Harun al-Rashid: goals, achievements, opponents. The reign of Harun al-Rashid

The second half of the 8th century AD was marked by the weakening of central power, and the remote areas of the Caliphate received a new impetus to development. On the background of general changes, Baghdad was particularly prominent. Quite quickly it turned into a cultural and political capital of a huge Muslim empire. In a rapidly developing city, a trader, an architect, a soldier - everyone could find a job. And especially lucky people could make a successful career and become apprentices of the caliph, whose name was Harun al-Rashid.

Fairy tales and reality

Arab fairy tales show us the ruler of Baghdad as a just and wise patron of architects and scientists, patron and creator. The image of Harun-ar-Rashid was so impressive that later his name became a household name, denoting a generous person endowed with power, good and fair. But reality, as always, turned out to be much more prosaic than fairy tales.

The Childhood of the Caliph

In the ancient city of Rei, which is not far from Tehran, in 766 the grandson of the great Al-Mansur, the founder of the Abbasid dynasty, who for a long time managed a huge caliphate was born. Their possessions stretched from the borders of India and China to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Harun's Ar-Rashid grandfather founded Baghdad as well. The latter at the time of the birth of the future caliph became a rich and flourishing city, the main decoration of which was the palace of the caliph. The mother of the future khan was a Yemeni slave named Al-Khayzuran, whom the Caliph made his concubine, and later married her.

Harun al-Rashid spent his childhood in bliss and luxury, surrounded by friends, relatives and wise mentors. Despite the surrounding wealth, he grew strong and enduring - he perfectly shot with a bow, wielded a sword, was an excellent rider. From early childhood his mentors were representatives of the noble family Barmakids, and young Jafar ar Barmakid for many years was his best friend.

The first military campaigns

At the request of Harun's mother, at the young age of sixteen the son of the Caliph took part in a military campaign against Byzantium. It is clear that he commanded the troops purely nominally, all military operations were conducted by more experienced commanders. Despite the many slander that whispered in his father's ear, the opponents of Harun al-Rashid, were shamed. The young heir showed great courage and ingenuity in the battles, and he could be entrusted with more complex cases.

After returning from the campaigns, Harun al-Rashid was entrusted with the rule of Ifrikia (now this land is in the territory of modern Tunisia), Armenia, Azerbaijan and Syria. In the list of candidates for the caliphate throne, he was the second after his half-brother Musa.

Short rule of al-Hadi

After the death of the Caliph, Musa took the throne under the name al-Hadi. His brother, he threw in prison and forced to swear that never Harun al-Rashid will not claim the throne and will faithfully serve his brother-ruler.

But Harun's mother and his friend Jafar did not give such an oath, Not long Ali al-Hadi ruled in his caliphate. In 786, he suddenly died, and Harun took his place.

The objectives of Harun al-Rashid

The struggle for the throne in any empire is a long-term and bloody confrontation. Entering the throne, the young Harun first of all continued to play a nominal role, and the country was governed by his teachers and the powerful Barmakids. In his judgments the young Caliph was guided by the instructions of his teacher Yahya ibn Khalid, and he devoted much time to the mother who elevated him to the throne.

After the death of the mother Harun al-Rashid gradually gets rid of the influence of the powerful clan of the Barmakids and takes the reins of government into their own hands. The main opponents of Harun al-Rashid are now his former friends and mentors. On January 29, 803, Jafar, the longtime and most devoted friend of the Caliph, perishes by the hands of his vizier. Was the denunciation of the anonymous ill-wishers, or the whole suspicion of the Caliph - the truth, we will never know. The teachers of the caliph were also removed from the leadership, and his mentor Yahya ibn Khalif was imprisoned for a long time.

The policy of the Caliph

The rule of Harun al-Rashid can be called the golden age of the caliphate. Unconditional military superiority discouraged the poor neighbors in raiding on the outskirts of the empire. All attempts to rekindle the flame of war were mercilessly suppressed. In this relatively peaceful time, trade is booming. Perhaps it was the Arab merchants who traded with the whole oikoumene, spread the news of the new caliph as a generous and wise ruler.

Despite his fame as a formidable ruler and a stern commander, Harun al-Rashid was sensitive to the voice of scientists and gracious to the poor. Throughout his reign, he prayed daily. For theologians and poets, doors were always open, Harun often listened to them, allowed them to interpret the Quran, sing laudatory songs in their own address.

Advances in science and construction

Despite the general rule, in the Abyssid Caliphate the cities had a relative independence. The Caliph watched the progress of scientists from various lands of his caliphate, and invited to himself the most talented researchers and architects. Thanks to this approach about what achievements Harun al-Rashid became famous, he soon learned the whole Arab world. Bridges and mosques were built in the caliphate, dams and dams were built that irrigated the dry endless lands of the caliphate. There was a central postal service, which in Europe at that time was not even heard. Caravan routes on the territory of the caliphate were protected from robbers, travelers stopped at inns without fear for their lives and savings.

Great project

It is interesting that, according to one historian, Harun al-Rashid seriously considered projects on the connection of the Red Sea with the waters of the Romey (Mediterranean). To implement this undertaking the Caliph had both the means and the possibilities. This project was rejected for reasons of state security - the generals of the caliph seriously feared the invasion of Byzantine ships and their breakthrough to the shores of the Hijaz. Repeatedly to this idea came back more than a thousand years, having built on the site of the ancient Suez Canal project .

The Caliph's Wife

Soon the young Caliph married. His chosen one was Zubaydda ibn Jafar, granddaughter of the Caliph al Mansoor. Many achievements of Harun al-Rashid should by right be attributed to this woman. He made a huge contribution to the improvement of cities, with its filing in the streets of Baghdad in the dark, the lights began to shine, she was one of the first wives engaged in charity. She presented to her husband and master the son of Abu Abdallah al-Allah, who at one time became heir to his father's empire.

Caliph and religion

The kindness and piety of the ruler were strangely combined with his intransigence towards the Gentiles. At the dawn of his reign, he declared an amnesty, having pardoned hundreds of robbers and thieves, but leaving in people's dungeons, the interpretation of the Qur'an differed from the generally accepted one. In the Christine world, such people would be called heretics. The so-called zindics had to publicly abandon the wrong teachings and make a certain bribe for their release. The Gentiles were subjected to humiliation in the caliphate and had to obey more strict rules. For example, they were forbidden to wear the same shoes that Muslims wore. They were not allowed to ride horses - the main means of transportation for Christians and other gentiles were considered donkeys. Supporters of other religions also did not enjoy support in the caliphate. In 806, Harun al-Rashid, in pious zeal to make Islam the only religion on his land, ordered the destruction of all Christian shrines in his lands, effectively prohibiting the practice of Christianity in his caliphate.

The Last Days of the Caliph

The aggressive policy of planting Islam eventually shook the serene reign of the Abbasinian caliphate. Various currents of the Muslim faith found their supporters on the outskirts of a large empire. Uprisings broke out in Egypt, Tunisia and Central Asia. Numerous wars devastated the treasury and demanded direct attention of the ruler. The Caliph often had to lead the military campaigns alone. During the return of Harun from one such campaign, in 809, he was overtaken by death. It is said that the last words of the Caliph were: "Immortal, forgive the mortal."