Draft:Tulunid Emirate

الدَّولةُ الطُّولُونِيَّة
Map showing the borders of the Tulunid Emirate within the contemporary political boundaries of the Arab World
Map showing the borders of the Tulunid Emirate within the contemporary political boundaries of the Arab World
CapitalAl-Qata'i
Official languagesArabic (Official Language) Turkish (Military Language)
Recognised regional languagesSyriac language, Coptic language, Biblical Hebrew
Religion
Sunni Islam (Official Religion), Twelver Shi'ism (Minority), Christianity (Largest Minority), Judaism (Minority)
GovernmentEmirate
• Prince
Ahmad ibn Tulun
• 904 - 905 (last)
Shayban ibn Ahmad ibn Tulun
• 
868
CurrencyDinar
Today part of Egypt

 Libya  Palestine  Israel  Jordan  Lebanon  Syria

 Turkey
Map of the Abbasid state after the independence of the Far Maghreb and Andalusia from it, and before the emergence of separatist and Shu'ubiyya movements in the Levant.

Tulunid State, also known as the Tulunid Emirate or The State of Banu Tulun, and popularly referred to as the Tulunids, was an Islamic emirate founded by Ahmad ibn Tulun in Egypt.[1] The state subsequently expanded into the Levant, becoming the inaugural political entity to secede from the Abbasid Caliphate, with its dynasty presiding over both Egypt and the Levant in an independent capacity.

Tulunid State emerged during a period marked by the growing power of the Turkic within the Abbasid Caliphate. This was a time when the Turkish guard exerted control over the empire's affairs, and when ethnic Shu'ubiyya and separatist tendencies began to emerge among the various peoples and governors of the vast Abbasid territories. The establishment of the Tulunid State was one of the inevitable outcomes of this growing sentiment. The founder of this dynasty, Ahmad ibn Tulun, was educated in a military environment in Samarra, which was the capital of the Islamic Caliphate at the time. Upon the appointment of the Turkish prince Baykbak as governor of Egypt by Caliph al-Mu'tazz in 254 AH (868 AD), Baykbak selected his stepson, Ahmad ibn Tulun, as his deputy for the governance of the province.[2] Upon his arrival in Egypt, Ibn Tulun promptly initiated measures to consolidate his authority. He proceeded to gradually diminish the authority of the nominal governor by offering him financial incentives and gifts.

Upon being requested by Caliph al-Muhtadi to suppress a rebellious governor in Palestine, Ibn Tulun seized the opportunity he had been awaiting. He proceeded to establish a substantial military force, comprising Mamluk, Turkic, Greek, and Blacks, which he then used to consolidate his rule. Furthermore, he ensured the loyalty of his troops and the populace, requiring them to pledge their allegiance, vow to oppose his adversaries, and support his allies.

With this army, Ibn Tulun was able to suppress internal revolts against his authority and successfully resist demands from the Caliph's heir, Abu Ahmad Ṭalḥa ibn Jaʿfar al-Muwaffaq bi'Llah, who had urged him to send money to help suppress the Zanj Rebellion in Basra. From this point onwards, Ibn Tulun's state became politically independent from the Abbasid Caliphate.[2]

When the Caliph subsequently requested that Ibn Tulun relinquish his position to the newly appointed governor of Syria, Amajur al-Turki, Ibn Tulun declined. Instead, he invaded Syria and annexed it to Egypt, thereby further extending his independent rule.[2]

Following the attainment of political autonomy from the Abbasid Caliphate, Ibn Tulun did not contemplate the dissolution of the religious ties that bound them together. For him and the majority of Muslims, the Caliphate was a vital religious institution, without which Islamic unity would be impossible to maintain. It functioned as a unifying symbol across disparate regions of Islamic world. Consequently, Ibn Tulun ensured that prayers for the Abbasid Caliphate were still offered from the pulpits of mosques in Egypt and the Levant, and he acknowledged the Caliph's spiritual and religious authority.[3]

Additionally, Ibn Tulun initiated a series of significant architectural and developmental projects, which reflected his profound interest in Egypt and his aspiration to establish an emirate under his rule. He established a suburb of Fustat, designated Al-Qata'i, which he designated as the capital of his emirate, and constructed his renowned mosque there. He bolstered the internal front by augmenting wealth resources, doubling income in assorted production sectors, repairing irrigation canals, and restoring damaged dams.

The various Islamic states that emerged after the weakening of the Abbasid state and the demise of the caliphate in Baghdad.

Following Ibn Tulun's demise, his son Khumārawayh assumed the role of leader. The Abbasid Caliphate was unable to dislodge Khumārawayh from control over the Levant, resulting in the conclusion of a peace treaty that secured Tulunid rule over Egypt and the Levant in exchange for a tribute.

Subsequently, following the assassination of Khumārawayh in Damascus, his sons Abu al-Asakir Jayish and then Harun assumed control. However, Harun was unable to withstand the Qarmatians' attacks, which commenced with the raiding of cities in the Levant. Consequently, Caliph al-Muktafi was compelled to dispatch troops from Iraq to rescue Damascus from the Qarmatians. The Caliph's victory over the Qarmatians encouraged him to eliminate the ineffective Tulunid rule. He dispatched naval and land forces to Egypt, which entered Fustat, brought an end to the 37-year Tulunid rule, and restored Egypt to Abbasid control.[4]

  1. ^ The Emergence of Muslim Rule in India: Some Historical Disconnects and Missing Links, Tanvir Anjum, Islamic Studies, Vol. 46, No. 2 (Summer 2007), 233.
  2. ^ a b c Juha, Shafiq; Baalbaki, Munir; Osman, Bahij (1999). The Illustrated in History (19th ed.). Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Alam Al-Malayeen. Pp. 13-14.
  3. ^ Taqoush, Muhammad Suhail (1429 A.H. - 2008 A.D.). History of the Tulunids, Akhshidians and Hamdanids (1st ed.). Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Nafaas. p. 6. ISBN:9789953184562.
  4. ^ “Tulunid Dynasty.” The New Encyclopædia Britannica (Rev Ed edition). (2005). Encyclopædia Britannica, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-59339-236-9 “Archived copy”. Archived from the original on 2008-04-16. Accessed on 2015-06-30.