The Procedures of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tadidBillah (279-289 AH / 892-902 AD) to Ensure that the Caliphate was Confined to his Offspring

Abstract

This study aims at uncovering the procedures followed by the Abbasid Caliph, alMu'tadidBillah, to ensure that the caliphate was confined to his offspring and that other branches of the Abbasid family were deprived of it. The findings reveal that alMu’tadid’s procedures succeeded in granting the caliphate to his son, al-MuktadirBillah, despite his very young age. The procedures also helped in thwarting the rebellion of Prince Abdallahibn al-Mu'tazz who was backed by most of the Abbasid statesmen. Although the procedures kept the caliphate within al-Mu’tadid’s offspring, they returned the dominance of the army leaders over the caliphate and the state. Keywords: al-Mu'tadidBillah, al-MuktafiBillah, al-MuktadirBillah, Abdallah, ibn alMu'tazz, Abbasid Caliphate.