'ABD AR-RAHMAN II

fourth Umayyad ruler of Muslim Spain who enjoyed a reign (822-852) of brilliance and prosperity, the importance of which has been underestimated by some historians. 'Abd ar-Rahman II was the grandson of his namesake, founder of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain. His reign was an administrative watershed. As the influence of the 'Abba sid Caliphate, then at the peak of its splendour, grew, Crdoba's administrative system increasingly came into accord with that of Baghdad, the 'Abbasid capital. 'Abd ar-Rahman carried out a vigorous policy of public works, made additions to the Great Mosque in Crdoba, and patronized poets, musicians, and men of religion. Although palace intrigues surrounded his death in 852, they did not diminish his accomplishments.