Hamdan ibn Hamdun had brought his family, already well established in Al-Jazirah (northern Iraq) to political prominence by taking part in uprisings against the 'Abbasid caliph late in the ninth century.

His sons, however, become 'Abbasid officials, al-Husayn serving as a military commander and Abu al-Hayja' 'Abd Allah initiating the Hamdanid dynasty by assuming the post of governor of Mosul in 905.