Made In Khorasan The Wives And Concubines Of The Abbasid Caliph Harun Al Rashid

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Hi folks if you are wondering why I have not been updating my blog as regularly is because I am finishing up another book (about Islam, the Quran, etc) I have written. Also I am still doing massive amounts of reading - to also help me complete the book. 
Part of my research has focussed on the Islamic Abbasid Caliphate - the THIRD Caliphate in early Islam that lasted from the 8th till the 13th centuries AD. The Abbasid Caliphate was founded in Baghdad which at that time was under the strong influence of the Persian civilisation.
The power center of the Abbasid Caliphate later moved to Khorasan (Persia).
The most famous Abbasid Caliph was Harun al Rashid whose rule ushered in what was known as the Golden Age of Islam. 
Here are some notes about Harun al Rashid:
763 - 809 AD : Harun was the fifth Abbasid Caliph.
Hārūn was born in Rey, capital of Khorasan, in the present-day Tehran.  Hārūn became caliph in 786 when he was in his early twenties. 
beginning of the Islamic Golden Age.Harun established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq, and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a world center of knowledge, culture and trade
During his rule, the family of Barmakids played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate.
Harun greatly admired the ancient Persian king Darius 
Under Hārūn al-Rashīd Baghdad flourished 
appointed the Hanafi jurist Muhammad al-Shaybani as qadi (judge),
The Persian Barmakids managed the fate of Harun's empire
For the administration of the whole empire, Harun Rashid fell back on his mentor and longtime associate Yahya bin Khalid bin Barmak. Harun Rashid appointed him as his vizier with full executive powers, and, for seventeen years, Yahya and his sons served Rashid faithfully in whatever assignment he entrusted to them. 
His vizier (chief minister) Yahya Barmakid, Yahya's sons (especially Ja'far ibn Yahya), and other Barmakids generally controlled the administration. 
The position of Persians in the Abbasid caliphal court reached its peak during al-Rashid's reign
The Barmakids were an Afghan family (from Balkh in Khorasan) that dated back to the Barmaki, a hereditary Buddhist priest of Nava Vihara, who converted after the Islamic conquest of Balkh and became very powerful under al-Mahdi. 
Yahya Barmaki had helped Hārūn Rashid to obtain the caliphate, and he and his sons were in high favor until 798, when the caliph threw them in prison and confiscated their land. 
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari dates this event to 803 and lists various reasons for it: Yahya's entering the Caliph's presence without permission; Yahya's opposition to Muhammad ibn al Layth, who later gained Harun's favour; and Ja'far's release of Yahya ibn Abdallah ibn Hasan, whom Harun had imprisoned.
The fall of the Barmakids is far more likely due to their behaving in a manner that Harun found disrespectful (such as entering his court unannounced) and making decisions in matters of state without first consulting him. 
The wives and concubines of Harun al Rashid
Wives

Harun's first wife was ZubaidahAnother of his wives was AzizahAnother was Amat-al-Aziz GhadirAnother wife was Umm MuhammadAnother wife was AbbassahAnother wife was Jurashiyyah al-Uthmanniyah
Concubines 

Harun's earliest known concubine was HailanahAnother concubine was DananirAnother concubine was Marajilone of the ten maids presented to HarunAnother concubine was QasifAnother concubine was MaridahAnother concubines  was Dhat al-KhalAnother was SihrAnother was DiyaAnother concubine was InanAnother was GhadidaAnother of Harun's concubines was Greek Zubaidah also presented him her personal maidan Egyptian maid also won his favour
other concubines were Ri'm; Irbah, Sahdhrah, Rawah, Dawaj, Kitman, Hulab, Irabah, Sukkar, Rahiq, Khzq, Haly, Aniq, Samandal, Zinah (15 here).
One day Harun was struck by a beautiful slave
Harun also desired a slave girl owned by an official named Isa.
Harun al Rashid had more than 37 wives, concubines and slave girls by whom he fathered many sons and daughters.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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