Who's Who in Medieval History
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Abu Ja'far al Mansur was also known as:
Abu Ja'far al Mansur was noted for:
Occupation:
Places of Residence and Influence:
Important Dates:
About Abu Ja'far al Mansur:
Only five years after their victory, as-Saffah died, and al Mansur became caliph. He was ruthless to his enemies and not altogether trustworthy to his allies. He put down several revolts, eliminated most of the members of the movement that brought the Abbasids to power, and even had the man who helped him become caliph, Abu Muslim, killed. Al Mansur's extreme measures caused difficulties, but ultimately they helped him to establish the Abbasid dynasty as a power to be reckoned with.
But the most significant and long-lasting achievement of al Mansur is his establishment of his capital at the brand new city of Baghdad, which he called the City of Peace. A new city removed his people from troubles in partisan regions and housed an expanding bureacracy. He also made arrangements for succession to the caliphate, and every Abbasid caliph was directly descended from al Mansur.
Al Mansur died while on pilgrimage to Mecca, and is buried outside the city.
Resources related to Abu Jafar al Mansur:
The Abbasids
Elsewhere at About
Baghdad in Islamic History
From the About Guide to Islam, Huda.
Abu Jafar al Mansur on the Web
The Caliphate - Its Rise, Decline and Fall; Chapter LXII
Chapter LXII of this work by William Muir (published in 1924) focuses on al Mansur's term as Caliph.
Medieval Islam
Who's Who Directories:
