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Topics for today: 1. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) 2. Comparison with Charlemagne 3. Embassies

Topics for today: 1. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) 2. Comparison with Charlemagne 3. Embassies 4. Biographies. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809). Chief deputies were the Barmakids, who promoted centralised administration 794 Revolt in N. Iraq Tensions over: 1. Centralisation

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Topics for today: 1. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) 2. Comparison with Charlemagne 3. Embassies

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  1. Topics for today: 1. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) 2. Comparison with Charlemagne 3. Embassies 4. Biographies

  2. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) Chief deputies were the Barmakids, who promoted centralised administration 794 Revolt in N. Iraq Tensions over: 1. Centralisation 2. Shi‘ites 3. Role of caliph = al-Khayzuran Partial ‘Abbasid family tree. Source: Wikipedia: <http://en.wikipedia.org/>.

  3. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) c. 796 Beginning of decline of Barmakids 803 Fall of the Barmakids. Mostly imprisoned. Vizier Ja‘far executed

  4. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) Why did the Barmakids fall? Question of control? 796 Harun starts appointing non-Barmakid officials 802 Harun splits inheritance between Muhammad (al-Amin), supported by troops of Khurasan (E. Persia) and ‘Abd Allah (al-Ma’mun), supported by Barmakids

  5. Map Link: ‘Abbasid Caliphate, c. 800: <http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/arabworld/abbasidhist1.gif>

  6. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) 806-7 Harun fights military jihad (holy war) against Byzantines Problem of revenues of Khurasan 808 Harun sets out for Khurasan 809 Death of Harun at Tus, Persia

  7. Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) A Golden Age? Question of contrast to later times Before civil wars and financial and political decline Age of power, prosperity, peace (mostly) vibrant culture Exchange of embassies with (e.g.) Byzantines and Franks

  8. 797 Charlemagne sends embassy to Harun 801 Return embassy from Harun 802 Charlemagne sends another embassy 807 Another return embassy from Harun 799-807 Repeated embassies between Charlemagne and Patriarch of Jerusalem

  9. An exchange of pleasantries? Abu’l-‘Abbas Military alliance? The Holy City?

  10. Map Link: Saracen Dominions: <http://www.shadowedrealm.com/lib/images/ medieval/maps/map040.jpg>

  11. A combination of reasons? Silence of Muslim sources: Embassies as fiction? Avoiding leaving records? Question of (lack of) importance?

  12. Einhard (c. 770-840) Friend, advisor, biographer Vita Caroli (Life of Charlemagne)

  13. Monk of St Gall (Notker Balbulus/the Stammerer?) (c. 840-912) Spent life at Benedictine Abbey of St Gall Wrote De Carolo Magno (On Charlemagne) btw. 883 and 887 for Charles the Fat (r. 881-87)

  14. Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Jarir ibn Yazid al-Tabari (839-923) Mukhtasar Ta’rikh al-Rusul wa’l-Muluk wa’l-Khulafa’ (Selection of the History of Prophets, Kings and Caliphs)

  15. Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Mas‘udi (d. 956) Historian, geographer and traveller Over 20 works, incl. Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma‘adin al-Jawhar (Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gemstone)

  16. Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Mas‘udi (d. 956) Settled in Damascus in 945, then Fustat (Old Cairo) in 947 Kitab al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf (Book of Notification and Verification) Text under discussion is from Muruj

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