He reigned under the title Malik al-Adil Saif al-din.
In 994 Mahmud was made governor of Khorasan, with the title of Saif addaula (ud-daula) ("Sword of the State") by thee Samanid Nuh II.
In a later battle he was himself defeated by the Ikshid, when an arrangement was made permitting Saif addaula to retain most of Syria, while a prefect appointed by the Ikshid was to remain in Damascus.
In the 10th century the centre of interest is in the court of Saif ud-Daula (addaula) at Aleppo.
It had been rebuilt by Harun al-Rashid in 796 A.D., refortified at great expense by Saif addaula, the Hamdanid (loth century) and Saiked, and ruined by the crusaders.
Later he went to the court of the Hamdanid Saif addaula, from whom he received a warm welcome and a small pension.
Later the brothers Nasir ad-Daula and Saif ad-Daula ruled over Mesopotamia and North Syria respectively.
Mesopotamia fell to one of his sons, Saif ad-Din, and branches sprang up at Sinjar and Jezira.
Mo'izz addaula died in the same year as Saif addaula, leaving his power to his son Bakhtiyar `Izz addaula, who lacked his father's energy and loved pleasure more than business.
Nall is given along with his own former title, Saif addaula Mahmud.
Syria was immediately overrun by Saif addaula, but he was defeated by KafUr in two engagements, and was compelled to recognize the overlordship of the Egyptian viceroy.
The Ilamdnid Saif addaula shortly after this assumed the governorship of Aleppo, and became involved in a struggle with the Ikshid, whose general, Kgfur, he defeated in an engagement between Horns and Hamab (Hamath).
Wellhausen has thoroughly examined the work of Saif in Skizzen and Vorarbeiten, vi.