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Apr 2023
34m 48s

Episode 65: Al Mutawakkil

ZAYD
About this episode
Considering their invincibility on the battlefield, the caliphate’s armies probably felt assured that they would remain the state’s number one priority. Al Mutawakkil’s purge of the administration only touched one member of the military hierarchy, and the caliph could not kill off its leadership if he required an effective fighting force. Although he sought ... Show More
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May 2023
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