Full Name: Abu Musa Muhammad ibn Harun al-Rashid
Title: Al-Amin (الأمين) – “The Trustworthy”
Reign: 809–813 CE
Dynasty: Abbasid
Father: Harun al-Rashid
Mother: Zubaidah bint Ja’far (a noble Abbasid princess)
Half-Brother & Rival: Al-Ma’mun
Capital: Baghdad
🧬 Background
- Born in 787 CE, Al-Amin was the eldest legitimate son of Harun al-Rashid.
- His mother, Zubaidah, was from the Abbasid royal family, which gave him a stronger claim to the caliphate in the eyes of Baghdad’s elite.
- Well-educated in Islamic law, literature, and leadership, and raised in luxury in the Abbasid court.
- In 802 CE, Harun al-Rashid officially appointed Al-Amin as the heir (caliph), and Al-Ma’mun as the second heir with rule over Khurasan.
👑 Becoming Caliph
- In 809 CE, Harun al-Rashid died while in Khurasan.
- Al-Amin became the 6th Abbasid Caliph, ruling from Baghdad.
- He inherited a powerful but fragile empire, with deep divisions between Arab elites in Baghdad and Persian military-administrators in the east.
⚔️ The Fourth Fitna (Civil War)
🧨 What Triggered the War?
- Al-Amin attempted to remove Al-Ma’mun from the line of succession, breaking their father’s carefully crafted succession plan.
- He tried to replace Al-Ma’mun with his own young son Musa, leading to a political crisis.
- Al-Ma’mun, ruling from Merv (in Khurasan), refused and mobilized his army.
🛡️ The War Begins
- From 811 to 813 CE, the empire plunged into the Fourth Fitna, a destructive civil war between the two brothers:
- Al-Amin: Based in Baghdad, supported by Arab tribes and the Abbasid elite.
- Al-Ma’mun: Based in the east, supported by powerful Persian generals, especially Tahir ibn Husayn.
⚔️ Siege of Baghdad (812–813)
- Tahir ibn Husayn led Ma’mun’s forces westward and besieged Baghdad for over a year.
- The city suffered from starvation, unrest, and heavy destruction.
- Al-Amin struggled to maintain control, and internal revolts weakened him further.
⚰️ Death of Al-Amin (813 CE)
- In September 813, after months of battle and political isolation, Al-Amin was captured while trying to flee.
- He was executed, and his head was sent to Al-Ma’mun as proof of victory.
- His death marked the end of the civil war, and Al-Ma’mun became sole ruler of the Abbasid Caliphate.
🧾 Legacy
- Al-Amin is remembered as a tragic figure, caught in a web of politics, family rivalry, and ambition.
- His attempt to secure power for his son backfired and led to one of the most devastating internal conflicts in Abbasid history.
- His reign highlighted the fragility of dynastic succession and the growing tensions between the Arab and Persian factions of the caliphate.
📌 Key Takeaways
| Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Reign | 809–813 CE |
| Famous For | The Fourth Fitna (civil war with Al-Ma’mun) |
| Death | Executed after the fall of Baghdad (813) |
| Legacy | Collapse of unity, rise of eastern influence under Al-Ma’mun |
