Episode 58: Al Ma’mun

Back in Baghdad, al Ma’mun finally began to play an active role in running the Abbasid state. The five years he spent in Khurasan were rough on the rest of the caliphate, but especially disastrous for Iraq. The caliph now had to restore peace and central control to practically every province. His leadership proved exceptional: even without a ready set of advisors to draw upon, al Ma’mun found the right people to fill the many vacancies he had in his administration. Over the course of his reign he steadily repaired the caliphate’s grip on the umma, undoing much of the harm done by the great fitna.

Map

Glossary

• Al Ma’mun: now that the caliph had returned to Iraq, he reappears in our sources in a big way. We hear all sorts of stories about the man, mainly praising his dedication, wisdom, mercy, and prudence. Upon his arrival he immediately busied himself with restoring the state he had inherited from his father, to considerable success. It’s true he lost Tunis and couldn’t quell Azerbaijan, but he managed to regain control of the rest of the caliphate in short order.
• Hasan ibn Sahl: the governor of Iraq submitted his resignation to the caliph the first opportunity he got, and he stayed out of politics for the rest of his life. He only comes up again when al Ma’mun decided to marry Hasan’s daughter Buran, a match some say had been promised long ago. Its fulfillment shows that the caliph did not turn his back on the Sahlids after their disgrace.
• Tahir ibn Hussain: the Khurasani nobleman and general returned to the East as al Ma’mun’s latest governor following the caliph’s move to Baghdad. He was an excellent choice for the position as it enabled him to leverage his many connections for the good of the umma. He passed away within a couple years of his appointment, and was succeeded by his son Talha.
• Abdallah ibn Tahir: Abdallah inherited his father’s mission when Tahir left for Khurasan. He first the caliph’s armies in Syria and Mesopotamia, taking five years to defeat Nasr ibn Shabath’s tribal confederation. When he was done he turned his attention to Egypt, and finally was made governor of Khurasan after his brother’s death in 828. The fact that three Tahirids ruled Khurasan one after another reinforced the family’s status as a dynasty, and therefore it lent credence to Khurasani independence.
• Abbas ibn il Ma’mun: the caliph’s son led Abbasid forces in parts of Iraq then Mesopotamia. He was first appointed to the latter province in the late 820’s and its border with the Byzantine empire meant that his armies always had a target to go after. He gained more experience during his father’s campaigns against them in 830 and on. 
• Mohammad ibn Harun: like most Abbasids, this half-brother of the caliph’s had been on al Amin’s side of the fitna. He built a hefty personal army of several thousand then stuck up a highly advantageous alliance with a prince of Ushrusana and gained his military support. Between the two, the Abbasid commanded quite a formidable army, making him very useful to the caliph, who used him to pacify Syria and Egypt repeatedly. 
• Babak: I’ve cut Babak short this episode, his movement was a real menace to the caliphate, even if it never threatened central command in Baghdad. He attracted the support of all the region’s anti-Arab and anti-Muslim population as he presented a chance at true independence. Babak just means father (papa), and as he went by Babak Khurrameddine, his supporters are termed Khurramites, in attribution to a Zoroastrian reformer who preached his own special brand of faith. That’s not new however, the label is applied widely to a host of different Eastern rebellions against the caliphate, from Sunpadh to Abu Muslim.
• Theophilus: the latest emperor was only 17 years old when he ascended the Byzantine throne, and the next year he went to war with the caliphate. While it’s noteworthy that he returned his side’s armies to action, he didn’t do very well against al Ma’mun’s forces. He succeeded in destroying some border towns a couple times, but was defeated in battle by the caliph’s son Abbas. It was just a small skirmish really, but that’s somehow worse because it depicts his forces as limited and amateurish.