944). But then, he gave of his opinion about becoming the Emir of Staff Officers and he returned to Egypt. Before long, he started to struggle with Sefy ed-Devle from Hamdani people. Seyf ed-Devle firstly captured Aleppo (944) and then the Damascus (945). Mohammed b. Togc defeated him in Kinnesrin, but he proposed the peace conditions that could be easily provided. As a result, a peace was obtained between the two sides (October- November 945). According to this agreement, Sefy ed-Devle was entitled with right to protect the northern sections of Syria and to have some allowance. Pursuant to this peace, Mohammed b. Togc returned to Damascus and died there (24th June 946).