The future al-Muqtadir was born on 14 November 895, as the second son of Caliph al-Mu'tadid (r. 892–902). His mother was the Greek slave concubine Shaghab. Al-Mu'tadid was the son of al-Muwaffaq, an Abbasid prince … See more

Al-Muqtadir's only wife was Hurra. She was the daughter of Commander-in-Chief, Badr al-Mut'adidi. He was generous towards her. After his death, she remarried a man of lower status. Al-Muqtadir had numerous concubines. One of his concubines was … See more

• Bonner, Michael (2010). "The waning of empire, 861–945". In Robinson, Chase F. (ed.). The New Cambridge History of Islam, Volume 1: The Formation of the Islamic World, Sixth … See more

In 908, al-Muktafi fell ill, and was evidently nearing his end. The issue of succession had been left open, and with the Caliph incapacitated, the vizier al-Abbas ibn al-Hasan al-Jarjara'i took it upon himself to seek out a successor. Two different versions are told of … See more

The queen-mother Shaghab and the harem
Al-Muqtadir was the first underage Caliph in Muslim history, and as such during the early years of his … See more

• Ahmad ibn Fadlan was an Arab Muslim traveler, famous for his account of his travels as a member of an embassy of the Abbasid Caliph Al … See more