Ar: al-Abbasiyah, is the second major Muslim dynasty (750-1258 A.D.) ruling after the Umayyads. Its capital is Baghdad and during this period, much developments ensued. The dynasty began with Abbas, an uncle of Muhammad. Because of his close relation with Muhammad, they were held in high esteem by the Arabs, and much dispute occurred between them and the Ummayyads. Having asserted their claims to the Caliphate for some time, they commenced open hostilities in 746 A.D. Abu `l-Abbas as-Saffah ("the blood shedder") defeated the Ummayad Caliph Marwan II and became the Caliph at al-Kufa in 749 A.D. and Marwan II was slained.

List of Abbasid Caliphs:

A.D. 749	Abu 'l-Abbas as-Saffah
A.D. 754	al-Mansur
A.D. 775	al-Mahdi
A.D. 785	al-Hadi
A.D. 786	Harun ar-Rashid (see below)
A.D. 809	al-Amin
A.D. 813	al-Ma'mun
A.D. 847	al-Mutawwkil
A.D. 861	al-Muntasir
A.D. 862	al-Mustain
A.D. 866	al-Mu`tazz
A.D. 869	al-Muhtadi
A.D. 870	al-Mu`tamid
A.D. 892	al-Mu`tazid
A.D. 902	al-Muktafi
A.D. 908	al-Muqtadir
A.D. 932	al-Qahir
A.D. 934	ar-Razi
A.D. 940	al-Muttaqi
A.D. 944	al-Mustagfi
A.D. 945	al-Muti`
A.D. 974	at-Tai`
A.D. 994	al-Qadir
A.D. 1031	al-Qaim
A.D. 1075	al-Muqtad
A.D. 1094	al-Mustazhir
A.D. 1118	al-Mustarshid
A.D. 1135	ar-Rashid
A.D. 1136	al-Muqtafi
A.D. 1160	al-Mustanjid
A.D. 1170	al-Mustaz
A.D. 1180	an-Nasir
A.D. 1225	az-Zahir
A.D. 1226	al-Mustansir
A.D. 1242 to 1258	al-Musta`sim

During al-Musta`sim's reign, the grandson of Ghengis Khan, Hulaku, entered Persia and became Sultan in A.D. 1256. In 1258, he captured Baghdad and put to death al-Musta`sim.

Harun al-Rashid is probably the most famous of these Caliphs, partly because of the tales of 1001 Nights. For more background on his person and reign, see What was and what might have been – The "Golden Age" of Harun Al-Rashid.

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