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The Golden Age of the `Abbasid Caliphate. HIST 1007 9/23/13. Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406). North African historian Father of modern social sciences Used history to generate theories and models about human society Muqaddimah – The prologue to his chronicle Kitab al- Ibar - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Golden Age of the `Abbasid Caliphate
HIST 10079/23/13
Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)
• North African historian• Father of modern social sciences• Used history to generate theories and models about human society• Muqaddimah – The prologue to his chronicle Kitab al-Ibar (Book of Lessons)
Ibn Khaldun’s Four Generational Model
First generation – “builder of glory”Fought hard to achieve success
Second generation – “inherited leadership”Learned to rule by watching his father
Third generation – “traditionalists”Rely on tradition when making decisions
Fourth generation – “entitled rulers”Believe they were born to rule
`Abbasids – First Generation• Abu al-`Abbas `Abdullah b. Muhammad al-Saffah (r. 750-
754)• Grab and then consolidate power• Were other groups looking to gain power through
revolution?• Abu Salama – head of `Abbasid dawa• Killed after dinner with al-Saffah… but whodunnit?
Challenges to `Abbasid Power
• Big tent revolution means many constituencies to please• `Abbasid Family• Persians• Khurasani Arabs• Shi’ites• Sunni religious scholars
`Abbasids – First Generation
• Abu Ja`far `Abdullah b. Muhammad al-Mansur (r. 754-775)
• Brother of al-Saffah• `Abdullah b. `Ali – uncle, revolutionary
general, challenges rule• Rules of succession• Abu Muslim puts down `Abdullah’s revolt
Abu Muslim and Challenges to Authority
• Abu Muslim – governor of the east• Can he be trusted?• 755 – Invited to al-Mansur’s court• Leaves supporters at garrisons throughout Iran• Abu Muslim killed and tossed in the Tigris• Abu Muslim becomes legendary figure – Abu Muslim nameh
Shi’ite Challenges to Authority• `Alids – descendants of `Ali and Fatima• Invited to court, offered state pension• Muhammad “al-Nafs al-Zakya” (The Pure Soul) and
Ibrahim b. `Abdullah• 762 – Muhammad revolts in Medina• Medina’s status in the empire• 763 – Ibrahim revolts in Basra
Consolidation of Authority• `Abbasid Family• al-Saffah and al-Mansur had seven uncles• Establish courts in the provinces• Salih – granted Umayyadfamily property in Syria (marries Marwan II’s widow)• al-Mansur and al-Saffah’s sons largely stay at court
Qasr Ukhaydir – first `Abbasid palace, near Kufa
Consolidating Authority
• Bureaucracy• Create a large, stable institution• Families of high ranking bureaucrats dependent on
the caliphate for their position• Chamberlain – control access to caliph• Rabi b. Yunus and Fadl b. Rabi – slave turned
freeman (mawla) of al-Mansur turned chamberlain
• Advancement by attachment to royal family
Bureaucracy
• Salaried professional clerks (kuttab)• Working in government offices (diwan)• Standardized formalities• Qudama b. Ja`far (d. 948) – Kitab al-kharaj wa sina`at al-kitaba (Book of the Land Tax and the Art of the Secretary)• Emergence of paper
Bureaucracy
• Barid – post office, but also intelligence• Deliver official correspondence• Spy on governors, judges, etc.• Get news to the caliph fast• Shurta – police, city guard of the capital• Haras – Caliph’s private guard
The Round City of Baghdad
• 762 – founded as new capital by al-Mansur• Centrally located in Iraq• Near Ctesiphon• Planned round city• Property for loyalty• Attracts people from around empire
Baghdadi Elites
• abna’ al-dawla – literally “sons of the dynasty”• Khurasani Arab soldiers who had fought in the
revolution• Given property in Baghdad• Build shops, markets, bakeries, etc. and collect
rents for wealth
Bureaucracy and the Second Generation
• 775 – al-Mansur goes on pilgrimage• bay`ah (oath of allegiance) given to
Muhammad b. Mansur al-Mahdi (r. 775-785)• Travels with Rabi b. Yunus and Musa b. al-Mahdi• Rabi hides al-Mansur’s death until the bay`ah for al-Mahdi can be renewed with Musa
Barmakids• Vizier – Chief advisor to the caliph• Guardians of the Nawbahar Buddhist shrine outside Balkh• Come to the `Abbasid cause• Khalid b. Barmak (705-782) – managed finances during revolution• Yahya b. Khalid (d. 806) – “whereas most men begat sons, Yahya had begotten a father”
Bamiyan and its Buddhas
Barmakids and `Abbasids
• 758 – al-Mansur sends al-Mahdi to Rayy as governor of the east
• Yahya b. Khalid goes as his advisor• Harun b. al-Mansur and Fadl b. Yahya• 780 – Harun sent on Byzantine campaign• Yahya sent to administer the army• Yahya as father figure