Harun al-Rashid

Harun al-Rashid(also spelled Haroun ar-Rashid, Harun al-Raschid or Haroon al Rasheed) [English: Aaron the Upright] born c.763 - 809 was the 5th and most famous Abbasid Caliph from 786 until 809. He is a great figure to the Arabs. He and his fabulous court are immortalized in The Thousand and One Nights,also known as Arabian Nights.

Harun Al-Rashid was the son of al-Mahdi, the third 'Abbasid caliph (ruled 775–785), and al-Khayzuran, a former slave girl from Yemen and a woman of strong personality who greatly influenced affairs of state in the reigns of her husband and sons.

Harun was strongly influenced by the will of his mother, al-Khayzuran in the governance of the empire until her death in 789, and his vizier(chief-minister) Yahya the Barmakid (an Iranian family of priests), his sons and the Barmakids generally controlled the administration.

The Barmakids , a Persian family that had become very powerful under Al-Mahdi. Yahya, a Barmakid, had aided Harun in obtaining the caliphate, and he and his sons were in high favor until 798, when the caliph threw them in prison and confiscated their land; the reasons for this are not known, but it was probably a result of an extended intrigue by the Arab group at court. After this Harun's prime minister was Fazl ibn-Rabi.

Harun became caliph when he was almost twenty-one years old. He began his reign by appointing very able ministers, who carried on the work of the government so well that they greatly improved the condition of the people.

It was under Harun that Baghdad grew into becoming the most flourishing city of its period. Tribute was paid by many rulers to the caliph, and this was used on architecture, arts and a luxurious life at the court.

Harun built a palace in Baghdad, far grander and more beautiful than that of any caliph before him. He established his court there and lived in great splendor, attended by hundreds of courtiers and slaves.

He was very anxious that his people should be treated justly by the officers of the government, and he was determined to find out whether any had reason to complain. So he sometimes disguised himself at night and went about through the streets and bazaars, listening to the talk of those whom he met and asking them questions. In this way he learned whether the people were contented and happy, or not.

Harun al-Rashid gave great encouragement to learning, poetry and music. He was a scholar and poet himself and whenever he heard of learned men in his own kingdom, or in neighboring countries, he invited them to his court and treated them with respect. The name of Harun, therefore, became known throughout the world. He had diplomatic relations with China and with Charlemagne. It is said that a correspondence took place between him and Charlemagne and that Harun sent him a present of a clock and an elephant.

In military matters, Harun was an excellent soldier and showed this ability as a young age when his father was still caliph. He later commanded an army of ninety-five thousand Arabs and Persians, sent by his father to invade the Eastern Roman Empire, which was then ruled by the Empress Irene. After defeating Irene's famous general, Nicetas, Harun marched his army to Chrysopolis (now Scutari) on the Asiatic coast, opposite Constantinople. He encamped on the heights, in full view of the Roman capital. The Empress saw that the city would certainly by taken by the Muslims. She therefore sent ambassadors to Harun to arrange terms; but he sternly refused to agree to anything except immediate surrender. It is reported that then one of the ambassadors said, "The Empress has heard much of your ability as a general. Though you are her enemy, she admires you as a soldier." These flattering words were pleasing to Harun. He walked to and fro in front of his tent and then spoke again to the ambassadors. "Tell the Empress," he said, "that I will spare Constantinople if she will pay me seventy thousand pieces of gold as a yearly tribute. If the tribute is regularly paid Constantinople shall not be harmed by any Muslim force." The Empress agreed to these terms. She paid the first year's tribute; and soon the great Muslim army set out on its homeward march. The tribute of gold that the Empress Irene agreed to pay Harun was sent regularly for many years. It was always received at Baghdad with great ceremony. The day on which it arrived was made a holiday. The Roman soldiers who came with it entered the gates in procession. Muslim troops also took part in the parade. When the gold had been delivered at the palace, the Roman soldiers were hospitably entertained, and were escorted to the main gate of the city when they set out on their journey back to Constantinople.

In AD 802 Nicephorus usurped the throne of the Eastern Empire. He sent ambassadors with a letter to Harun to tell him that the tribute would no longer be paid. The letter contained these words:

"The weak and faint-hearted Irene submitted to pay you tribute. She ought to have made you pay tribute to her. Return to me all that she paid you; else the matter must be settled by the sword."

As soon as Harun had read these words the ambassadors threw a bundle of swords at his feet. The caliph smiled, and drawing his own sword, or scimitar, he cut the Roman swords in two with one stroke without injuring the blade, or even turning the edge of his weapon. Then he dictated a letter to Nicephorus, in which he said:

"Harun-al-Rashid, Commander of the Faithful to Nicephorus, the Roman dog: I have read thy letter. Thou shalt not hear, thou shalt see my reply."

Harun was as good as his word. He started that day with a large army to punish the emperor. As soon as he reached Roman territory he ravaged the country and took possession of everything valuable that he found. He laid siege toHeraclea, a city on the shores of the Black Sea, and in a week forced it to surrender. Then he sacked the place. Nicephorus was now forced to agree to pay the tribute. Scarcely, however, had the caliph reached his palace in Baghdad when the emperor again refused to pay.

Harun, consequently, advanced into the Roman province of Phrygia, in Asia Minor, with an army of 15,000 men. Nicepherus marched against him with 125,000 men. In the battle which followed the emperor was wounded, and 40,000 of his men were killed. After this defeat Nicephorus again promised payment of the tribute, but again failed to keep his promise. Harun now vowed that he would kill the emperor if he should ever lay hands upon him. But as he was getting ready to march once more into the Roman provinces a revolt broke out in one of the cities of his own kingdom; and while on his way to suppress it the he died of an illness which had long given him trouble. He is said to be buried in Tus.

BIOGRAPHY

766: Born as son of caliph al-Mahdi and the slave girl al-Khayzuran from Yemen.

780: Harun is the nominal leader of military expeditions against the Byzantine Empire.

782: Harun is nominal leader of a military campaign against the Byzantine Empire reaching as far as the Bosporus. A peace treaty is signed on favourable terms. Harun receives the honorific title ar-Rashid, and is named second in succession to the caliph throne, and is also appointed governor to Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

786 September: Harun's brother al-Hadi dies under mysterious circumstances — it was rumoured that his mother al-Khayzuran was responsible. Harun becomes new caliph, and makes Yahya bni Khali Barmakid his Grand Vizier, but al-Khayzuran would exercise much influence over the politics.

789: al-Khayzuran dies, leaving more of the effective power in the hands of Harun.

791: Wages war against the Byzanitine Empire.

800: Harun appoints brahim bni l-Aghlab governor over Tunisia, making him a semi-autonomous ruler in return for substantial yearly payments.

803: Yahya dies, and even more of effective power comes in the hands of Harun.

807: Harun's forces occupy Cyprus.

809: Dies while travelling in the eastern parts of his empire. al-Aminsucceeds him as caliph.

Preceded by: Al-Hadi

Muslim Abbasid Caliphs

Succeeded by: al-Amin