The End of an Empire - The Fall of the Abbasids (Video)
In the 8th century Middle East, the Abbasid Caliphate rose to power, overseeing an era later hailed as Islam's golden age. However, internal strife marked its decline. Caliph Harun al-Rashid's well-intentioned plan for succession led to a disastrous power struggle between his sons, al-Amin and al-Ma'mun.
The ensuing civil war culminated in the fall of Baghdad in 812, with al-Amin's capture and execution. Al-Ma'mun's attempts to forge alliances and impose religious doctrines further strained the caliphate. His reliance on Turkish slave soldiers introduced a military shift, leading to the construction of Samarra, a city that exacerbated tensions between old nobility and the rising Turkish influence.
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Victories against the Byzantine Empire did little to quell internal strife. Subsequent caliphs faced a decade of anarchy, weakening Abbasid authority. Regional uprisings, like the Zanj revolt in Iraq and the rise of the Saffarids in Persia, signaled a fractured caliphate. By the 10th century, Abbasid influence waned, with caliphs becoming symbolic figures under the control of powerful viziers. The Buyids' capture of Baghdad in 945 marked a turning point, and the rise of the Seljuk Turks further reshaped the region, setting the stage for future challenges and changes in the Islamic world.
Top image: Abbasid palace in Baghdad, Iraq. Source: pop_gino/Adobe Stock
