WI: Mardavij lives longer, stronger Ziyarids

[GauchoBadger]

IOTL, Mardavij was a persian warlord who belonged to the Ziyarid Dynasty. He, surprisingly, was a zoroastrian, despite the fact that Persia had been under muslim control for 280 years before his reign.
Mardavij was known for his conquests in the persian heartland, taking control of cities such as Isfahan, Hamadan, and even Shiraz. Rumours have it that he was planning to conquer Baghdad and destroy the Abbasid Caliphate. However, his rule was ephemeral and his plan was foiled, as he was assassinated by turkish slaves in 935 AD. His sons continued to rule Tabaristan, but converted to Sunni islam, and made no further offensives against the Abbasids or their vassals, especially the Buyids.
But what if Mardavij had been kinder to his slaves and turkish subjects, thus preventing his assassination?
Could he reestabilish zoroastrian authority in Persia? I hear that Abbasid authority over the east was very weak at the time.
If he does restore the shahdom, then what are the effects on the muslim states east of the country?

 

[GauchoBadger]

Bump. No thoughts?
Mine is that Mardavij could capture and sack Baghdad with the help of the Qarmatians, but not hold it, due to possible civil unrest.
Is it too late to save zoroastrianism in Iran? I'm under the impression that at least Tabaristan (Mardavij's homeland), Gilan and Gorgan could remain majority zoroastrian.
And can such a scenario prevent the flight of zoroastrians to India and the consequent creation of the Parsi community?

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

Mardavij ruled inner Iran only at the kindness of the Samanids who gave him the ability to do so. So, for him to expand further, he must defeat the Samanids, which he may not be able to do. Zoroastrianism as a viable state ideology is mostly exhausted at this point for the entirety of the Iranian plateau. Especially, following the failure of Mayzar and al-Afshin who represented the final lives of the Sassanid feudal elite.

It also is a serious detriment that the Turkic Mamluks are already Muslims. This forces or at least greatly influences existing Turks outside the Islamic world to at least partially convert as to gain alliances with powerful Mamluk classes already in positions of power.

 

[GauchoBadger]

Mardavij ruled inner Iran only at the kindness of the Samanids who gave him the ability to do so. So, for him to expand further, he must defeat the Samanids, which he may not be able to do. Zoroastrianism as a viable state ideology is mostly exhausted at this point for the entirety of the Iranian plateau. Especially, following the failure of Mayzar and al-Afshin who represented the final lives of the Sassanid feudal elite.

It also is a serious detriment that the Turkic Mamluks are already Muslims. This forces or at least greatly influences existing Turks outside the Islamic world to at least partially convert as to gain alliances with powerful Mamluk classes already in positions of power.

For how long can the peace treaty between the Ziyarids and Samanids last?
Plus, how did Mardavij manage to conquer so much territory, despite following a by-then discredited ideology?

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

For how long can the peace treaty between the Ziyarids and Samanids last?
Plus, how did Mardavij manage to conquer so much territory, despite following a by-then discredited ideology?

It is the same way that al-Afshin was the leading general in the Abbasid army or Mayzar a favored vassal of the Abbasid realm. Mardavij was not unlike them, in that he was more of a Muslim in terms of his dealings with authorities and nobility and early in his career. But as it progressed, he reverted to his original faith just as Mayzar did before him and both met a similar fate. Mind you, in those days, you found not click on Wikipedia and discover the religion of a person.

Not very long I would suspect. I doubt Mardavij's prospects in a war against the Samanids.