emirate · South Asia

Emirate of Multan

855 CE – 1010 CE (approx.) · capital Multan

An Arab emirate of the upper Indus, first Sunni and later Ismaili, ruling the rich pilgrimage city of Multan until Mahmud of Ghazni took it.

Origins

Multan was conquered by Muhammad ibn Qasim in 713. As Abbasid control of Sindh weakened, an Arab family, the Banu Munabbih, claiming descent from the Quraysh, ruled it from around 855 as an autonomous emirate that recognised the Abbasid caliph.

Rule and society

Multan's famous Sun temple drew Hindu pilgrims from across India, and the emirs, according to al-Masudi, used its idol as a hostage against Hindu attack and drew revenue from the offerings. In the 950s Ismaili missionaries of the Fatimid Caliphate won over the ruling class, and under the Ismaili ruler Jalam ibn Shayban the Sun temple was destroyed and a mosque built in its place. Multan traded with Khorasan and Sindh.

Decline and legacy

Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Ismaili ruler Abu al-Fath Dawud in 1006 and annexed Multan around 1010, persecuting the Ismailis. Multan became a province of the Ghaznavid Empire and later a centre of Sufism.

Lineage

Abbasid Caliphate 750 CE – 1517 CEEmirate of Multan

Connections (2)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Emirate of Multan. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-multan
MLA
“Emirate of Multan.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-multan. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Emirate of Multan.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-multan.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Emirate of Multan’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-multan (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻