Yes, this only took two months!! Ahem.
All dates should be taken with a grain of salt, and there may eventually be some minor revisions here and there. This also has yet to go on the wiki, where some other pages will need a few small updates to reflect the information here. But this is, more or less, probably, a list of all the dynasties/regimes that have ruled the caliphate since its inception following the death of the Prophet al-Azad in 52 BD.
The House of Harmony (44 BD - 72 ND)
The first caliphs of the Sirdabi caliphate. They were not a dynasty related by bloodline, but rather shared the distinction of all being selected by the council of tribal chiefs known as the Sirdabi Convocation, on account of their piety, wisdom, and excellent character. Much of what became part of the caliphate in its fullest extent was conquered or formally adopted into it during this time, including Saramat, Cadenza (now lost), Nishkol (also lost), all of the western caliphate save for Raziya (which was part of the caliphate at its inception) and Koumbasi. Caliph Abdannur al-Mahfuz, "the Preserver," is remembered as the supremely wise leader who saw the caliphate through the turmoil of the Great Dark.
The Dissonance (72 - 108 ND)
A time of chaotic governance characterized by numerous usurpations and violent coups. Only one of the rulers from this time is remembered for any goodness or efficacy, the Bissenke caliph al-Manoun who ruled from 98-103 ND and who is given credit for bringing Koumbasi into the caliphate as an emirate. The seeds were sown for Irzali separatism at this time, as corrupt and oppressive rule in Irzal inspired a deep disillusionment with and distrust of the Sirdabi government. The Kalentoi Empire also took full advantage of this disorderly interlude to retake Cadenza and push into Saramat.
The House of Mending (108 - 132 ND)
A succession of caliphs who each ruled for a relatively short period, but who collectively worked to set the seat of governance to rights once again and helped restore stability to the caliphate. Caliph Sala'ud is credited with halting the advance of Kalentoi forces into Saramat province early in this regime. During the reign of these caliphs however, Irzali separatists seized the opportunity to stage a revolt against the Sirdabi while they were preoccupied with rebuilding and reforming the government.
Tawwalid Dynasty (133 - 194 ND)
A dynasty drawn from the banu Tawwal tribe of al-Azad's second wife Rima. A mixed bag of strong and weak caliphs who presided over a period of reconquest of lands lost to the Kalentoi during the Dissonance. Caliph Ramadh formed a small but efficient navy which he used in taking back Cadenza. After the Kalentoi had been driven back, the full force of the caliphate was brought to bear on the ongoing rebellion crisis in Irzal, and the separatist movement there was ruthlessly crushed and the Elestaarian faith that supported it systematically uprooted. Only Nishkol succeeded in breaking free, aided by its eastern allies.
Imrahid Dynasty (194 - 295 ND)
A long dynasty which presided over something of a renaissance in Sirdabi culture and pre-eminence. Many of the rulers in this dynasty were women -- caliphas rather than caliphs. The founding calipha Imraha greatly expanded and reorganized the navy inherited from the Tawwalids, and helped establish firm Sirdabi dominance over the eastern Adelantean, as well as expanding trade through the Sea of Sala'ah. With the Kalentoi in disarray and the Irzali rebels thoroughly expunged, the Imrahids were able to rule overly a largely peaceful realm. This peace was maintained, however, through a great deal of careful diplomacy, prudent marriage alliances, and a well-managed system of patronage. Unfortunately the dynasty ended in disaster when Calipha Fawzia took a husband from the Kalentoi Empire in a well-intentioned but ill-advised scheme to unite the ancient enemies, inspiring unrest among her own people and leading to her assassination at the hands of her husband's kin and an assortment of co-conspirators from the caliphate itself.
The House of Traitors (295 - 310 ND)
The name given to the caliphs who assumed control of the caliphate following Fawzia's assassination -- a disorderly mix of Kalentoi imperials, Rusalvi mercenaries, native conspirators, and even the short-lived Angrosh caliph Shugur. The sister of the last Traitor caliphs, Majira, fled to her homeland of Cadenza and was able to stir up a rebellion there, resulting in the formation of the separate Majirid Caliphate.
Bushirid Dynasty (310 - 343 ND)
A dynasty of Irzali caliphs descended from the cunning Bushir, who was able to put the last of the House of Traitors to rest. For the first time the Sirdabi Caliphate looked to the east, strengthening old Irzali ties with Nishkol and establishing formal relations with the Xiangdese Empire in the east. The Bushirids neverthless proved an unpopular dynasty for their blatant favoring of Irzali individuals and Irzali interests over all others, and were eventually forcefully deposed, leading to another short outbreak of conflict with a defiant Irzal.
Khayyamid Dynasty (344 - 380 ND)
A dynasty of mixed Rahoumite and Marzumite caliphs, originally of quite humble tribal origins from the desert borderlands between the two provinces. In spite or because of their hardscrabble beginnings, they were able to conduct a successful campaign to put down the Bushirid resistance in Irzal. With the aid of the Sarmatiyyan tribes the new dynasty was then able to wrest Saramat from the Majirids, but after the indifference of the Bushirid dynasty, which allowed the Majirids thirty years in which to firmly entrench themselves, the reconquest of Cadenza proved too costly to pursue despite the futile efforts of several years. The caliphate did however renew and strengthen its ties with Jalanjhur, and the modern Suurmiyan scimitar came into being, improving on techniques from Imrahid days.
Tifrid Dynasty (380 - 487 ND)
A dynasty of Tessouare caliphs. After the persistent intrigues of Bushirid sympathizers which continued to disrupt the Khayyamid government, the western Tifrids were able to gain control of the caliphate. To remove the government from continuing pernicious influence, the capital of the caliphate was moved from Sirdab City to Omrazir. This was portrayed as a way to better unite the interests of the eastern and western portions of the caliphate, with Omrazir being centrally located as a bridge between the two. The cause of reconquering Cadenza was given up entirely, and for the first time the western caliphate received the lion's share of expansion, development, and defense. In the later years of the dynasty the weight of power shifted further west towards the Tifrids' ancestral base in Tessere, and plans were made to move the capital again, this time to al-Sabiyyah. But this provoked such a potent backlash that a short-lived civil war broke out and the Tifrids were overthrown.
The House of Scales (489 - 525 ND)
As an attempt to resolve lingering tensions between the two halves of the caliphate, under the regime named the House of Scales the leadership of the caliphate alternated between families of western and eastern origins, with each caliph serving for a designated period of time. The seat of governance, too, moved between Sirdab City and Omrazir with each succeeding caliph. The Sirdabi Convocation was resurrected in an expanded and modified form during this time in an attempt to return to the original ideals of egalitarian rule by the virtuous, but ultimately this experiment proved unwieldy and vulnerable to corruption and internal conflict. Eventually it was given up and the bland but blameless Salawi, Rajabu Masab, was selected to establish a new dynasty of caliphs.
Zalawid Dynasty (525 - 571 ND)
The new dynasty of Salawi caliphs looked once again to the Sea of Sala'ah more than the Adelantean. Fully utilizing the connections and resources of Zalawi, trade with the lands to the south and east of the caliphate flourished as never before, which also benefited Marzum. Eventually one family of great trade "princes" of the caliphate outmaneuvered the Zalawids to found the Anshabarid dynasty.
Anshabarid Dynasty (571 - 644 ND)
Despite having essentially usurped the caliphal throne, the Anshabarids were able to usher in a peaceful transition of power, thanks to their staggering wealth and wide-ranging connections which enabled them to hand out plum positions, trade concessions, and general largesse all around. The dynasty indiscriminately funded grand construction projects across the caliphate, endearing themselves to all the provinces but bankrupting the caliphate's finances in the process. The Anshabarid caliphs were known for their eccentricities, and in some cases flirted with outright madness. Nevertheless their downfall came only when a sudden flurry of assaults, on one side by Hazari Desert warlords, and on the other by the Kalentoi Empire's fleet, revealed the entire Sirdabi army and navy to be nothing more than a hollow shell top-heavy with "officers" whose positions owed only to the caliphs' preferment and nothing to skill or sense. Following this revelation, and a string of losses both in the Adelantean and along the Hazari frontier, the Anshabarids were overthrown.
The House of Calamity (644 - 669 ND)
Although perhaps exaggerated, the name given to the next regime reflects the ample share of troubles with which it had to deal. The army and navy were rebuilt in haste, relying for the first time more on mercenaries and slaves rather than on willing native warriors. Most of the caliphs of this house were themselves warriors who spent more time leading their new armies against the various threats of the caliphate than governing from the capital. The Hazari warlords were eventually pushed back into the desert, but small-scale naval skirmishes continued in the Adelantean until the very timely demise of the Kalentoi Emperor Numenos, who died without an heir. The most vigorous and successful of the Calamity caliphs, Arzab din Sabayda, eventually established the next caliphal dynasty.
Arzabid Dynasty (669 - 722 ND)
The only dynasty ever to have been founded by a native of Saramat province. Filling the need of their times, the Arzabids began as a very martial dynasty whose focus was on rebuilding the defenses of the caliphate. This proved still more necessary when the Majirid Caliphate voluntarily allowed its absorption into the Kalentoi Empire, with one branch of its own former caliphal family becoming part of the new imperial family of Calentium, and the other remaining as the rulers of the new Grand Duchy of Cadenza. The subsequent War of the Pines began a multi-pronged attack as the Kalentoi tested the caliphate on several fronts at once, but with their unexpected defeat in Eladje the Kalentoi assault dissolved into small-scale but ferocious battles in Saramat and in the Adelantean and Gulf of Adwa. Ultimately, with twin defeats on land and sea -- the Blooded Spear massacre and the Battle of Blue Reef -- the tide of the war was turned, though it took several more years for a treaty to be agreed to. Eladje became, rather unexpectedly, an emirate of the Sirdabi Caliphate at the conclusion of the war. With the death of the last of the Arzabids, the government of the caliphate was assumed by the court chamberlain, or hajib, Ahsan al-Kaladi, who established the present Hajibid dynasty.
Hajibid Dynasty (722 - Present day)
Although the Cadenza-Saramat border continues to be an area of contention and conflict, the Hajibids inherited a realm that was once again mostly at peace. Following the example of the previous regimes, the modern-day caliphate has continued to rely chiefly on mercenary units for its defenses, though the numbers of even these have been allowed to dwindle in the last several decades. As Ruveran lands have themselves achieved greater prosperity and power, some have defied the greater Kalentoi Empire to trade more extensively with the caliphate, which has benefited the people and finances of both realms. Commerce and connections with Jalanjhur and Yalanbari are also in an overall flourishing state. The Sirdabi caliphate seems to be prospering, and it is certainly a cultural powerhouse, but with renewed troubles at the peripheries and worries of rot at the heart of the seventy-year-old tree, some fear it may see a repeat of the mistakes of previous dynasties.
The current caliph is Imran Shadaad al-Hanif, "the Upright," who is currently in the twenty-fourth year of his reign. As his nickname implies, he has a reputation for scrupulous honesty and morality, and less positively, for a certain inflexibility that has only grown with age. He is respected and even esteemed by his subjects, but his is not the sort of personality to be loved. One his wives, Na'ima, is a great lover of natural oddities and curios and hs greatly expanded the collections of the Darmalaak in Sirdab City, besides making it more accessible for the common folk of the caliphate.
As has been the custom since the Zalawid dynasty, when the capital returned to its full-time home in Sirdab City, a near relative of the caliph serves as the provincial bey of Omrazir. In present times this is Fuad bin Imran al-Mutahafiz, "the Discreet," the caliph's eldest son. His own nickname is a bit of a sarcastic one, as he is felt to be overly secretive and taciturn, and to keep his own counsel too much rather than working more closely with or through Omrazir's Council of Luminaries.
Fuad's younger brother, Mu'omer bin Imran Bey, is the bey of Rahoum. Another half-brother currently serves as a chief military commander elsewhere in the caliphate, and numerous other relations are scattered around through posts of lesser importance.
