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'aFatimid 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 BuyidEmirs 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 where from non-Muslim lands and brought to slavery in the Abbasid Caliphate via a number of different slave trade routes. The slave concubines mostly were Abyssinians, Armenians, Berbers, Byzantine Greeks, Turkish or even from Sicily.[2][3][4]
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]
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.
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]
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 Turkishghilman in positions of power. Militarization and centralization of the administration.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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".
He was nominated heir by his half-brother Al-Muktafi, however, Al-Muktafi died young and Al-Muqtadir came to the throne at the age of 13, the youngest Caliph in Abbasid history and Islamic History.
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.
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.
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 and took several Syiria cities.[16] After holding the office for seventeen years, aṭ-Ṭaʼiʻ was deposed in 991.
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.
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.
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.
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.[18]
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.
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.
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.
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.[20][21]
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
Founder of Mamluk Caliphate under Mamluk ruler Baybars's auspices.
Abbasid descent disputed; installed as caliph by ruler of Aleppo, Aqqush al-Burli, in 1261, proclaimed as caliph by Baybars after al-Mustansir II died.
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
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.
^Aikin, John (1747). General biography: or, Lives, critical and historical, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order. London: G. G. and J. Robinson. p. 201. ISBN1333072457.
^Bennison, Amira K. (2009) The Great Caliphs: The Golden Age of the 'Abbasid Empire. Princeton: Yale University Press, p. 47. ISBN0300167989
^Daftary, Farhad (1992). The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines. Cambridge University Press. p. 384. ISBN978-0-521-42974-0.
^Hanne, Eric J. (2007). Putting the Caliph in His Place: Power, Authority, and the Late Abbasid Caliphate. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 204. ISBN978-0-8386-4113-2.
Al-Tabari, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir (1985–2007). Ehsan Yar-Shater (ed.). The History of Al-Ṭabarī. Vol. 40 vols. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
