Ahmad Ibn Touloun (835 - 884) is the founder of the dynasty of the Toulounides which reigned on the Egypt of 868 with 905. In the beginning, sent by the Abbasid caliph to control Egypt, it quickly takes its political autonomy with respect to Baghdad.

Biography

Touloun was one of the slaves Turkish that the governor of Bukhara sent to the Caliph Al-Mâ' mûn. It remained with the service of the court Abbasside until it was promoted with the rank of prince. His/her son Ahmad, turned to the scientific studies and arts persons. He learned Coran, jurisprudence and the Hadith and exceeded in this field all his comrades.

In 868, the Abbasid caliph Al-Driven `tazz named Ahmad Ben Touloun, then in garrison with Samarra, the station lieutenant of the governor of the Egypt. He receives from the caliph the mission of restoring the order in Egypt. He there organizes his own made up army mercenaries and takes his autonomy.

In 870, it founded in the north of Fostat and Al-Askar its own city, Al-Qatâ' I, whose the mosque remains still today bearing its name. He even undertakes to make repair the headlight of Alexandria.

Conquest of Syria

Towards 877, the Byzantines, drew advantage from the interior disorders in the Abbasid caliphate, made incursions in Anatolia. Tarsus and its fortress fell to the hands from the Byzantines.

Ahmad Ibn Touloun pretexted this situation to propose to go to Syria to fight the Byzantines. Al-Muwaffaq refused this proposal for an assistance, but his/her brother the caliph Al-Driven `tamid accepted. At once, Ahmad Ben Touloun, entrusted the interior matter of Egypt to his son Khumârawayh, is hastened to pass to the action. He started by taking again Damas and Antioche and advances towards Tarses. It was accepted hard there and was constrained to turn over to Syria. It maintained its position in Syria and continued towards the fascinating east Harran.

Whereas it moved towards Mosul it intended to say that his/her Khumârawayh son had left Fostat and had moved towards the Cyrénaïque with the treasure. It was there the idea of an insane young person wanting to create his own kingdom in the West. It was beaten by the Aghlabides in Cyrénaïque (881). Khumârawayh was taken again by the armies of his/her father taken along to Fustât. He was punished by the caliph himself of one hundred whiplashes. The people who had let it make they-also were condemned.

Fight for the capacity in Baghdad

Muwaffak was engaged in a combat with died against the Zanj, ambitious Ahmad Ibn Touloun saw an occasion to increase its capacity. He imagined to offer to the caliph to which there remained nothing any more but the shade of the capacity to flee in Egypt to put itself in safety under the protection of his faithful vassal against his too powerful brother. He had counted without the Al-Muwaffak vigilance. This last by learning this manœvre made seize the caliph Al-Driven `tamid, and made it take along connected to Samarra (882). Al-Muwaffak obliged his/her brother the caliph Al-Driven `'tamid to throw the anathema on Ahmad. This one was challenged to chair the pilgrimage. Toulounides were denounced in the assemblies.

End of the reign

Ibn Touloun died into 884. His/her son constrained Khoumarawiya the Abbasid caliph to be recognized to him, for him and its descendants and one thirty years period, the government of Egypt and Syria, against the payment of an annual tribute. In 896, Khoumarawiya is assassinated with Damas and its successors cannot maintain the autonomy of Egypt. And in 905, the army of the Abbasid caliph crushes the forces toulounides and seizes Fostat. Egypt becomes again a simple province of the Abbasid Empire.

Under the Toulounides, Egypt knows an extension. It enters in fight against the Abbasid, anxious caliph of the growing power of Egypt. The forces of Ibn Touloun occupy Syria, ground of expansion natural of Egypt during its periods of power.

Work

Ahmad Ibn Touloun was a man with comes up, a visionary. Ibn Touloun built in Cairo of many palates and mosques. The Mosque Ibn Touloun, located at Islamic Cairo, is oldest still existing Mosquée of Cairo, and one of largest in surface, the unit covers 2,5 ha. Its minaret with staircase in spiral adopts the shape in reduction of the famous minaret of Samarra in Iraq. The mosque is certainly majestic, with its immense court surrounded by gantries to decorations. In the middle of the interior court a dome with four entries in arcades is and in the center, a fountain for ablutions.

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