The Shaping of 'Abbasid Rule

Description

In order to understand the transition between the revolutionary movement that propelled the Abbasids to power and the imperial government that later took root, Jacob Lassner studies those elements that served to shape the political attitudes and institutions of the emerging regime during its formative years. Originally published in 1980. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Part One: The Political Setting I. The First Internal Crisis: The Succession to Abū Al-’Abbās II. Fratricide and Family Politics: Did the Caliph Murder 'Abdallāh B. ’Alī? III. The Provincial Administration: Old IV. The Ruling Family and Its Clients (Mawālī): Reflections on a Conversation Among Notables V. The Regiments of the Imperial Army: Notes on Al-Jāḥiẓ's Epistle to Al-Fatḥ B. Khāqān Part Two: The Physical Setting VI. Before Baghdad: The Early ’Abbāsid Centers of Government in Iraq VII. Baghdad: Legendary Origins and Historic Realities VIII. The Topography of Baghdad in Retrospect: The Government Sector and Urban Development Postscript Appendices Notes Bibliography Index