Editing History of Islam (section)

===Golden Baghdad Abbasids===
''Early Middle Ages''

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  from:754  till:775 color:era text:[[Al-Mansur|Mansur]]
  from:775  till:785 color:age shift:(-6,6) text:[[Al-Mahdi|Mahdi]]
  from:785  till:786 color:era shift:(0,-13) text:[[Al-Hadi|Hadi]]
  from:786  till:809 color:age text:[[Harun al-Rashid|Harun]]
  from:809  till:813 color:era shift:(0,-13) text:[[Al-Amin|Amin]]
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According to Arab sources in the year 750, [[Al-Saffah]], the founder of the Abbasid Caliphate, launched a massive rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate from the province of Khurasan near Talas. After eliminating the entire Umayyad family and achieving victory at the [[Battle of the Zab]], Al-Saffah and his forces marched into Damascus and founded a new dynasty. His forces confronted many regional powers and consolidated the realm of the Abbasid Caliphate.<ref>for more, see [[As-Saffah#As-Saffah's Caliphate|As-Saffah's Caliphate]]</ref>
[[File:ManuscriptAbbasid.jpg|thumb|An Arabic manuscript written under the second half of the Abbasid Era.]]
In [[Al-Mansur]]'s time, Persian scholarship emerged. Many non-Arabs converted to Islam. The Umayyads actively discouraged conversion in order to continue the collection of the jizya, or the tax on non-Muslims. Islam nearly doubled within its territory from 8% of residents in 750 to 15% by the end of Al-Mansur's reign. [[Al-Mahdi]], whose name means "Rightly-guided" or "Redeemer", was proclaimed caliph when his father was on his deathbed. Baghdad blossomed during Al-Mahdi's reign, becoming the world's largest city. It attracted immigrants from Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Persia and as far away as India and Spain. Baghdad was home to Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Zoroastrians, in addition to the growing Muslim population. Like his father, [[Al-Hadi]]<ref>An universal history: from the earliest accounts to the present time, Volume 2 By George Sale, George Psalmanazar, Archibald Bower, George Shelvocke, John Campbell, John Swinton. [https://books.google.com/books?id=taoEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA319 p. 319]</ref> was open to his people and allowed citizens to address him in the palace at Baghdad. He was considered an "enlightened ruler", and continued the policies of his Abbasid predecessors. His short rule was plagued by military conflicts and internal intrigue.

The military conflicts subsided as [[Harun al-Rashid]] ruled.<ref>Chamber's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, Volume 5. W. & R. Chambers, 1890. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WlYWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA567 p. 567].</ref> His reign was marked by scientific, cultural and religious prosperity. He established the library [[Bayt al-Hikma]] ("House of Wisdom"), and the arts and music flourished during his reign. The [[Barmakid]] family played a decisive advisorial role in establishing the Caliphate, but declined during Rashid's rule.<ref>Johannes P. Schadé (ed.). Encyclopedia of World Religions.</ref>

[[Al-Amin]] received the Caliphate from his father Harun Al-Rashid, but failed to respect the arrangements made for his brothers, leading to the [[Fourth Fitna]]. [[Al-Ma'mun]]'s general [[Tahir ibn Husayn]] [[Siege of Baghdad (812–813)|took Baghdad]], executing Al-Amin.<ref>[[Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari]] History volume xxxi, "The War Between Brothers," transl. Michael Fishbein, SUNY, Albany, 1992</ref> The war led to a loss of prestige for the dynasty.