?amd─n ibn ?amd┗n brought the family, already well established in Al-Jaz┤rah, to political prominence by taking part in uprisings against the ?Abb─sid caliph late in the 9th century. His sons, however, became ?Abb─sid officials, al-?usayn serving as a military commander and Ab┗ al-Hayj─? ?Abd All─h initiating the ?amd─nid dynasty by assuming the post of governor of Mosul (905–929). The dynasty struck an independent course under ?Abd All─h's son N─?ir ad-Dawlah al-?asan (reigned 929–969) and expanded westward into Syria. In 979 the ?amd─nids were driven out of Mosul by the B┗yid ?A?ud ad-Dawlah, who was then annexing Iraq to his domains, and Ab┗ Taghlib (reigned 969–979) was forced to seek refuge and help from the F─?imids of Egypt, though without success. ?A?ud ad-Dawlah later maintained two ?amd─nids, Ibr─h┤m and al-?usayn, as joint rulers of Mosul (981–991), but the dynasty's power had already shifted to Syria.

Aleppo and Homs had been won about 945 by Ab┗ Taghlib's uncle, Sayf ad-Dawlah, who spent most of his reign (c. 943–967) defending his frontiers (from northern Syria to Armenia) against the Byzantine Greeks. It was in Sayf ad-Dawlah's honour that the poet al-Mutanabb┤ (d. 965), during his stay at the ?amd─nid court (948–957), wrote his famed panegyrics. Trouble with the Byzantine Empire increased during Sa?d ad-Dawlah's tenure (967–971). The kingdom was invaded on several occasions, and even Aleppo and Homs were temporarily lost, while the F─?imids also began to infringe on the southern end of Syria. The F─?imids and the ?amd─nids struggled for possession of Aleppo throughout Sa?┤d ad-Dawlah's reign (991–1002), even drawing the Byzantine emperor Basil II into the conflict. In 1002 control of Aleppo passed into the hands of the slave general Lu?lu?, who ruled as regent (1002–04) for the last two ?amd─nids, ?Al┤ II and Shar┤f II, and then as a F─?imid vassal.