Back in Baghdad, al Ma’mun finally began to play an active role in running the Abbasid state. The five years he spent in Khurasan were rough on the rest of the caliphate, but especially disastrous for Iraq. The caliph now had to restore peace and central control to practically every province. His leadership proved exceptional: even without a ready set of adv ... Show More
Jan 2023
Episode 60: Greatness in retrospect
It’s hard to identify a single aspect of the umma left unchanged by al Ma’mun’s long reign: he had a major impact politically, socially, intellectually, religiously, and beyond. Despite its many impressive achievements however, its flaws receive an inordinate amount of attention ... Show More
31m 24s
Dec 2023
Who was Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir?
<p>As the chaos of Samarra spreads to Baghdad, the Caliph al Ma'mun leaves the old capital in the hands of the trusted Tahrid family. Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir is appointed Governor of Baghdad and the city thrives, but when the fleeing al-Musta’in takes refuge in Baghdad, i ... Show More
12m 37s