Abbasid dynasty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abbasid caliphs العباسيون
Flag of Abbasid dynasty
Parent family	Banu Hashim
Country	Abbasid Caliphate
Founded	750 (in Baghdad) 1261 (in Cairo)
Final ruler	Al-Mutawakkil III
Titles	Caliph (Amir al-Mu'minin) Sultan of Egypt
Dissolution	1258 (in Baghdad) 1517 (in Cairo)

The Abbasid dynasty (Arabic: بنو العباس, romanized: Banu al-ʿAbbās) was a powerful Arab family that ruled a large Islamic empire called the Abbasid Caliphate from 750 to 1258. They were related to Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, through his uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The Abbasid rule is often divided into three main periods: the Early Abbasid era (750–861), the Middle Abbasid era (861–936), and the Later Abbasid era (936–1258). After their main rule ended, a branch of the family continued as ceremonial rulers in Cairo for the Mamluk Sultanate from 1261 to 1517.

History of the Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid dynasty was the third major Islamic empire to follow the Islamic prophet Muhammad. They were descendants of Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, which is where they got their name. The Abbasids took control by overthrowing the Umayyad Caliphate in the Abbasid Revolution in 750 CE.

The Golden Age of Islam

The Abbasids first set up their government in Kufa, in modern-day Iraq. But in 762, the caliph Al-Mansur founded a new city called Baghdad. This city was built near the ancient Babylonian capital of Babylon.

Baghdad quickly became a global hub for science, culture, and new inventions. This period is known as the Golden Age of Islam. Baghdad was home to important places like the House of Wisdom, a famous library and research center. It was also a diverse city with many different cultures and religions living together. Because of this, Baghdad earned a worldwide reputation as the "Center of Learning."

During the late 700s, powerful caliphs like Al-Mansur, Harun al-Rashid, and al-Ma'mun worked hard to manage their vast empire. They made important changes to the government to keep order across the wide lands they ruled. The Abbasid Caliphate was at its strongest during this time, especially until the death of Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in 861.

Instability and Decline

The Abbasid Caliphate began to decline after the assassination of Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in 861. His death led to a period of great internal trouble known as the "Anarchy at Samarra" (861–870). During this time, four caliphs came to power and were overthrown in quick succession. This made the empire very unstable.

Al-Mutawakkil had planned for his oldest son, al-Muntasir, to be his heir. However, he later favored his second son, al-Mu'tazz. This caused a lot of tension among the powerful military leaders, especially the Turkic guards. In December 861, a group of Turkic leaders, possibly with al-Muntasir's approval, decided to act. They broke into the caliph's room and killed both Al-Mutawakkil and his close advisor. Al-Muntasir then became the new Caliph.

Al-Muntasir's rule was very short, lasting less than half a year. After his death, the Turkic officers chose his cousin, al-Musta'in, as the next caliph. This period saw many struggles for power among different groups, especially the military. Caliphs often had little real power and were controlled by strong military leaders.

Later Abbasid Rule

Over time, the caliphs' political power continued to shrink. Military leaders, known as Amir al-umara, became very powerful and often controlled the caliphs. For example, Al-Muti (r. 946–974) was largely a puppet ruler, meaning he had no real authority. This period is often seen as the lowest point for the Abbasid Caliphate.

Despite this, some later caliphs tried to regain their authority. Al-Qadir (r. 991–1031) managed to restore some political power in Baghdad. Later, the Seljuks took over from the Buyids as the main power in the region. The Abbasids continued to work with the Seljuks for a while.

The Abbasids ruled Iraq directly without much trouble until the devastating Mongol Invasion in 1258. This invasion marked the end of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad.

The Caliphate of Cairo

After the Mongols destroyed Baghdad, the Mamluk Sultans of Egypt and Syria appointed an Abbasid prince as Caliph in Cairo. However, these Cairo Abbasid Caliphs were mostly symbolic figures. They had no real political power and very little religious influence. They mainly served to give legitimacy to the Mamluk Sultans.

These ceremonial caliphs kept the title for about 250 more years. Their main role was to officially install the Sultan in ceremonies. When the Ottomans conquered Egypt in 1517, the last Cairo Caliph, al-Mutawakkil III, was taken to Constantinople. Later stories say that he formally gave the title of caliph to the Ottoman Sultan, Selim I. However, historians believe this story was created much later to strengthen the Ottoman sultans' claim to be leaders of all Muslims.

Family tree

Notable Abbasid Leaders

Here are some important leaders from the Abbasid dynasty:

Early Abbasid Era (750–861)

• Abu'l-Abbas al-Saffah: The first caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate.
• Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur: The second Abbasid Caliph, who founded the city of Baghdad.
• Al-Mahdi: Third Abbasid caliph (r. 775–785). He greatly supported art and science in the Islamic Caliphate.
• Al-Hadi: (r. 785–786) An Abbasid caliph who was known for being open with his people. Citizens could visit him in the palace.
• Harun al-Rashid: Fifth Abbasid caliph (r. 786–809). His rule is often seen as the peak of the Islamic Golden Age. He created the famous library, the House of Wisdom, in Baghdad.
• Al-Amin: (r. 809–813) The sixth Abbasid caliph, son of Harun al-Rashid.
• Al-Ma'mun: (r. 813–833) An Abbasid caliph who was very educated and interested in learning. He promoted the translation of many ancient texts.
• Al-Mu'tasim: (r. 833–842) An Abbasid caliph who supported the arts and was a strong military leader.
• Al-Wathiq: (r. 842–847) An educated Abbasid caliph with a strong interest in scholarship.
• Al-Mutawakkil: (r. 847–861) The tenth Abbasid caliph. Under his rule, the Abbasid Empire reached its largest size.

Middle Abbasid Era (861–936)

• Al-Mu'tamid: Abbasid caliph from 871 to 892.
  • Talha al-Muwaffaq: A powerful Abbasid military leader and father of caliph al-Mu'tadid.
• Al-Muqtadir: The eighteenth Abbasid caliph, who ruled from 908 to 932.
• Al-Radi: The Abbasid caliph from 936 to 940. He is often considered the last caliph with true political power.

Later Abbasid Era (936–1258)

• Al-Qadir: An important caliph of the later Abbasid era who worked to restore the caliph's political power.
  • Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im: An 11th-century Abbasid prince, son of al-Qa'im.
• Al-Muqtafi: Ruled from 1136 to 1160.
• al-Nasir: He continued his grandfather's efforts to bring back the caliphate's strong role. His army even conquered parts of Iran. Historians consider him the last truly effective Abbasid caliph.
• Al-Musta'sim: The last Abbasid caliph to rule from Baghdad before the Mongol invasion.

See also

• List of Abbasid caliphs
• Abbasid architecture
• Abbasid harem
• Ja'alin tribe
• Bhisti