Al-Mu'tamid
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tamid of Baghdad. For the Andalusi Arabic poet who was also the Abbadid king of Seville, see Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid
Al-Mu'tamid (المعتمد ) (844 – October 892) was the Abbasid
Caliph
in Baghdad
from 870 to 892 and eldest surviving son of al-Mutawakkil
. He held the title of caliph for 23 years, though he was a largely a ruler in name only.
, al-Mu'tamid was imprisoned in Samarra
. He was released after al-Muhtadi was deposed.
Al-Mu'tamid's brother, Al-Muwaffaq
, had a claim to the throne and when the Zanj Rebellion
started near Baghdad, al-Mu'tamid summoned al-Muwaffak to help him. From that point forward, Al-Muwaffaq
essentially ruled as Caliph in all but name. After Al-Muwaffaq
fell ill, he transferred substantial authority to his son, al-Mu'tadid
. Al-Mu'tadid
was popular in the capital, Baghdad
, and al-Mu'tamid never regained any real power. In the year following his brother's death, al-Mu'tamid was obliged to publicly remove his own son from the succession and recognize al-Mu'tadid as his successor. He did not survive long thereafter;he drunk himself to death during a night festival in October 892, at the age of 50.
Al-Mu'tamid highest achievement may be the continuation of the era of prosperity that began with al-Muhtadi
and lasted until the end of the century. However, the main cause of this prosperity was the return of the court in 892 to Baghdad
, which curbed the power of Turkish
soldiers. During al-Mu'tamid's reign and the two successive reigns, there were no assassination attempts upon the Caliph.
Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid
Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid was the third and last ruler of the taifa of Seville in Al-Andalus. He was a member of the Abbadid dynasty....
Al-Mu'tamid (المعتمد ) (844 – October 892) was the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
from 870 to 892 and eldest surviving son of al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil ʻAlā Allāh Jaʻfar ibn al-Muʻtasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861...
. He held the title of caliph for 23 years, though he was a largely a ruler in name only.
His reign as caliph
During the reign of his predecessor, al-MuhtadiAl-Muhtadi
Al-Muhtadi was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 869 to 870.After the death of al-Mu'tazz, the Turks chose his cousin, al-Muhtadi, son of al-Wathiq by a Grecian slave-girl, as the new Caliph. Al-Muhtadi turned out be firm and virtuous compared to the last few Caliphs...
, al-Mu'tamid was imprisoned in Samarra
Samarra
Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
. He was released after al-Muhtadi was deposed.
Al-Mu'tamid's brother, Al-Muwaffaq
Al-Muwaffaq (vizier)
Abu Ahmad ibn al-Mutawakkil , better known as al-Muwaffaq , was the brother and regent of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tamid....
, had a claim to the throne and when the Zanj Rebellion
Zanj Rebellion
The Zanj Rebellion was the culmination of series of small revolts. It took place near the city of Basra, located in southern Iraq over a period of fifteen years . It grew to involve over 500,000 slaves who were imported from across the Muslim empire and claimed over “tens of thousands of lives in...
started near Baghdad, al-Mu'tamid summoned al-Muwaffak to help him. From that point forward, Al-Muwaffaq
Al-Muwaffaq (vizier)
Abu Ahmad ibn al-Mutawakkil , better known as al-Muwaffaq , was the brother and regent of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tamid....
essentially ruled as Caliph in all but name. After Al-Muwaffaq
Al-Muwaffaq (vizier)
Abu Ahmad ibn al-Mutawakkil , better known as al-Muwaffaq , was the brother and regent of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tamid....
fell ill, he transferred substantial authority to his son, al-Mu'tadid
Al-Mu'tadid
Al-Mu'tadid was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 892 to 902. As the son and heir of the powerful vizier and virtual regent Al-Muwaffaq , Mu'tadid was already in possession of supreme power even before he was appointed Caliph, and continued as Caliph to ably administer the Government...
. Al-Mu'tadid
Al-Mu'tadid
Al-Mu'tadid was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 892 to 902. As the son and heir of the powerful vizier and virtual regent Al-Muwaffaq , Mu'tadid was already in possession of supreme power even before he was appointed Caliph, and continued as Caliph to ably administer the Government...
was popular in the capital, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, and al-Mu'tamid never regained any real power. In the year following his brother's death, al-Mu'tamid was obliged to publicly remove his own son from the succession and recognize al-Mu'tadid as his successor. He did not survive long thereafter;he drunk himself to death during a night festival in October 892, at the age of 50.
Al-Mu'tamid highest achievement may be the continuation of the era of prosperity that began with al-Muhtadi
Al-Muhtadi
Al-Muhtadi was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 869 to 870.After the death of al-Mu'tazz, the Turks chose his cousin, al-Muhtadi, son of al-Wathiq by a Grecian slave-girl, as the new Caliph. Al-Muhtadi turned out be firm and virtuous compared to the last few Caliphs...
and lasted until the end of the century. However, the main cause of this prosperity was the return of the court in 892 to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, which curbed the power of Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
soldiers. During al-Mu'tamid's reign and the two successive reigns, there were no assassination attempts upon the Caliph.