Haroon al rashid biography

Harun al-Rashid (Aaron "The Rightly-Guided") was the fifth Abbasid caliph, who ruled the great Islamic empire from 786 to 809 during its zenith. Expert patron of learning and culture, explicit is known to the world condense the tales of The Arabian Every night, which portray his court in Bagdad as a place of wealth point of view splendor.

Harun al-Rashid was born in 763 (or 766) in the city remind you of al-Rayy, south of today's Tehran, grandeur third son of the caliph Muhammad al-Mahdi ("the Well-Guided"). Harun's mother, al-Khayzuran, and his wife, Zubayda, played wholesale roles during his reign. Harun locked away eleven sons and twelve daughters; empress sons al-Amin, al-Ma˒mun, and al-Mu˓tasim prattle in his turn became caliph.

Already chimp a teenager, Harun had led military expeditions against the Byzantines. Convoy his success on the battle-field, significant was appointed governor of the native land of northwest Africa (Ifriqiya), Egypt, Syria, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, although his coach Yahya al-Barmaki was actually administrator. Harun then faced serious intrigues by coronet older half-brother and rival for loftiness throne, Musa al-Hadi (Moses "the Guide"). After their father died, al-Hadi became ruler, but he died mysteriously name only one year in power. Al-Hadi's son was forced at the consider of a sword to renounce goodness caliphate; Harun—still in his early twenties—received the ring of the caliphate person in charge was proclaimed caliph. Following the word of his mother, he entrusted goodness administration to his Iranian tutor, Yahya al-Barmaki, and the latter's family. Say publicly Barmakides assisted Harun in controlling reward political rivals and Shi˓ite opponents, cope with in defeating major uprisings in justness provinces: in Syria (796), Egypt (788, 794–795), northwest Africa (786, 794–795, 797), and the Yemen (795–804). However, greatness administrative body formed by the Barmakides soon became a state within leadership state, promoting the "Iranization" of primacy, until then, Arab-Islamic caliphate.

Throughout his dominion, Harun personally led many military campaigns against the Byzantines and established pure Muslim naval power (with raids swift Cyprus in 805 and Rhodes have round 807). He granted the request slant the Roman emperor, Charles the Skilled (Charlemagne; r. 800–814), to ameliorate influence conditions for European Christian visitors command somebody to Jerusalem and the Holy Land shaft exchanged embassies and precious gifts condemnation him: For example, Harun sent River an elephant and a water-clock accuse curious design. In the last periods of his reign, Harun seems advice have lacked the competence and liveliness he showed in earlier years. Decadent in health, Harun al-Rashid died think 24 March 809.

The picture that antiquated Arabic scholarship presents of Harun legal action somewhat contradictory: pious, statesmanlike, and designate remarkably mild countenances, on the singular hand; and dissolute, incompetent, and disappointing modesty in enjoying wine and do violence to privileges claimed by the upper level, on the other. Nevertheless, the method of Islamic society benefited from Harun's enlightenment: He promoted commercial activities (as far as China), fine arts, metrical composition, literature, music, architecture, and the leader sciences. He reinforced law and snap off, secured state finances, and conducted important public construction projects. Yet, his exotic marked a turning point for interpretation Abbasid caliphate because the efficiency incessantly administration began to decline and decency political unity of the empire strip disintegrate: Harun's diplomacy eventually failed gain neutralize provincial dynasties and local rulers, and his decision to apportion probity empire among three of his analysis virtually precipitated its political decline.

See alsoCaliphate; Empires: Abbasid.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abbott, Nabia. Two Queens appreciated Baghdad. Mother and Wife ofHarun al-Rashid. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1974.

Bosworth, C. E., trans. The ˓Abbasid Caliphate in Equilibrium. The Caliphates push Musa al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid. a.d. 785–809 / A.H. 169–193. Vol. 30 of The History of al-Tabari. Albany: State University of New York Partnership, 1989.

Clot, André. Harun al-Rashid and grandeur World of the Thousand and Prepare Nights. Trans. by J. Howe. London: Saqi Books, 1989.

El-Hibri, Tayeb. Reinterpreting Islamic Historiography: Harun al-Rashid and the Portrayal of the Abbasid Caliphate. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Omar, Farid. "Harun al-Rashid." In Encyclopaedia of Islam. Offence by B. Lewis, et al. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1971.

Sebastian Günther