List of Abbasid caliphs

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The Abbasid caliphs were the holders of the Islamic title of caliph who were members of the Abbasid dynasty, a branch of the Quraysh tribe descended from the uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

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The family came to power in the Abbasid Revolution in 748–750, supplanting the Umayyad Caliphate. They were the rulers of the Abbasid Caliphate, as well as the generally recognized ecumenical heads of Islam, until the 10th century, when the Shi'a Fatimid Caliphate (established in 909) and the Caliphate of Córdoba (established in 929) challenged their primacy. The political decline of the Abbasids had begun earlier, during the Anarchy at Samarra (861–870), which accelerated the fragmentation of the Muslim world into autonomous dynasties. The caliphs lost their temporal power in 936–946, first to a series of military strongmen, and then to the Shi'a Buyid Emirs that seized control of Baghdad; the Buyids were in turn replaced by the Sunni Seljuk Turks in the mid-11th century, and Turkish rulers assumed the title of "Sultan" to denote their temporal authority. The Abbasid caliphs remained the generally recognized suzerains of Sunni Islam, however. In the mid-12th century, the Abbasids regained their independence from the Seljuks, but the revival of Abbasid power ended with the Sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258.

Most Abbasid caliphs were born to a concubine mother, known as umm al-walad (Arabic : أم الولد, lit. 'mother of the child'). The term refers to a slave woman who had a child from her owner; those women were renowned for their beauty and intelligence, in that the owner might recognize the legitimacy of his children from them to be legally free and with full rights of inheritance, and refrain from trading the mothers afterwards. [1] Those concubines mostly were Abyssinians, Armenians, Berbers, Byzantine Greeks, Turkish or even from Sicily. [2] [3] [4]

Abbasid Caliphs (25 January 750 – 20 February 1258)

This is the list of Abbasid Caliphs. [5] [6]

No.ReignRegnal NamePersonal NameParentsNotable Events
1750 – 8 June 754 al-Saffāḥ Abū’l-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh
210 June 754 – 775 al-Manṣūr Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh
  • Nominated heir by his brother caliph Al-Saffah (the founder of Abbasid dynasty) in 754.
  • Al-Mansur was proclaimed Caliph on his way to Mecca in the year 753 CE (136 AH) and was inaugurated the following year. [7]
  • Founder of Baghdad. He was one of the famous Abbasid caliphs.
  • During his reign, a Fugitive Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman I founds the Emirate of Córdoba in al-Andalus (756).
3775 – 4 August 785 al-Mahdī bi-'llāh Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • Nominated heir by his father After the death of his father, he succeeded him.
  • Al-Mahdi commenced his rule by releasing several political prisoners, expanding and decorating the holy places of Mecca and Medina, and building fountains and lofts for Hajj pilgrims. He expanded the mail service, increased his secret service, fortified cities, and increased judicial appointments. His charitable giving was also impressive. [8]
4August 785 – 14 September 786 al-Hādī Abū Muḥammad Mūsā
  • Nominated first heir by his father Al-Mahdi after the death of his father, he succeeded him
514 September 786 – 24 March 809 Hārūn al-Rashīd Hārūn
  • Nominated second heir by his father al-Mahdi, after the death of his brother Caliph al-Hadi, he succeeded him in 786.
  • Abbasids ruled over present-day Morocco until 788, when secessionist Idrisid dynasty established in Morocco (788).
6March 809 – 24/25 September 813 al-Amīn Abū Mūsā Muḥammad
  • Nominated first heir by his father Harun al-Rashid, after the death of his father in 809, he succeeded him.
  • He tried to remove his half-brother Abdallah al-Ma'mun from line of succession. In 811, a Civil war of the Fourth Fitna began. Al-Amin was deposed and killed at the Siege of Baghdad.
7September 813 – 9 August 833 al-Maʾmūn Abū'l-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh
  • Nominated second heir by his father. His half-brother al-Amin tried to remove him as heir. He overthrow al-Amin and succeeded his half-brother al-Amin after a civil war in 813. Victor of the civil war.
  • Launch of the Translation Movement, major revamp of the House of Wisdom, and systematic support of scholars for the gathering and translation of knowledge from various civilizations.
  • During his reign, Caliphate expanded its rule in Mediterranean Islands especially with Establishment of the Emirate of Crete (824/827) and Start of the Muslim conquest of Sicily (827)
  • By the end of al-Ma'mun's reign in 833, Ibn Abi Du'ad had become a close associate of the caliph, and on his deathbed al-Ma'mun recommended to his brother and successor al-Mu'tasim that he admit Ibn Abi Du'ad to his circle of advisors. [9]
89 August 833 – 5 January 842 al-Muʿtaṣim bi-’llāh Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad
  • His brother, Al-Ma'mun had made no official provisions for his succession. According to the account of al-Tabari, on his deathbed al-Ma'mun dictated a letter nominating his brother, rather than his son al-Abbas, as his successor. [10]
  • Establishment of the Turkish ghilman in positions of power. Militarization and centralization of the administration.
  • The start of official support for Mu'tazilism, institution of the mihna from in 833. under Abbasid official Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad.
  • Founder of Samarra city. He moved the capital to Samarra in 836.
95 January 842 – 10 August 847 al-Wāthiq bi-'llāh Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn
  • When his father, al-Mu'tasim took care for his son and heir to acquire experience in governance.
  • Nominated heir by his father. Al-Wathiq succeeded his father and ruled as Caliph for six years.
  • Al-Wathiq died as the result of dropsy, while being seated in an oven in an attempt to cure it. [11]
1010 August 847 – 11 December 861 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā 'llāh Jaʿfar
  • As a young prince, he was appointed as Amir al-hajj by his brother Al-Wathiq in 842 and he remained a Courtier under his brother's reign.
  • End of official support for Mu'tazilism, abolition of the miḥnah (848/851). Return to traditional orthodoxy.
  • Al-Mutawakkil was the last great Abbasid caliph; after his death the dynasty would fall into a decline. He was Assassinated by his guards with support of his son al-Muntasir.
11861 – 7 or 8 June 862 al-Muntaṣir bi-'llāh Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad
  • Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra
  • Caliph al-Mutawakkil (847–861) had created a plan of succession that would allow his sons to inherit the caliphate after his death; he would be succeeded first by his eldest son, al-Muntasir, then by al-Mu'tazz and third by al-Mu'ayyad. [12] However, Al-Muntasir tried to change it and he almost succeeded in it.
  • Decline of the Abbasid Caliphate
  • Just like most Abbasid caliphs, He provided endowments to his kins Banu Hashim.
12862 – 866 al-Mustaʿīn bi-ʾllāh Aḥmad
13866 – 869 al-Muʿtazz bi-ʾllāh Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra.
  • Al-Mu'tazz's reign (866–869) marks the apogee of the decline of the Caliphate's central authority, and the climax of centrifugal tendencies, expressed through the emergence of the autonomous dynasties.
  • Deposed by the Turkic military officers.
14869 – 21 June 870 al-Muhtadī bi-'llāh Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad
  • Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra.
  • As a ruler, al-Muhtadi sought to emulate the Umayyad caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, [13] widely considered a model Islamic ruler. [14]
  • Assassinated by the Turkish military. End of Anarchy at Samarra.
1521 June 870 – 15 October 892 al-Muʿtamid ʿalā ’llāh Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad
  • Al-Mu'tamid's reign marks the end of the "Anarchy at Samarra" and the start of the Abbasid restoration. His brother was Commander-in-chief al-Muwaffaq, who held the loyalty of the military and had great influence over him.
  • Start of the "Abbasid revival". Repulse of the Saffarids rebellion and subjugation of the Zanj Revolt.
  • Establishment of the autonomous Tulunid dynasty in Egypt, Gradual decline of Abbasid rule in Transoxiana, Persia, Sind and Punjab, North Africa, Middle East and Arabia.
16October 892 – 5 April 902 al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad
  • Al-Muwaffaq, Abbasid prince and Commander-in-chief
  • Dirar (Hariz), Greek concubine
  • He was the nephew of Al-Mu'tamid, He added his name in line of succession and removed his cousin as heir. After his uncle death his succeeded him.
  • Al-Mu'tadid had inherited his father's gifts as a ruler and was distinguished alike for his economy and his military ability, becoming "one of the greatest of the Abbasids in spite of his strictness. [15]
  • Height of the "Abbasid revival". Recovery of Jazira, Thughur, Jibal.
  • Return of the capital to Baghdad and start of the Qarmatian missionary activity and raids.
175 April 902 – 13 August 908 al-Muktafī bi-'llāh Abū Muḥammad ʿAlī
  • Nominated heir by his father, Caliph Al-Mu'tadid.
  • Al-Mu'tadid took care to prepare Ali al-Muktafi, his oldest son and heir, for the succession by appointing him as a provincial governor: first in Rayy, Qazvin, Qum and Hamadan.
  • During his reign Abbasids completely recovered Egypt and Syria from the Tulunids. End of the "Abbasid revival".
1813 August 908 – 929 al-Muqtadir bi-'llāh Abū'l-Faḍl Jaʿfar
19929 al-Qāhir bi-'llāh Abū al-Manṣūr Muḥammad
(18)929 – 31 October 932 al-Muqtadir bi-'llāh Abū'l-Faḍl Jaʿfar
(19)31 October 932 – 934 al-Qāhir bi-'llāh Abū al-Manṣūr Muḥammad
  • Second reign
  • After his brother was killed, he succeeded him as Caliph.
  • In 31 October 932 he was deposed.
20934 – 23 December 940 al-Rāḍī bi-'llāh Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad/Muḥammad
  • Originally nominated heir by his father Al-Muqtadir. After the death of his uncle Al-Qahir he succeeded him.
  • Al-Radi is commonly spoken of as the last of the real Caliphs: the last to deliver orations at the Friday service, to hold assemblies with philosophers to discuss the questions of the day, or to take counsel on the affairs of State; the last to distribute largess among the needy, or to interpose to temper the severity of cruel officers.
21940 – 944 al-Muttaqī li-'llāh Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm
  • Beginning of the later Abbasid period.
  • He was chosen by Military officers after the death of his brother Caliph Al-Radi.
  • Overthrown and blinded by the amīr al-umarāʾ Tuzun.
22September 944 – 29 January 946 al-Mustakfī bi-ʾllāh ʿAbd Allāh
2329 January 946 – 974 al-Muṭīʿ li-ʾllāh Abū'l-Qāsim al-Faḍl
  • He succeeded his cousin Al-Mustakfi, during his reign Buyids influence grew.
  • Installed by the Buyid Amir Mu'izz al-Dawla.
  • During the last years of his reign, Abbasids completely lost Egypt, Palestine and Hejaz.
  • Increasingly incapacitated by a partial paralysis that had begun following a stroke in 970, al-Muti was now induced to abdicate with his health as a pretext, and was replaced by his son Abd al-Karim, as al-Ta'i (r. 974–991), on 5 August.
24974 – 991 al-Ṭāʾiʿ li-amri ʿllāh Abd al-Karīm
  • He was nominated heir by his father Al-Muti and his father Abdicated for his son became of partial paralysis that had begun following a stroke in 970.
  • During his reign, Syria was torn by contending factions — Fatimid and Carmathian; while the Buyīds was split up into parties that were fighting among themselves. To top this all off, the Byzantine Emperor John Tzimisces stormed the east in a victorious campaign in 975. After holding the office for seventeen years, aṭ-Ṭaʼiʻ was deposed in 991.
  • Deposed by the Buyid Amir Baha' al-Dawla.
251 November 991 – 29 November 1031 al-Qādir bi-'llāh Aḥmad
  • He succeeded his cousin, Caliph Al-Ta'i.
  • Installed by the Buyid Amir Baha' al-Dawla.
  • During his reign, he granted the title Sultan to Muslim rulers. The sultans were religious deputy of the all later Abbasid Caliphs.
  • Upholding of Sunni orthodoxy; publication of the Baghdad Manifesto.
2629 November 1031 – 2 April 1075 al-Qāʾim bi-amri 'llāh Abu Ja'far Abdallah
272 April 1075 – February 1094 al-Muqtadī bi-amri ’llāh Abū'l-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh
  • He was born to Abbasid prince Muhammad Dhakirat and an Armenian Umm walad. [16]
  • He was honored by the Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah I, during whose reign the Caliphate was recognized throughout the extending range of Seljuk Sultanate. Hejaz, with the Holy Cities, now recovered from the Fatimids, acknowledged again the spiritual jurisdiction of the Abbasids.
28February 1094 – 6 August 1118 al-Mustaẓhir bi-'llāh Abū l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad
  • He succeeded his father as Caliph. He was the notable Caliph of the later Abbasid Era.
  • The appearance of the First Crusade in Syria. He his known for contributing to Mawdud's struggling against crusades to reconquer Muslim lands of Levant coastline.
296 August 1118 – 29 August 1135 al-Mustarshid bi-'llāh Abū'l-Manṣūr al-Faḍl
  • He succeeded his father as Caliph. He was a notable Caliph of Later Abbasid Era and he was also an Arabic poet.
  • Al-Mustarshid deposed and imprisoned his vizier Amid al-dawla Jalal al-Din Hasan ibn Ali. One year later he also deposed Ahmad ibn Nizam al-Mulk as his vizier.
  • Foundation of the Almohad Empire in the Maghreb (1121). The Almohads were anti-Abbasids.
3029 August 1135 – 1136 al-Rāshid bi-'llāh Abu Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr
  • Nominated heir by his father, After the assassination of his father he succeeded him.
  • Deposed by the Seljuk Sultan Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud.
  • Al-Rashid Billah was deposed by seljuks and he fled to Isfahan where he was assassinated by a team of four Shia Nizari Ismailis (Assassins) in June 1138. This was celebrated in Alamut for a week. [17]
311136 – 12 March 1160 al-Muqtafī li-ʾamri ’llāh Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • He was the brother of caliph Al-Mustarshid and uncle of Al-Rashid Billah.
  • Al-Muqtafi successfully established a army during the later Abbasid era. (Previously Caliphs were militarily dependent on Seljuks.
  • Siege of Baghdad (1157) by the Seljuks fails. Restoration of the Caliph's political and military influence of Later Abbasids.
3212 March 1160 – 20 December 1170 al-Mustanjid bi-'llāh Abū'l-Muẓaffar Yūsuf
  • He succeeded his father Al-Muqtafi.
3320 December 1170 – 30 March 1180 al-Mustaḍīʾ bi-amri ʾllāh al-Ḥasan
  • Al-Mustadi succeeded his father Caliph Al-Mustanjid.
  • He enjoys nothing but what he earns by the labor of his own hands, and therefore manufactures coverlets, which he stamps with his seal, and which his officers sell in the public market.
  • His political and religious authority was recognized throughout Middle East especially by Saladin ruler of Egypt. Caliph Al-Mustadi granted Saladin the title Sultan. Also gave him authority over holy cities; Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
  • End of the Fatimid Caliphate in 1171, restoration of Abbasid authority in Egypt under Saladin.
342 March 1180 – 4 October 1225 al-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh Abu'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad
  • Recovery of Jerusalem from the Crusaders (1187) by Saladin.
  • Al-Nasir was the influential Caliph of the Later Abbasid era.
  • According to historian Angelika Hartmann, Al-Nasir was the last effective Abbasid caliph [18] of Later Abbasid Caliphate.
  • His political and religious authority was recognized throughout Middle East especially in territory of Ayyubid dynasty of Saladin.
355 October 1225 – 11 July 1226 al-Ẓāhir bi-amri’llāh Abu Nasr Muḥammad
  • He was nominated as heir in 1189. He succeeded his father.
  • In his short reign, he lowered the taxes, and built a strong army to resist invasions. He died on 10 July 1226, nine months after his accession.
  • During his short reign he saw disastrous Mongol Invasion in parts of Eastern Islamic World.
3611 July 1226 – 2 December 1242 al-Mustanṣir bi-'llāh Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr
  • He succeeded his father caliph Al-Zahir.
  • Al-Mustansir was the penultimate Caliph of the later Abbasid era.
  • During his reign Eastern Islamic World was invaded by Mongols. The great cities like Bukhara, Samarkand were destroyed and millions of Muslims were killed.
372 December 1242 – 20 February 1258 al-Mustaʿṣim bi-'llāh ʿAbd Allāh
  • Last Abbasid caliph of Later Abbasid Era
  • End of the Abbasid dynasty. Al-Musta'sim was the last known recognised Muslim caliph. His death marked the complete end of the Caliphate as a political and religious entity in the Middle East.
  • Executed after the Mongol sack of Baghdad, he ruled for a period of 15 years 2 months and 15 days.

Caliphs of Cairo (13 June 1261 – 22 January 1517)

In 1261, the Abbasid dynasty was re-established by a cadet branch of the dynasty at Cairo, under the auspices of the local Mamluk sultans but these caliphs were purely religious and symbolic figures, while temporal power rested with the Mamluks. The revived caliphate in Cairo lasted until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517, after which the caliphal title passed to the Ottoman dynasty.

The Cairo Abbasids were largely ceremonial caliphs under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultanate that existed after the takeover of the Ayyubid dynasty. [19] [20]

No.ReignRegnal NamePersonal NameParentsNotable Events
113 June 1261 – 28 November 1261 al-Mustanṣir bi-llāh Abū'l-Qāsim Aḥmad
  • Founder of Mamluk Caliphate of Cairo under the auspices of Mamluk ruler Baybars.
  • In 1261, The Later Abbasids was succeeded by Caliphs of the Mamluk Sultanate in Cairo.
  • Installed as Caliph in Cairo, Egypt by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars in 1261. Title also claimed by al-Hakim I, installed as caliph by the ruler of Aleppo, Aqqush al-Burli
216 November 1262 – 19 January 1302 al-Ḥākim bi-Amri'llāh I Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad
  • Abu Ali Hasan ibn Abu Bakr ibn Hasan
320 January 1302 – February 1340 al-Mustakfī bi-llāh I Abū ar-Rabīʾ Sulaymān
4February 1340 – 17 June 1341 al-Wāthiq bi-'llāh I Abū ʾIsḥāq ʾIbrāhīm
51341 – 1352 al-Ḥākim bi-Amri'llāh II Abū'l-ʿAbbas ʾAḥmad
61352 – 1362 al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh I Abū al-Fatḥ Abū Bakr
  • He succeeded his brother as the sixth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate.
71362 – 1377 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh I Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • First reign
  • He succeeded his father as the seventh caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
  • In 1377 he was deposed.
81377 al-Mustaʿṣim bi-'llāh Abū Yaḥya Zakarīyāʾ
  • First reign
  • He succeeded as the eighth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo.
(7)1377 – 1383 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh I Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • Second reign
9September 1383 – 13 November 1386 al-Wāthiq bi-'llāh II Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar
(8)1386 – 1389 al-Mustaʿṣim bi-'llāh Abū Yaḥya Zakarīyāʾ
  • Second reign
(7)1389 – 9 January 1406 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh I Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad
  • Third reign
1022 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 al-Mustaʿīn bi-'llāh Abū al-Faḍl al-ʿAbbas
  • He succeeded as the tenth Caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate in Cairo.
  • Became Sultan of Egypt from 7 May – 6 November 1412, as a titular figurehead for Shaykh al-Mahmudi.
111414 – 1441 al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh II Abū al-Fatḥ Dāwud
  • He succeeded as the eleventh caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
121441 – 29 January 1451 al-Mustakfī bi-llāh II Abū al-Rabīʿ Sulaymān
  • He succeeded his brother as the twelfth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo.
131451 – 1455 al-Qāʾim bi-ʾamr Allāh Abū al-Baqāʾ Ḥamza
  • He succeeded his brother as the thirteenth caliph of the Mamluk Sultanate
141455 – 7 April 1479 al-Mustanjid bi-'llāh Abū al-Maḥāsin Yūsuf
  • He succeeded his brother as the fourteenth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
155 April 1479 – 27 September 1497 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh II Abū al-ʿIzz ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz
  • He was the son of Ya'qub and Grandson of Al-Mutawakkil I
  • He succeeded his uncle as the fifteenth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
161497 – 1508 al-Mustamsik bi-'llāh Abū al-Ṣabr Yaqūb
  • First reign
  • He succeeded his father as the sixteenth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
171508 – 1516 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh III Muḥammad
  • First reign
  • He succeeded his father as the seventeenth caliph for the Mamluk Sultanate
(16)1516 – 1517 al-Mustamsik bi-'llāh Abū al-Ṣabr Yaqūb
  • Second reign of al-Mustamsik
  • He served as caliph twice, his first term from 1497 to 1508 and his second term from 1516 to 1517, when he abdicated the position to his son, Al-Mutawakkil III
(17)1517 al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh III Muḥammad

Genealogy

Genealogical tree of the Abbasid family. In green, the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad. In yellow, the Caliphs of Cairo. Muhammad is included (in caps) to show the kinship of the Abbasids with him. Abbasids.png
Genealogical tree of the Abbasid family. In green, the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad. In yellow, the Caliphs of Cairo. Muhammad is included (in caps) to show the kinship of the Abbasids with him.

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Abu 'Abdallah Muhammad ibn Tahir ibn 'Abdallah was the last Tahirid governor of Khurasan, from 862 until 873. He was the governor during the period of Extreme instability in Abbasid Caliphate and Civil war of 865–866. His career spanned under four caliphs al-Musta'in, al-Mu'tazz, al-Muhtadi and al-Mu'tamid. He was later appointed as governor of Baghdad by caliph al-Mu'tamid from 885 to 889.

The Battle of Dayr al-Aqul was fought on 8 April 876, between forces of the Saffarid ruler Ya'qub ibn Laith and the Abbasid Caliphate. Taking place some 80 km southeast (downstream) of Baghdad, the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Abbasids, forcing Ya'qub to halt his advance into Iraq.

Zubaidah bint Ja`far ibn al-Mansur was the best known of the Abbasid princesses, and the wife and double cousin of Harun al-Rashid. She is particularly remembered for the series of wells, reservoirs and artificial pools that provided water for Muslim pilgrims along the route from Baghdad to Mecca and Medina, which was renamed the Darb Zubaidah in her honor. The exploits of her and her husband, Harun al-Rashid, form part of the basis for The Thousand and One Nights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anarchy at Samarra</span> 861–870 crisis in the Abbasid Caliphate

The Anarchy at Samarra was a period of extreme internal instability from 861 to 870 in the history of the Abbasid Caliphate, marked by the violent succession of four caliphs, who became puppets in the hands of powerful rival military groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbasid dynasty</span> Rulers of Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid dynasty or Abbasids were an Arab dynasty that ruled the Abbasid Caliphate between 750 and 1258. They were from the Qurayshi Hashimid clan of Banu Abbas, descended from Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The Abbasid Caliphate is divided into three main periods: Early Abbasid era (750–861), Middle Abbasid era (861–936) and Later Abbasid era (936–1258). A cadet branch of the dynasty also ruled as ceremonial rulers for the Mamluk Sultanate as Caliph (1261–1517), until their conquest by the Ottoman Empire.

Abu 'Abdallah Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad al-Iyadi was an Islamic religious judge (qadi) of the mid-ninth century. A proponent of Mu'tazilism, he was appointed as chief judge of the Abbasid Caliphate in 833, and became highly influential during the caliphates of al-Mu'tasim and al-Wathiq. During his tenure as chief judge he sought to maintain Mu'tazilism as the official ideology of the state, and he played a leading role in prosecuting the Inquisition (mihnah) to ensure compliance with Mu'tazilite doctrines among officials and scholars. In 848 Ibn Abi Du'ad suffered a stroke and transferred his position to his son Muhammad, but his family's influence declined during the caliphate of al-Mutawakkil, who gradually abandoned Mu'tazilism and put an end to the mihnah.

Al-Husayn ibn Isma'il ibn Ibrahim ibn Mus'ab was a ninth century army commander in the service of the Abbasid Caliphate. He was particularly active during the period known as the Anarchy at Samarra (861–870).

ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib was an ancestor of the Abbasids. He was a grandson of al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib and the grandfather of the first two Abbasid caliphs al-Saffah and al-Mansur.

Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Barmak was one of the Barmakids, a family of Iranian functionaries who rose to great power under the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid.

Maridah bint Shabib was the favourite Umm walad of Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid and mother of eighth Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim.

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad was an acting chief judge (qadi) of the mid-ninth century. A proponent of Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad's Mu'tazili views, he was an acting chief judge of the Abbasid Caliphate in 848, however he was not influential and was merely a puppet of the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil.

References

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Bibliography