Al-Mu'tazz

Al-Mu'tazz, born in 847, ascended to the position of Abbasid caliph in January 866, during a tumultuous period known as the 'Anarchy at Samarra.' His reign, which lasted until 869, was marked by significant internal strife within the Abbasid Caliphate.

Initially designated as the second heir to his father, al-Mutawakkil, Al-Mu'tazz faced a series of challenges that saw him imprisoned by his cousin al-Musta'in. However, he was released amidst the civil war between al-Musta'in and the Turkish military, which allowed him to claim the caliphate.

Determined to reestablish the authority of the caliph over the Turkish forces, Al-Mu'tazz had limited success. With the assistance of his vizier Ahmad ibn Isra'il, he managed to eliminate key Turkish generals, including Wasif al-Turki and Bugha al-Saghir. Nevertheless, the decline of the Tahirids in Baghdad left him without a crucial counterbalance to the Turkish military.

Confronted by the assertive commander Salih ibn Wasif and lacking the financial resources to meet his troops' demands, Al-Mu'tazz was ultimately deposed. He died shortly thereafter, on July 16, 869, a victim of the ill-treatment he endured during his brief and troubled reign.

His time as caliph epitomized the decline of the central authority of the Caliphate, coinciding with the rise of autonomous dynasties such as the Tulunids in Egypt and the Saffarids in the East, as well as various uprisings across the region.