ABBASSID

Ar: al-Abbasiyah, is the second major Muslim dynasty (750-1258 A.D.) ruling after the Umayyads. Its capital is Baghdad and during this period, much developments ensued. The dynasty began with Abbas, an uncle of Muhammad. Because of his close relation with Muhammad, they were held in high esteem by the Arabs, and much dispute occurred between them and the Ummayyads. Having asserted their claims to the Caliphate for some time, they commenced open hostilities in 746 A.D. Abu `l-Abbas as-Saffah ("the blood shedder") defeated the Ummayad Caliph Marwan II and became the Caliph at al-Kufa in 749 A.D. and Marwan II was slained.

List of Abbasid Caliphs:

> A.D. 749 | Abu 'l-Abbas as-Saffah
> A.D. 754 | al-Mansur
> A.D. 775 | al-Mahdi
> A.D. 785 | al-Hadi
> A.D. 786 | Harun ar-Rashid (see below)
> A.D. 809 | al-Amin
> A.D. 813 | al-Ma'mun
> A.D. 847 | al-Mutawwkil
> A.D. 861 | al-Muntasir
> A.D. 862 | al-Mustain
> A.D. 866 | al-Mu`tazz
> A.D. 869 | al-Muhtadi
> A.D. 870 | al-Mu`tamid
> A.D. 892 | al-Mu`tazid
> A.D. 902 | al-Muktafi
> A.D. 908 | al-Muqtadir
> A.D. 932 | al-Qahir
> A.D. 934 | ar-Razi
> A.D. 940 | al-Muttaqi
> A.D. 944 | al-Mustagfi
> A.D. 945 | al-Muti`
> A.D. 974 | at-Tai`
> A.D. 994 | al-Qadir
> A.D. 1031 | al-Qaim
> A.D. 1075 | al-Muqtad
> A.D. 1094 | al-Mustazhir
> A.D. 1118 | al-Mustarshid
> A.D. 1135 | ar-Rashid
> A.D. 1136 | al-Muqtafi
> A.D. 1160 | al-Mustanjid
> A.D. 1170 | al-Mustaz
> A.D. 1180 | an-Nasir
> A.D. 1225 | az-Zahir
> A.D. 1226 | al-Mustansir
> A.D. 1242 to 1258 | al-Musta`sim

During al-Musta`sim's reign, the grandson of Ghengis Khan, Hulaku, entered Persia and became Sultan in A.D. 1256. In 1258, he captured Baghdad and put to death al-Musta`sim.

Harun al-Rashid is probably the most famous of these Caliphs, partly because of the tales of 1001 Nights. For more background on his person and reign, see What was and what might have been – The "Golden Age" of Harun Al-Rashid.

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