Harun al-Rashid (763-809)

Fifth caliph of the Abbasside Dynasty. Under both his own reign and that of and his son, al-Mamun, the Abbasside empire reached its apogee. In 806 Harun succeeded in imposing the payment of tribute on the Byzantine empire itself. During his reign, Baghdad stood as a rival to Byzantium in both splendour and power. Harun was a munificent patron of the arts and his court became a centre of learning and culture.

Harun was born near Tehran in modern-day Iran. He succeeded to the caliphate in 786. The Abbasside Dynasty maintained close links with the Persians through whom they had come to power, and chose their viziers from the Persian house of Barmuk, of Arabian Nights fame. Towards the close of his reign, however, Harun developed a violent hatred of the Barmecides and caused the Vizier, Yahya, and his four sons, to whom he had entrusted the entire administration of his extensive empire, to be executed in 803-4. Harun's affairs immediately fell into confusion, and treason and rebellion broke out. He marched against the rebels, but died at Tus of a stroke.