Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Ta'i facts for kids

Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Ta'i (Arabic: أحمد بن محمد الطائي‎; died August 31, 894) was an important government official in the Abbasid Caliphate. He worked in different jobs, helping with the army and managing money in Iraq and Arabia during the late 800s. He served under the rulers al-Mu'tamid and al-Mu'tadid.

Ahmad's Early Career

Map of Iraq in the 9th century

Ahmad first appears in history around the year 883. He was made the governor of al-Kufah and its surrounding areas. During his time as governor, he defeated a group led by al-Haysam al-'Ijli and took their wealth.

Troubles in Mecca

In March 885, Ahmad became the governor of Medina and the Mecca Road. He sent one of his helpers, named Badr, to look after the pilgrims in Mecca. However, when Badr arrived in Mecca, he was captured by Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj, who was the governor of Mecca. The pilgrims and local soldiers helped Badr escape. They then captured Yusuf and took him to Baghdad.

Food Prices and Protests

In early 886, there was a disagreement between the cities of Baghdad and Samarra. They stopped trading with each other. People in Baghdad blamed Ahmad for food prices going up because he stopped farmers from selling their crops. In late March, a crowd gathered outside his home. Ahmad's soldiers made them leave. More trouble was stopped when Muhammad ibn Tahir arrived and convinced the people to go home.

Dealing with Bandits

In early 888, Ahmad sent his army to fight a bandit leader named Siddiq al-Farghani. This bandit had attacked and robbed Dur Samarra. Ahmad then went to Samarra himself. He promised Siddiq he would be safe, but then he captured him. Siddiq and his followers were put in prison in Baghdad.

Soon after, Ahmad went after another bandit named al-'Abdi, who had robbed the area of Karkh Samarra. Ahmad managed to defeat al-'Abdi and capture most of his men. But when Ahmad tried to cross the Tigris River, al-'Abdi's men grabbed his boat's anchor. Ahmad had to jump into the river and swim to safety.

Arrest and Return

In January 889, Ahmad was suddenly arrested and put in prison. This happened by order of the caliph's helper, al-Muwaffaq. According to historical records, this event seemed to end his career. At the time of his arrest, he was governor of al-Kufah, the Khurasan Road, and Samarra. He also managed the police in Baghdad and collected money in several areas like Baduraya, Qatrabbul, and Maskin.

However, Ahmad was soon back in favor with the government. When al-Mu'tadid became ruler, Ahmad made an agreement to collect taxes for the central government. He promised to pay a large amount of gold money each year. In return, he was put in charge of collecting money in several areas in central Iraq. The government even planned its spending based on the money Ahmad would collect.

Ahmad died in al-Kufah in 894 and was buried in Masjid al-Sahlah. After he passed away, his helpers Badr and Shibl continued to work for the caliph and were given different jobs in Iraq.

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  Map of Iraq in the 9th century