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 Tyana. He sent Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Mu’sab against a Khurramite revolt centered near Hamadhan. Ishaq soundly defeated the rebels. Their survivors, under Nasr, fled to the 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. Ankara 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 façade. By concentrating bombardment here, al-Mu’tasim captured the city.
On his return home, he became aware of a serious conspiracy centered 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.
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 molded 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 dispatched forces to quell the 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. 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.
When Mazyar entered Samarra on a mule, al-Afshin was arrested and killed in May or June 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’tazilah, applying his brutal military methods for torturing Imam Ahmad ibn 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-Wathiq.
Sunni Islam titles
Preceded by Caliph of Islam Succeeded by
Al-Ma’mun833-842 Al-Wathiq
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Al-Mutawakkil, Ala Allah Ja’far ibn (821-861): Al-Mutawakkil ‘Alā Allāh Ja’far ibn al-Mu’tasim (March 821 – December 861) was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861. He succeeded his brother al-Wāthiq and is known for putting an end to the Mihna “ordeal”, the Inquisition-like attempt by his predecessors to impose a single Mu’tazili version of Islam.
Life:
While al-Wathiq was caliph, the vizier, ibn Abd al-Malik, had poorly treated al-Mutawakkil. On September 22, 847, al-Mutawakkil had him arrested. The former vizier’s property was plundered and he was tortured in his own iron maiden. He finally died on November 2. The caliph had others who had mistreated him in the previous reign punished.
In A.H. 235 (849) al-Mutawakkil had the prominent military commander Itakh al-Khazari seized in Baghdad. Itakh was imprisoned and died of thirst on December 21. One Mahmud ibn al-Faraj al-Nayshapuri arose claiming to be a prophet. He and some followers were arrested in Baghdad. He was imprisoned, beaten and on June 18, 850 he died.
In A.H. 237 (851-852) Armenians rebelled and defeated and killed the Abbasid governor. Al-Mutawakkil sent his general Bugha al-Kabir to handle this. Bugha scored successes this year and the following year he attacked and burned Tiblis, capturing Ishaq ibn Isma’il. The rebel leader was executed. That year (A.H. 238) the Byzantines attacked Damietta.
In A.H. 240 (854-855) the police chief in Homs killed a prominent person stirring an uprising. He was driven out. Al-Mutawakkil offered another police chief. When the next year saw a revolt against this new police chief, al-Mutawakkil had this firmly suppressed. As Christians had joined in the second round of disturbances, the caliph had Christians expelled from Homs.
Also in 241 occurred the firm response to the revolt by the Bujah, people of African descent just beyond Upper Egypt. They had been paying a tax on their gold mines. They ceased paying this, drove out Muslims working in the mines and terrified people in Upper Egypt. Al-Mutawakkil sent al-Qummi to restore order. Al-Qummi sent seven ships with supplies that enabled him to persevere despite the very harsh terrain of this distant territory. He retook the mines, pressed on to the Bujah royal stronghold and defeated the king in battle. The Bujah resumed payment of the tax.
On February 23, 856, there was an exchange of captives