Abū'l-Qasim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im (Arabic: أبو القاسم عبد الله بن محمد بن القائم) better known by his regnal name al-Muqtadi (Arabic: المقتدي 'the follower'; 1056 – February 1094) was the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad from 1075 to 1094. He succeeded his grandfather caliph al-Qa'im in 1075 as the twenty-seventh Abbasid caliph.
Biography
He was born to Muhammad Dhakirat, the son of caliph Al-Qa'im, and an Armenian slave girl named Urjuman. His full name was ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im and his Kunya was Abū'l-Qasim. He was born on 24 July 1056.
When al-Qa'im was on his deathbed in 1075, Fakhr ad-Dawla took charge of his personal care - al-Qa'im did not want bloodletting but Fakhr ad-Dawla had it done anyway.
thumb|[[Mah-i Mulk Khatun depicted in the center of a procession from Isfahan to Baghdad, for her upcoming marriage to Muqtadi in 1087. Nizam al-Mulk is also depicted accompanying the procession. Folio from a manuscript of Nigaristan, Iran, probably Shiraz, dated 1573–74.]]
Meanwhile, Amid ad-Dawla had left for Isfahan once he heard of Nizam al-Mulk's plans.
Treatment of Jews
Obadiah the Proselyte, who lived in Baghdad towards the end of al-Muqtadi's reign, records:<blockquote>Al-Muqtadi told Abu Shuja, his vizier, to mark the Jews dwelling in the city of Baghdad with distinctive dress, and he sought many times to destroy them, but the God of Israel thwarted his intent and hid them from his wrath. [Abu Shuja] put a yellow sign upon the head of each Jew and a silvermithqal of lead on the neck of each Jew, which was inscribed "dhimmi"—for the Jews were to be taxed. He also required the Jews to wear [yellow] girdles. Abu Shuja had two signs placed upon the Jewish women: the shoes belonging to each woman had to be one red and the other black, and each woman had to wear a small brass bell on her shoe or neck, in order by their sound to distinguish between Jewish and gentile women. He further appointed cruel men over the Jewish men, and cruel women over the Jewish women, to oppress them with every kind of curse, spite, and shame. The gentiles would mock them, and the am ha'aretz and their children would strike the Jews in all the areas of the city. Now this was the tax which [Al-Muqtadi] ordered to be levied over the Jews. . .</blockquote>
Family
Al-Muqtadi's first wife was Sifri Khatun. She was the daughter of Sultan Alp Arslan. In 1071–72, his father Al-Qa'im sent his wazir Ibn Al-Jahir to ask her hand in marriage, to which demand the Sultan agreed. His second wife was Mah-i Mulk Khatun, daughter of Sultan Malik-Shah I. In March 1082, Al-Muqtadi sent Abu Nasr ibn Jahir to Malik Shah in Isfahan to ask for her hand in marriage. Her father gave his consent, and the marriage contract was concluded. She arrived in Baghdad in March 1087. The marriage was consummated in May 1087. She gave birth to Prince Ja'far on 31 January 1088. But then Al-Muqtadi began to avoid her, and she asked permission to return home. She left Baghdad for Khurasan on 29 May 1089, accompanied by her son. Subsequently, news of her death reached Baghdad. Her ailing father brought her son back to Baghdad in October 1092. Prince Ja'far was taken back to the Caliphal Palace, where he remained until his death on 21 June 1093. He was buried near the caliphal tombs in the Rusafah Cemetery. One of Al-Muqtadi's concubines was Kalbahaar or Jalb'har, also known as Tayf al-Khayal. She was a Turkish and was the mother of caliph Al-Mustazhir.
Succession
Al-Muqtadi died in 1094 at the age of 37–38. He was succeeded by his 16-year-old son Ahmad al-Mustazhir as Caliph.
See also
- Banu Jahir, family of viziers that were prominent under al-Muqtadi's reign
References
- This text is adapted from William Muir's public domain, The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline, and Fall.