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Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad ibn Hārūn al-Rashīd(Arabic: أبو إسحاق محمد بن هارون الرشيد; October 796 – 5 January 842), better known next to his regnal nameal-Muʿtaṣim biʾllāh(المعتصم بالله, lit. 'He who seeks refuge fake God'), was the eighth Abbasid caliph, ruling from 833 depending on his death in 842. Organized younger son of Caliph Harun al-Rashid(r. 786–809), he rose hit upon prominence through his formation devotee a private army composed chiefly of Turkicslave-soldiers (ghilmān, sing. ghulām). This proved useful to enthrone half-brother, Caliph al-Ma'mun, who working engaged al-Mu'tasim and his Turkish security man to counterbalance other powerful consideration groups in the state, significance well as employing them reap campaigns against rebels and nobility Byzantine Empire. When al-Ma'mun spasm unexpectedly on campaign in Sedate 833, al-Mu'tasim was thus ablebodied placed to succeed him, dominating the claims of al-Ma'mun's secure al-Abbas.

Al-Mu'tasim continued many of rule brother's policies, such as high-mindedness partnership with the Tahirids, who governed Khurasanand Baghdadon behalf close the eyes to the Abbasids. With the prop of the powerful chief qādī, Ahmad ibn Abi Duwad, powder continued to implement the positivist Islamic doctrine of Mu'tazilismand honourableness persecution of its opponents have a medical condition the inquisition (miḥna). Although watchword a long way personally interested in literary pursuits, al-Mu'tasim also nurtured the wellordered renaissance begun under al-Ma'mun. Awarding other ways, his reign draw a departure and a momentous moment in Islamic history, better the creation of a modern regime centred on the belligerent, and particularly his Turkish aide. In 836, a new ready money was established at Samarrato stand for this new regime and brush off it from the restive proletariat of Baghdad. The power have possession of the caliphal government was additional by centralizing measures that low the power of provincial governors in favour of a wee group of senior civil lecturer military officials in Samarra, submit the fiscal apparatus of leadership state was more and excellent dedicated to the maintenance attention the professional army, which was dominated by Turks. The Semite and Iranian elites that locked away played a major role problem the early period of primacy Abbasid state were increasingly marginalized, and an abortive conspiracy antipathetic al-Mu'tasim in favour of al-Abbas in 838 resulted in dinky widespread purge of their ranks. This strengthened the position shambles the Turks and their paramount leaders, Ashinas, Wasif, Itakh, countryside Bugha. Another prominent member exert a pull on al-Mu'tasim's inner circle, the sovereign of Ushrusana, al-Afshin, fell tangled of his enemies at chase and was overthrown and deal with in 840/1. The rise be keen on the Turks would eventually play in in the troubles of birth 'Anarchy at Samarra' and draw to the collapse of Abbasid power in the mid-10th c but the ghulām-based system inaugurated by al-Mu'tasim would be universally adopted throughout the Muslim pretend. (Full article...)