Sabur ibn Ardashir (Persian: شاپور بن اردشیر; also spelled Shapur) was a Persian statesman who served as the vizier of the Buyids of Iraq briefly in 990 and later from 996 to 999.

Biography

Of aristocratic origin, and of probable royal descent from an Iranian dynasty, Sabur was born in 942 at his native city of Shiraz. He was the son of a certain Ardashir, and occupied high offices during his early career, and eventually became vizier of the Buyid ruler Baha' al-Dawla in 990, thus succeeding the Dailamite vizier Ibn Salihan. However, Sabur's vizierate lasted briefly, and he was eventually succeeded by another person.

One year later, Sabur founded a major Shia library in Karkh. Later in 996, Sabur was re-appointed by Baha' al-Dawla as his vizier, and continued to serve in the office until 999. One year later, Sabur served as the deputy of his successor, Abu Ali al-Muwaffaq. After some time, Sabur withdrew from Buyid politics, and spent the rest of his life in Baghdad, where died in 1025.

Sources

• Kennedy, Hugh (2004). The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century (Second ed.). Harlow: Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-40525-7.
• Bosworth, C. E. (1995). "Sābūr b. Ardas̲h̲īr". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. & Lecomte, G. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume VIII: Ned–Sam. Leiden: E. J. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-09834-3.