Bugha al-Sharabi

Last updated
Bugha al-Sharabi
Native name
Bugha al-Saghir
BornAbbasid Caliphate
Diedc. 868
Samarra, Abbasid Caliphate (now Iraq)
Cause of death: Executed
Allegiance Abbasid Caliphate
Service/branchAbbasid Turkic regiment
Years of servicec.850s – 867

Bugha al-Sharabi ("Bugha the Cupbearer"), also known as Bugha al-Saghir ("Bugha the Younger") to distinguish him from his unrelated contemporary Bugha the Elder, was a senior Turkic military leader in the mid-9th century Abbasid Caliphate.

He served under Caliph al-Mutawakkil (r. 847–861) in Azerbaijan, but later led the conspiracy among the Turkic troops who killed the caliph. Closely allied to another Turkic officer, Wasif, Bugha held power at court under the caliphs al-Muntasir (r. 861–862) and al-Musta'in (r. 862–866), during the "Anarchy at Samarra". He fell into disgrace under al-Mu'tazz (r. 866–869), however, who resented both his influence and his role in the murder of al-Mutawakkil, his father. In 868, Bugha was imprisoned and executed at the Caliph's orders.

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