born March 763 or February 766, Rayy, Iran
died March 24, 809, 1E6C; 016B; s, Iran
Fifth caliph of the Abb 0101; sid dynasty .
Neither a great ruler nor a prepossessing character, H 0101; r 016B; n ruled (786809) at a time when Islamic society reached its zenith in terms of wealth, learning, and power. He is best remembered, however, as a central character in The Thousand and One Nights , where he is portrayed as the epitome of the learned and just ruler. In his early years he was strongly influenced by his mother and by his tutor Ya 1E25; y 0101; of the Barmakid line of viziers. He succeeded his brother after the latter's untimely death and ruled over a realm that was torn increasingly by strife, as regional leaders sought autonomy. On his death, his sons al-Ma 02BE; mun and al-Am 012B; n fell into open civil war.