Rulers

List of Abbasid Caliphs, 750 to 1258

37 Abbasid caliphs ruled from 750 to 1258. The average reign lasted 13.7 years and the longest was al-Nasir's, at 45 years. 10 were killed and 5 deposed or stepped down.

37rulers

13.7years, average reign

45 yrslongest: al-Nasir

10killed (27%)

Every ruler, with the length of each reign

1al-Saffah

750 to 754

Died naturally. First Abbasid caliph. Reigned 750 to 754.

2al-Mansur

754 to 775

Died naturally. Founded Baghdad in 762. Died on the way to Hajj. Reigned 754 to 775.

3al-Mahdi

775 to 785

Died naturally. Reigned 775 to 785.

4al-Hadi

785 to 786

Died naturally. Died suddenly; some reports blame his mother. Reigned 785 to 786.

5Harun al-Rashid

786 to 809

Died naturally. The caliph of the Thousand and One Nights. Died at Tus. Reigned 786 to 809.

6al-Amin

809 to 813

Killed. Killed after his brother's army took Baghdad. Reigned 809 to 813.

7al-Ma'mun

813 to 833

Died naturally. Patron of the House of Wisdom and of the mihna. Reigned 813 to 833.

8al-Mu'tasim

833 to 842

Died naturally. Built the Turkish slave army and moved the capital to Samarra. Reigned 833 to 842.

9al-Wathiq

842 to 847

Died naturally. Reigned 842 to 847.

10al-Mutawakkil

847 to 861

Killed. Murdered by Turkish officers with his son's knowledge. The start of the Anarchy at Samarra. Reigned 847 to 861.

11al-Muntasir

861 to 862

Died naturally. Died within months; poison was suspected. Reigned 861 to 862.

12al-Musta'in

862 to 866

Killed. Forced to abdicate, then killed. Reigned 862 to 866.

13al-Mu'tazz

866 to 869

Killed. Deposed by Turkish troops and left to die. Reigned 866 to 869.

14al-Muhtadi

869 to 870

Killed. Tried to rein in the Turkish commanders and was killed by them. Reigned 869 to 870.

15al-Mu'tamid

870 to 892

Died naturally. His brother al-Muwaffaq held real power and defeated the Zanj. Reigned 870 to 892.

16al-Mu'tadid

892 to 902

Died naturally. Moved the court back to Baghdad and restored some strength. Reigned 892 to 902.

17al-Muktafi

902 to 908

Died naturally. Reigned 902 to 908.

18al-Muqtadir

908 to 932

Killed. Killed fighting his own commander Mu'nis outside Baghdad. Reigned 908 to 932.

19al-Qahir

932 to 934

Deposed or abdicated. Deposed and blinded. Reigned 932 to 934.

20al-Radi

934 to 940

Died naturally. Reigned 934 to 940.

21al-Muttaqi

940 to 944

Deposed or abdicated. Deposed and blinded. Reigned 940 to 944.

22al-Mustakfi

944 to 946

Deposed or abdicated. Deposed and blinded by the Buyids, who took Baghdad in 945. Reigned 944 to 946.

23al-Muti

946 to 974

Deposed or abdicated. Forced to abdicate after a stroke. Reigned 946 to 974.

24al-Ta'i

974 to 991

Deposed or abdicated. Deposed by the Buyid ruler Baha al-Dawla. Reigned 974 to 991.

25al-Qadir

991 to 1031

Died naturally. Issued the Baghdad Manifesto defending Sunni doctrine. Reigned 991 to 1031.

26al-Qa'im

1031 to 1075

Died naturally. Welcomed the Seljuk Tughril Beg into Baghdad in 1055. Reigned 1031 to 1075.

27al-Muqtadi

1075 to 1094

Died naturally. Reigned 1075 to 1094.

28al-Mustazhir

1094 to 1118

Died naturally. Caliph when the First Crusade took Jerusalem. Reigned 1094 to 1118.

29al-Mustarshid

1118 to 1135

Killed. Captured by the Seljuk sultan Mas'ud and murdered by Assassins in his tent. Reigned 1118 to 1135.

30al-Rashid

1135 to 1136

Killed. Deposed by the Seljuks and later killed by Assassins. Reigned 1135 to 1136.

31al-Muqtafi

1136 to 1160

Died naturally. Won real independence from the Seljuks in Iraq. Reigned 1136 to 1160.

32al-Mustanjid

1160 to 1170

Killed. Murdered in a bathhouse by his officials. Reigned 1160 to 1170.

33al-Mustadi

1170 to 1180

Died naturally. Recognised in Egypt again after Salahuddin ended the Fatimids in 1171. Reigned 1170 to 1180.

34al-Nasir

1180 to 1225

Died naturally. The longest reigning Abbasid. Revived the caliph's power for a time. Reigned 1180 to 1225.

35al-Zahir

1225 to 1226

Died naturally. Reigned 1225 to 1226.

36al-Mustansir

1226 to 1242

Died naturally. Founded the Mustansiriya madrasa, which still stands in Baghdad. Reigned 1226 to 1242.

37al-Musta'sim

1242 to 1258

Killed. Put to death by Hulagu after the fall of Baghdad. The last caliph of Baghdad. Reigned 1242 to 1258.

Bars run from 750 to 1258. Reign years follow the usual dates in the standard histories; a few rulers who were deposed and later killed are counted as killed. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Chapter 3: The Abbasids, the Crusades and the Mongols Map of 800 Dynasty timeline

People

Harun al-Rashid al-Ma'mun

How reigns ended, all six dynasties

Rashidun Caliphs5 rulers · 632 to 661

131

60% killed

Umayyad Caliphs14 rulers · 661 to 750

1121

14% killed

Abbasid Caliphs of Baghdad37 rulers · 750 to 1258

22105