In a previous article, we tackled Ahmad Ibn Kayghalagh’s ruling over Egypt, his exclusion seven months later, then Takin Ibn Harbi’s assumption of power for the fourth time, until his death took place during the reign of Caliph Al Qaher (320 – 322 AH) (932 – 943 AD) who assumed the power after his brother Al Mu’tadid’s assassination. The Abbasid State affairs worsened in Al Qaher’s era, as a plot for ousting him was planned, yet it failed as Al Qaher knew about it, arrested the plotters and killed all of them.
Al Qaher did not retreat from his toughness and cruelty, which aroused everybody’s fury. Meanwhile, Minister Ibn Muqla managed to gain the support of the soldiers, agreed with them to oust Al Qaher, and he succeeded in that. Historians say: “They came to him one night while he was drunk and they asked him to abdicate; when he refused, they arrested him and knocked out his eyes and imprisoned him.” Thus, the days of Al Qaher’s rule came to an end after nearly a year and six months, his days were described as: “a mass of disgrace and shame”! He was succeeded by Abul Abbas Ahmed Ibn al Muqtadir al Radi.
Abul Abbas Ahmed Ibn al Muqtadir al Radi (322 – 329 AH) (934 – 940 AD)
Caliph Al Radi took over power after the overthrow of Al Qaher, as commanders released him from prison. However, his reign was not much better, as the historians give us a glimpse of his era: “The situation has become more turbulent in his era, the Abbasid Caliphate weakened significantly, the authority of the caliph minimized greatly that it did not exceed Baghdad and neighboring countries …” The state of weakness led to much turmoil, and instigated independence attempts of some province rulers, especially the Umayyad rulers of Andalusia: Abdul Rahman Al Nasser Umayyad proclaimed himself a Caliph of Andalusia and North Africa. The Obaidiya State was activated in Al Maghreb, moving towards Egypt to seize it. Three of the sons of Abu Shugaa’ Buya, the founder of the Buyid state, took over a large number of countries in Jibal and Ahvaz in the Daylamites countries. Ibn Ra’ik, the governor of Basra and Al Baridi, the governor of Ahvaz both cut off the money sent to the caliph. The internal affairs were in bad condition as the conflicts in the palace of the Caliph between his minister and his clerk did not settle down, so, the country stumbled in turmoil and plots spread.
Amidst such unrest and turmoil, Caliph Al Radi offered Baghdad’s rule to Ibn Ra’ik who accepted and was titled “the prince of the princes”; and this led to the cessation of offices and ministries, as the rule of state affairs was controlled by Ibn Ra’ik and his clerk. However, things got worse when conflicts intensified between Ibn Ra’ik and Al Baridi that the latter sent armies to fight the former. The armies of Al Radi managed to seize the most important sites of Al Ahvaz; Al Baridi fled to Basra, where his power increased by his supporters. Fierce clashes took place between the forces of the Caliph and Al Baridi ended with the victory of Al Baridi, being able to restore Al Ahvaz.
Ibn Ra’ik had clashes with Bajkam, the ruler of Waset, and the latter managed to make conspiracies against the former until he took his title “the prince of princes”, he left Waset and went to Baghdad after defeating Ibn Ra’ik’s soldiers in 326 AH (938 AD). Ibn Ra’ik fled disguised, yet in the following year, he seized the opportunity of Caliph Al Radi’s and Bajkam’s preoccupation and he fought the governor of Bani Hamdan in Mosul, he returned to Baghdad and seized it. When Al Radi came to know about the fall of Baghdad, he quickly returned with Bajkam. Then reconciliation was made between Al Radi and Ibn Ra’ik, and he was appointed a governor of Syria and the North.
As for Egypt, it was plagued by unrest and war since the fall of the Tulunid state. Despite Egypt’s restoration under the Abbasid state, the weakness and turmoil we tackled affected the Abbasids’ authority on Egypt, which led to the spread of chaos, and … Stories about beautiful Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
