Al-Mustansir (Baghdad)
Al-Mustansir Bi'llah (full name:Abû Ja`far al-Mustansir bi-llah al-Mansûr ben az-Zâhir[3] Surname Al-Mustansir)[4] was the penultimate Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate from 1226 to 1242. He succeeded Caliph Az-Zahir in the year 1226.
| Abû Ja`far Al-Mustansir bi-llah al-Mansûr ben az-Zâhir ابو جعفر المستنصر باللہ المنصور بن الظاھر | |
|---|---|
| 36th Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad | |
| Reign | 10 July 1226 – 5 December 1242 |
| Predecessor | az-Zahir |
| Successor | al-Musta'sim |
| Born | 17 February 1192 [1] Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate, now Iraq |
| Died | 5 December 1242 (aged 50) Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate, now Iraq |
| Consort | Shahan, Hajir[2] |
| Issue | Al-Musta'sim |
| Dynasty | Abbasid |
| Father | az-Zahir |
| Mother | Zahra |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Biography
Al-Mustansir was born in Baghdad on 1192. On his father's death in 1226 he has succeeded his father Az-Zahir as the thirty-sixth Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. Al-Mustansir died on 5 December 1242.[5] His son Al-Musta'sim succeeded him as the thirty-seventh Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate.
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Al-Mustansir established Mustansiriya Madrasah in 1227 (or 1232/34 A.D). It is one of the oldest universities in the world. The Madrasa taught many different subjects, including medicine, math, literature, grammar, philosophy and Islamic religious studies. However, the major focus of education was in Islamic law. It became the most prominent and high-ranking center for Islamic studies in all of Baghdad.[6] Madrasas during the Abbasid period were used as the predominant instrument to foster the spread of Islamic thought as well as a way to extend the founder's pious ideals.[7] The architecture of the Madrasa was also an important example of Islamic architectural development in Baghdad. The Madrasa has experienced several periods of decline and reemergence throughout its history. The most significant degradation to the Madrasa's architecture and position within Baghdad, was the Mongol Siege of Baghdad (1258). Today, the Madrasa is in a state of restoration as is it being overseen by the Directorate of Antiquities in Iraq. It is currently a part of the Al-Mustansiriya University, and is located on the left bank of the Tigris River, the building survived the Mongol sack of 1258, and has been restored. Nearby buildings included the Saray souq, the Baghdadi Museum, Mutanabbi Street, the Abbasid Palace and Caliph's Street.
See also
- Sixth Crusade (1228–1229), a military expedition to recapture the city of Jerusalem from Muslims.
References
- Ibn Kathir: Albidayah Wa-Nahaya, V. XIII. p. 147
- Al-Hawadith al-Jami'a . Ibn al-Fuwaṭi
- Arabic : abū jaʿfar al-mustanṣir bi-llāh al-manṣūr ben aẓ-ẓāhir,
أبو جعفر المسنتصر بالله المنصور بن محمد الظاهر - Arabic : Al-Mustanṣir, المسنتصر بالله
- 10 Jumada ath-thani 640 A.H.
- Hillenbrand, Robert (1994). Islamic architecture : form, function, and meaning (Casebound ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0231101325. OCLC 30319450.
- Bloom, Jonathan M. (1997). Islamic arts. Blair, Sheila. London: Phaidon Press. ISBN 9780714831763. OCLC 37265778.
Sources
- This text is adapted from William Muir's public domain, The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline, and Fall.
- Al-Maqrizi, Al Selouk Leme'refatt Dewall al-Melouk, Dar al-kotob, 1997.
Al-Mustansir (Baghdad) Abbasid dynasty Cadet branch of the Banu Hashim Born: 17 February 1192 Died: 5 December 1242 | ||
| Sunni Islam titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Az-Zahir |
Caliph of Islam Abbasid Caliph 10 July 1226 – 5 December 1242 |
Succeeded by Al-Musta'sim |