Muhammad III of Shirvan

Muhammad III was the Shirvanshah from 981 to 991. He was the son and successor of Ahmad ((r. 956 – 981)).

Reign
In 981/82, Muhammad III took the town of Qabala from its ruler, Abd al-Barr ibn Anbasa. In 982, he took control of Barda'a, and made Musa ibn Ali his lieutenant. In 983, a wall around the town of Shabaran was constructed under Muhammad IV's orders. In 989/90, the inhabitants of the town of al-Bab became enthusiastic supporters of Muhammad al-Tuzi, a preacher who had arrived from Gilan. The latter soon took over the entire town, and fell into disfavour with its ruler, Maymun. The supporters of al-Tuzi laid siege to the castle of Maymun, forcing him to flee to Tabarsaran in 990/91.

Muhammad III was subsequently invited by al-Tuzi to take control over al-Bab. He went to the town, staying there for some months and overseeing its administration. He was eventually taken back to Shirvan by his men after suffering a head injury from a battle-axe by Balid, a ghulams of Maymun, who subsequently reconquered al-Bab. Muhammad III died in November 991 and was succeeded by his brother Yazid II.

Coinage and culture
A coin struck under Muhammad III at Barda'a is engraved with the nasab ibn as-Sallar, which demonstrates that Muhammad III wanted to make it clear that he was the rightful heir of the Persian monarchs. "Sallar" is derived from sardar, a military title under the Sasanian Empire (224–651).