Al-Mu'tasim
Encyclopedia
Abu Ishaq 'Abbas al-Mu'tasim ibn Harun (Arabic
: أبو إسحاق عباس المعتصم بن هارون ) (794 – January 5, 842) was an Abbasid
caliph
(833–842). He succeeded his half-brother al-Ma'mun
. In Arabian communities, al-Mu'tasim is an example of the magnanimity, because of the famous incident "Wa Mu'tasimah" (وا معتصماه).
slave mother,his father was then caliph Harun al-Rashid
. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
records that Abu Ishaq led the pilgrimage
in A.H. 200 (815-816) and in 201. Al-Tabari mentions that in 202 Abu Ishaq commanded a force sent against some Kharijite rebels. One of the happenings on this campaign was that one day in combat one of the Turkish military clients ghilman
there advanced in between a Kharijite lancer and the future caliph. The Turk shouted, "Recognize me!" (In Persian "Ashinas ma-ra.") To express his appreciation, Abu Ishaq on that same day granted this man the name Ashinas
and he became known as Abu Ja'far Ashinas. Abu Ishaq defeated these Kharijites.
In A.H. 214 (829-830) Abu Ishaq subdued Egypt and executed some leading rebels. He returned in 215 to join al-Ma'mun in a campaign against the Byzantines. Abu Ishaq commanded forces that captured thirty Byzantine strongholds.
. He sent Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Mu'sab against a Khurramite revolt centred near Hamadhan. Ishaq soundly defeated the rebels. Their survivors, under Nasr
, fled to the Byzantines.
In A.H. 219 (834-835) Muhammad ibn Qasim (al-Alawi)
rebelled in Khurasan. He was defeated and brought to the caliph. He was imprisoned, but escaped and was never heard of again. Ujayf ibn Anbasah defeated the Zutt in Iraq. The next year he brought them before al-Mu'tasim in an impressive naval parade. The Zutt were sent to the Byzantine frontier where they fell fighting Byzantines.
One of the most difficult problems facing this Caliph, as faced his predecessor, was the uprising of Babak Khorramdin
. Babak first rebelled in A.H. 201 (816-817) and overcame a number of caliphate forces sent against him. Finally, al-Mu'tasim provided clear instructions to his general al-Afshin Khaydhar ibn Kawus. Following these al-Afshin patiently overcame the rebel, securing a significant victory of this reign. Babak was brought to Samarra
in A.H. 223 (837-838). He entered the city spectacularly riding on a splendid elephant. He was executed by his own executioner and his head sent to Khurasan. His brother was executed in Baghdad.
In that same year of Babak's death, the Byzantine emperor Theophilus
launched an attack against a number of Abbasid fortresses. Al-Mu'tasim launched a well planned response. Al-Afshin met and defeated Theophilus on July 21, 838, known as Battle of Anzen
. Ankyra fell to the Muslim army of 50,000 men (with 50,000 camels and 20,000 mules) and from there they advanced on the stronghold of Amorium
. A captive escaped and informed the caliph that one section of Amorium's wall was only a frontal facade. By concentrating bombardment here, al-Mu'tasim captured the city
.
On his return home, he became aware of a serious conspiracy centred on al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun
. A number of senior military commanders were involved. Al-Abbas was executed, as were, among others, al-Shah ibn Sahl, Amr al-Farghana, 'Ujayf ibn 'Anbasa and Akhmad ibn al-Khalil. This situation may help explain the increased reliance of this caliph and his successors upon Turkish commanders.
The ghilman
(sing. ghulam) were introduced to the Caliphate during al-Mu'tasim's reign. The ghilman were slave-soldiers taken as prisoners of war from conquered regions, in anticipation of the Mamluk
system, and made into caliphal guard. The ghilman, personally responsible only to the Caliph, were to revolt several times during the 860's, killed 4 caliphs, and be replaced by the Mamluk
system, based on captured Turkish children, trained and moulded within the Islamic lands.
The ghilman, along with the shakiriya which had been introduced in the reign of al-Ma'mun
, had irritated the Arab regular soldiers of the Caliph's army. The Turkic and Armenian ghilman agitated the citizens of Baghdad
, provoking riots in 836. The capital was moved to the new city of Samarra
later that year, where it would remain until 892 when it was returned to Baghdad by al-Mu'tamid
.
The Tahirid dynasty
, which had come to prominence during al-Ma'mun's reign after the military province of Khurasan
was granted to Tahir bin Husain, continued to grow in power. They received the governorships of Samarqand, Farghana, and Herat
. Unlike most provinces in the Abbasid Caliphate, which were closely governed by Baghdad and Samarra, the provinces under the control of the Tahirids were exempted from many tributes and oversight functions. The independence of the Tahirids contributed greatly to the decline of Abbasid supremacy in the east.
In A.H. 224 (838-839) Mazyar ibn Qarin
who detested the Tahirids rebelled against them. Previously, he had insisted on paying the taxes of his Caspian region directly to al-Mu'tasim's agent instead of to Abdallah ibn Tahir's. Al-Afshin, desiring to replace Abdallah as Khurasan's governor, intrigued with Mazyar. Mazyar imprisoned people from Sariya, demolished Amul's walls and fortified Tamis, causing apprehension in Jurjan.
Abdallah and al-Mu'tasim despatched forces to quell this uprising. Abdallah's commander Hayyan ibn Jabalah convinced Mazyar's Qarin ibn Shahriyar to betray Mazyar. Qarin sent Hayyan Mazyar's brother and other commanders Qarin had taken by surprise. The people of Sariyah rose against Mazyar. Hayyan arrived there and then advanced into the Wandahurmuz mountains where he seized some of Mazyar's stored wealth. Al-Quhyar ibn Qarin betrayed Mazyar. He was brought, along with his correspondence, some implicating al-Afshin, to al-Mu'tasim. Mazyar's commander al-Durri was defeated, captured and executed.
Al-Hasan ibn al-Afshin had a splendid wedding celebration with al-Mu'tasim personally providing for the guests. Al-Afshin's kinsman Minkajur rebelled in Adharbayjan. He was quickly defeated. Al-Afshin fell under suspicion. When Mazyar entered Samarra on a mule, al-Afshin was arrested. Al-Afshin was intently interrogated. Mazyar supplied testimony against him. He faced further charges of diverting wealth from the Babak campaign to al-Afshin's realm of Ushrusanah, of having idolotrous books, etc., of being addressed in Persian by his correspondents as "Lord of Lords," etc. Although al-Afshin tried to explain such things, al-Mu'tasim had him imprisoned in a special prison built for him. Here he was killed in May or June of 841.
The Khurramiyyah were never fully suppressed, although they slowly vanished during the reigns of succeeding Caliphs.
Near the end of al-Mu'tasim's life there was an uprising in Palestine. Al-Mu'tasim sent Raja ibn Ayyub al-Hidari to restore order. Al-Hidari defeated the rebels and captured their leader Abu Harb al-Mubarqa.
The great Arab mathematician al-Kindi
was employed by al-Mu'tasim, and tutored the Caliph's son. al-Kindi had served at the Bayt al-Hikma, or House of Wisdom
. He continued his studies in Greek geometry
and algebra
under the caliph's patronage.
Ideologically, al-Mu'tasim followed the footstep of his half-brother al-Ma'mun
. He continued his predecessors support for heretical (agreed upon by the majority of scholars) islamic sect of Mu'tazila, applying his brutal military methods for torturing Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
.
Sulaymaan said, ‘He was then carried to the prison and the people departed, so I departed with them. Then when the next day arrived the people came (to the door of al-Mu’tasim) so I came with them and stood in front of the chair. Then al-Mu’tasim appeared and sat on the chair and said, ‘Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’ So he was brought and when he stood in front of him al-Mu’tasim said to him, ‘How were you in your cell during the night, 0 son of Hanbal?’ He said, “In goodness, and all praises are due to Allaah.” Al-Mu‘tasim said, ‘0 Ahmad, I saw a dream yesterday.’ He said,
“And what did you see, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen?” He said, ‘I saw in my dream as if there were two lions approaching me and they desired to tear me apart. And then two angels appeared and repelled them from me. They gave me a hook and said to me, ‘This written (piece) is the dream that Ahmad ibn Hanbal saw in his cell.’ So what is it that you saw, 0 son of Hanbal?’ So Ahmad faced al-Mu’tasim and said, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, is the book with you?” He said, ‘Yes, and when I awoke, I read what was in it. So Ahmad said to him, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, I saw as if the Day of Judgement had been established, and as if Allaah had gathered the first and the last (of people) in a single plain and He was calling them to account. Whilst I was standing, I was called for, so I proceeded until I stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and He said to me, ‘0 Ahmad, for what were you beaten?’ I said, “On account of the Qur’aan.” He said, “And what is the Qur’aan?” I said, “Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.” He said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ I said, “0 Lord, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq narrated to me.” So ‘AbdurRazzaaq was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Abdur-Razzaaq?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Ma’mar narrated to me.’ So Ma’mar was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Ma’mar?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Az-- Zuhree narrated to me.’ So az-Zuhree was called for and he was Brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say
about the Qur’aan, 0 Zuhree?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ So Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Urwah narrated to me.’ So ‘Urwah was brought, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan?’ He said, ‘Your Words, 0 AIIaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘0 ‘Urwah, from where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Aa’ishah, the daughter of Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq, narrated to me.’ So ‘Aa’ishah was called for and she was brought, until she was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to her, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Aa’ishah?’ She said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ She said, ‘Your Prophet Muhammad narrated to me.’ He said, ‘So Muhammad was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Muhammad?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ So the Prophet said, ‘Jibreel narrated to me.’ So Jibreel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Jibreel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘Such did Israafeel narrate to me. So Israafeel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and Allaah, the Sublime, said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Israafeel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘I saw that in the Lawhul-Mahfooz (the Preserved
Tablet).’ So the Preserved Tablet was brought and stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said, ‘0 Lawh, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ And it said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ Then Allaah, the Exalted said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ And the Lawh said, ‘Such did the Qalam (the Pen) inscribe upon me.’ Then the Pen was brought until it stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, so Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to it, ‘0 Qalam, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ The Qalam said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ So Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’
The Qalam said — ‘You dictated and I wrote.’ Then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, said, ‘The Qalam has spoken the truth. The Lawh has spoken the truth. Israafeel has spoken the truth. Jibreel has spoken the truth. Muhammad has spoken the truth. ‘Aa’ishah has spoken the truth. ‘Urwah has spoken the truth. Az-Zuhree has spoken the truth. Ma’mar has spoken the truth. ‘Abdur-Razzaaq has spoken the truth. Ahmad ibn Hanbal has spoken the truth. The Qur’aan is My Speech, it is not created.’
Sulaymaan as-Sijzee said, ‘Al-Mu’tasim leapt upon hearing that and said, ‘You have spoken the truth, 0 son of Hanbal.’ Then al- Mu’tasim repented, ordered the necks of Bishr al-Mareesee and Ibn Abee Duwaad to be beaten and revered Ahmad ibn Hanbal
and bestowed upon him, but (Ahmad) refrained from that. He was then ordered to be taken to his house and was taken.’~ Taken from Usool as-Sunnah by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
.
author
Jorge Luis Borges
, which appears in his anthology Ficciones
. The al-Mu'tasim referenced there is probably not the Abbasid Caliph of the name, though Borges does state regarding the original, non-fictional al-Mu'tasim from whom the name is taken: "The name is the same as that of the eighth Abbasside, who was victor in eight battles, engendered eight male and eight female children, left behind eight thousand slaves and reigned during eight years, eight moons, and eight days."
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: أبو إسحاق عباس المعتصم بن هارون ) (794 – January 5, 842) was an 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"...
(833–842). He succeeded his half-brother al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
. In Arabian communities, al-Mu'tasim is an example of the magnanimity, because of the famous incident "Wa Mu'tasimah" (وا معتصماه).
Early life
Abu Ishaq was born to a TurkicTurkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
slave mother,his father was then caliph Harun al-Rashid
Harun al-Rashid
Hārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth Arab Abbasid Caliph in Iraq. He was born in Rey, Iran, close to modern Tehran. His birth date remains a point of discussion, though, as various sources give the dates from 763 to 766)....
. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prominent and influential Sunni scholar and exegete of the Qur'an from Persia...
records that Abu Ishaq led the pilgrimage
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
in A.H. 200 (815-816) and in 201. Al-Tabari mentions that in 202 Abu Ishaq commanded a force sent against some Kharijite rebels. One of the happenings on this campaign was that one day in combat one of the Turkish military clients ghilman
Ghilman
Ghilman Ghilman Ghilman (singular ghulam describes either young servants in paradise or slave-soldiers in the Ottoman, Mughal and Persian Empires.-Islamic Theology:...
there advanced in between a Kharijite lancer and the future caliph. The Turk shouted, "Recognize me!" (In Persian "Ashinas ma-ra.") To express his appreciation, Abu Ishaq on that same day granted this man the name Ashinas
Ashinas
Abu Ja'far Ashinas was a general of the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim, possibly of the sacred clan of the First Turkic empire, transcribed in Chinese as Ashina 阿史那. While a folk etymology of his name is given in al-Tabari, al-Mu'tasim gave him the first rank among his Turkish generals and a text of...
and he became known as Abu Ja'far Ashinas. Abu Ishaq defeated these Kharijites.
In A.H. 214 (829-830) Abu Ishaq subdued Egypt and executed some leading rebels. He returned in 215 to join al-Ma'mun in a campaign against the Byzantines. Abu Ishaq commanded forces that captured thirty Byzantine strongholds.
Caliphate
Al-Tabari records that al-Mu'tasim was hailed caliph on August 9, 833. He promptly ordered the dismantling of al-Ma'mun's military base at TyanaTyana
Tyana or Tyanna was an ancient city in the Anatolian region of Cappadocia, in modern south-central Turkey. It was the capital of a Luwian-speaking Neo-Hittite kingdom in the 1st millennium BC.-History:...
. He sent Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Mu'sab against a Khurramite revolt centred near Hamadhan. Ishaq soundly defeated the rebels. Their survivors, under Nasr
Theophobos
Theophobos or Theophobus , originally Nasr, was a Persian or Kurdish commander in Byzantine service under Emperor Theophilos ....
, fled to the Byzantines.
In A.H. 219 (834-835) Muhammad ibn Qasim (al-Alawi)
Muhammad ibn Qasim (al-Alawi)
Muhammad ibn Qasim was an Alawite Imam. He led an Alawite rebellion that took place in Taloqan at the beginning of the 3rd century of Hijrah , in the year 219 A.H and during the days of the Caliphate of Al-Mu'tasim. However, Al-Mu'tasim defeated and arrested him and carried him to Baghdad,...
rebelled in Khurasan. He was defeated and brought to the caliph. He was imprisoned, but escaped and was never heard of again. Ujayf ibn Anbasah defeated the Zutt in Iraq. The next year he brought them before al-Mu'tasim in an impressive naval parade. The Zutt were sent to the Byzantine frontier where they fell fighting Byzantines.
One of the most difficult problems facing this Caliph, as faced his predecessor, was the uprising of Babak Khorramdin
Babak Khorramdin
Bābak Khorram-Din was one of the main Persian revolutionary leaders of the Iranian Khorram-Dinān , which was a local freedom movement fighting the Abbasid Caliphate. Khorramdin appears to be a compound analogous to dorustdin and Behdin "Good Religion" , and are considered an offshoot of...
. Babak first rebelled in A.H. 201 (816-817) and overcame a number of caliphate forces sent against him. Finally, al-Mu'tasim provided clear instructions to his general al-Afshin Khaydhar ibn Kawus. Following these al-Afshin patiently overcame the rebel, securing a significant victory of this reign. Babak was brought to 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....
in A.H. 223 (837-838). He entered the city spectacularly riding on a splendid elephant. He was executed by his own executioner and his head sent to Khurasan. His brother was executed in Baghdad.
In that same year of Babak's death, the Byzantine emperor Theophilus
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
launched an attack against a number of Abbasid fortresses. Al-Mu'tasim launched a well planned response. Al-Afshin met and defeated Theophilus on July 21, 838, known as Battle of Anzen
Battle of Anzen
The Battle of Anzen or Dazimon was fought on July 22, 838 at Anzen or Dazimon between the Byzantine Empire and the forces of the Abbasid Caliphate...
. Ankyra fell to the Muslim army of 50,000 men (with 50,000 camels and 20,000 mules) and from there they advanced on the stronghold of Amorium
Amorium
Amorium was a city in Phrygia, Asia Minor which was founded in the Hellenistic period, flourished under the Byzantine Empire, and declined after the Arab sack of 838. Its ruins are located near the village of Hisarköy, Turkey....
. A captive escaped and informed the caliph that one section of Amorium's wall was only a frontal facade. By concentrating bombardment here, al-Mu'tasim captured the city
Sack of Amorium
The Sack of Amorium by the Abbasid Caliphate in mid-August 838 was one of the major events in the long history of the Byzantine–Arab Wars. The Abbasid campaign was led personally by the Caliph al-Mu'tasim , in retaliation to a virtually unopposed expedition launched by the Byzantine emperor...
.
On his return home, he became aware of a serious conspiracy centred on al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun
Al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun
Al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun was an Arab prince and general, the son of the Abbasid Caliph al-Ma'mun . A distinguished military leader in the Byzantine–Arab Wars, he was passed over in the succession in favour of his uncle al-Mu'tasim...
. A number of senior military commanders were involved. Al-Abbas was executed, as were, among others, al-Shah ibn Sahl, Amr al-Farghana, 'Ujayf ibn 'Anbasa and Akhmad ibn al-Khalil. This situation may help explain the increased reliance of this caliph and his successors upon Turkish commanders.
The ghilman
Ghilman
Ghilman Ghilman Ghilman (singular ghulam describes either young servants in paradise or slave-soldiers in the Ottoman, Mughal and Persian Empires.-Islamic Theology:...
(sing. ghulam) were introduced to the Caliphate during al-Mu'tasim's reign. The ghilman were slave-soldiers taken as prisoners of war from conquered regions, in anticipation of the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
system, and made into caliphal guard. The ghilman, personally responsible only to the Caliph, were to revolt several times during the 860's, killed 4 caliphs, and be replaced by the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
system, based on captured Turkish children, trained and moulded within the Islamic lands.
The ghilman, along with the shakiriya which had been introduced in the reign of al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
, had irritated the Arab regular soldiers of the Caliph's army. The Turkic and Armenian ghilman agitated the citizens of 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...
, provoking riots in 836. The capital was moved to the new city of 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....
later that year, where it would remain until 892 when it was returned to Baghdad by al-Mu'tamid
Al-Mu'tamid
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...
.
The Tahirid dynasty
Tahirid dynasty
The Tahirid Dynasty, was a Persian dynasty that governed from 820 to 872 over the northeastern part of Greater Iran, in the region of Khorasan . The dynasty was founded by Tahir ibn Husayn, a leading general in the service of the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun...
, which had come to prominence during al-Ma'mun's reign after the military province of Khurasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
was granted to Tahir bin Husain, continued to grow in power. They received the governorships of Samarqand, Farghana, and Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
. Unlike most provinces in the Abbasid Caliphate, which were closely governed by Baghdad and Samarra, the provinces under the control of the Tahirids were exempted from many tributes and oversight functions. The independence of the Tahirids contributed greatly to the decline of Abbasid supremacy in the east.
In A.H. 224 (838-839) Mazyar ibn Qarin
Maziar
Maziar was an Iranian aristocrat of the House of Karen and feudal ruler of the mountainous region of Tabaristan...
who detested the Tahirids rebelled against them. Previously, he had insisted on paying the taxes of his Caspian region directly to al-Mu'tasim's agent instead of to Abdallah ibn Tahir's. Al-Afshin, desiring to replace Abdallah as Khurasan's governor, intrigued with Mazyar. Mazyar imprisoned people from Sariya, demolished Amul's walls and fortified Tamis, causing apprehension in Jurjan.
Abdallah and al-Mu'tasim despatched forces to quell this uprising. Abdallah's commander Hayyan ibn Jabalah convinced Mazyar's Qarin ibn Shahriyar to betray Mazyar. Qarin sent Hayyan Mazyar's brother and other commanders Qarin had taken by surprise. The people of Sariyah rose against Mazyar. Hayyan arrived there and then advanced into the Wandahurmuz mountains where he seized some of Mazyar's stored wealth. Al-Quhyar ibn Qarin betrayed Mazyar. He was brought, along with his correspondence, some implicating al-Afshin, to al-Mu'tasim. Mazyar's commander al-Durri was defeated, captured and executed.
Al-Hasan ibn al-Afshin had a splendid wedding celebration with al-Mu'tasim personally providing for the guests. Al-Afshin's kinsman Minkajur rebelled in Adharbayjan. He was quickly defeated. Al-Afshin fell under suspicion. When Mazyar entered Samarra on a mule, al-Afshin was arrested. Al-Afshin was intently interrogated. Mazyar supplied testimony against him. He faced further charges of diverting wealth from the Babak campaign to al-Afshin's realm of Ushrusanah, of having idolotrous books, etc., of being addressed in Persian by his correspondents as "Lord of Lords," etc. Although al-Afshin tried to explain such things, al-Mu'tasim had him imprisoned in a special prison built for him. Here he was killed in May or June of 841.
The Khurramiyyah were never fully suppressed, although they slowly vanished during the reigns of succeeding Caliphs.
Near the end of al-Mu'tasim's life there was an uprising in Palestine. Al-Mu'tasim sent Raja ibn Ayyub al-Hidari to restore order. Al-Hidari defeated the rebels and captured their leader Abu Harb al-Mubarqa.
The great Arab mathematician al-Kindi
Al-Kindi
' , known as "the Philosopher of the Arabs", was a Muslim Arab philosopher, mathematician, physician, and musician. Al-Kindi was the first of the Muslim peripatetic philosophers, and is unanimously hailed as the "father of Islamic or Arabic philosophy" for his synthesis, adaptation and promotion...
was employed by al-Mu'tasim, and tutored the Caliph's son. al-Kindi had served at the Bayt al-Hikma, or House of Wisdom
House of Wisdom
The House of Wisdom was a library and translation institute established in Abbassid-era Baghdad, Iraq. It was a key institution in the Translation Movement and considered to have been a major intellectual centre during the Islamic Golden Age...
. He continued his studies in Greek geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
and algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
under the caliph's patronage.
Ideologically, al-Mu'tasim followed the footstep of his half-brother al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
. He continued his predecessors support for heretical (agreed upon by the majority of scholars) islamic sect of Mu'tazila, applying his brutal military methods for torturing Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu `Abd Allah al-Shaybani was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. He is considered the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh...
.
Sulaymaan said, ‘He was then carried to the prison and the people departed, so I departed with them. Then when the next day arrived the people came (to the door of al-Mu’tasim) so I came with them and stood in front of the chair. Then al-Mu’tasim appeared and sat on the chair and said, ‘Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’ So he was brought and when he stood in front of him al-Mu’tasim said to him, ‘How were you in your cell during the night, 0 son of Hanbal?’ He said, “In goodness, and all praises are due to Allaah.” Al-Mu‘tasim said, ‘0 Ahmad, I saw a dream yesterday.’ He said,
“And what did you see, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen?” He said, ‘I saw in my dream as if there were two lions approaching me and they desired to tear me apart. And then two angels appeared and repelled them from me. They gave me a hook and said to me, ‘This written (piece) is the dream that Ahmad ibn Hanbal saw in his cell.’ So what is it that you saw, 0 son of Hanbal?’ So Ahmad faced al-Mu’tasim and said, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, is the book with you?” He said, ‘Yes, and when I awoke, I read what was in it. So Ahmad said to him, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, I saw as if the Day of Judgement had been established, and as if Allaah had gathered the first and the last (of people) in a single plain and He was calling them to account. Whilst I was standing, I was called for, so I proceeded until I stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and He said to me, ‘0 Ahmad, for what were you beaten?’ I said, “On account of the Qur’aan.” He said, “And what is the Qur’aan?” I said, “Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.” He said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ I said, “0 Lord, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq narrated to me.” So ‘AbdurRazzaaq was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Abdur-Razzaaq?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Ma’mar narrated to me.’ So Ma’mar was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Ma’mar?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Az-- Zuhree narrated to me.’ So az-Zuhree was called for and he was Brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say
about the Qur’aan, 0 Zuhree?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ So Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Urwah narrated to me.’ So ‘Urwah was brought, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan?’ He said, ‘Your Words, 0 AIIaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘0 ‘Urwah, from where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Aa’ishah, the daughter of Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq, narrated to me.’ So ‘Aa’ishah was called for and she was brought, until she was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to her, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Aa’ishah?’ She said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ She said, ‘Your Prophet Muhammad narrated to me.’ He said, ‘So Muhammad was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Muhammad?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ So the Prophet said, ‘Jibreel narrated to me.’ So Jibreel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Jibreel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘Such did Israafeel narrate to me. So Israafeel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and Allaah, the Sublime, said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Israafeel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘I saw that in the Lawhul-Mahfooz (the Preserved
Tablet).’ So the Preserved Tablet was brought and stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said, ‘0 Lawh, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ And it said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ Then Allaah, the Exalted said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ And the Lawh said, ‘Such did the Qalam (the Pen) inscribe upon me.’ Then the Pen was brought until it stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, so Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to it, ‘0 Qalam, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ The Qalam said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ So Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’
The Qalam said — ‘You dictated and I wrote.’ Then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, said, ‘The Qalam has spoken the truth. The Lawh has spoken the truth. Israafeel has spoken the truth. Jibreel has spoken the truth. Muhammad has spoken the truth. ‘Aa’ishah has spoken the truth. ‘Urwah has spoken the truth. Az-Zuhree has spoken the truth. Ma’mar has spoken the truth. ‘Abdur-Razzaaq has spoken the truth. Ahmad ibn Hanbal has spoken the truth. The Qur’aan is My Speech, it is not created.’
Sulaymaan as-Sijzee said, ‘Al-Mu’tasim leapt upon hearing that and said, ‘You have spoken the truth, 0 son of Hanbal.’ Then al- Mu’tasim repented, ordered the necks of Bishr al-Mareesee and Ibn Abee Duwaad to be beaten and revered Ahmad ibn Hanbal
and bestowed upon him, but (Ahmad) refrained from that. He was then ordered to be taken to his house and was taken.’~ Taken from Usool as-Sunnah by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
Death
Al-Tabari states that al-Mu'tasim fell ill on October 21, 841. His regular doctor had died the previous year and the new physician did not follow the normal treatment, and this was the cause of the caliph's illness. Al-Mu'tasim died on January 5, 842 (p. 207). This caliph is described by al-Tabari as having a relatively easy going nature, being kind, agreeable and charitable. He was succeeded by his son, al-WathiqAl-Wathiq
Al-Wathiq ibn Mutasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 842 until 847 AD .-Biography:...
.
Al-Mu'tasim in Literature
The name al-Mu'tasim is also used for a fictional character in the story The Approach to al-Mu'tasim by ArgentineArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
, which appears in his anthology Ficciones
Ficciones
Ficciones is the most popular anthology of short stories by Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges, often considered the best introduction to his work. Ficciones should not be confused with Labyrinths, although they have much in common. Labyrinths is a separate translation of Borges' material,...
. The al-Mu'tasim referenced there is probably not the Abbasid Caliph of the name, though Borges does state regarding the original, non-fictional al-Mu'tasim from whom the name is taken: "The name is the same as that of the eighth Abbasside, who was victor in eight battles, engendered eight male and eight female children, left behind eight thousand slaves and reigned during eight years, eight moons, and eight days."