Origins & Early Life

Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūr (; Arabic: أبو جعفر عبد الله بن محمد المنصور‎; 714 – 6 October 775) usually known simply as by his laqab al-Manṣūr (المنصور) was the second Abbasid caliph, reigning from 754 to 775, succeeding his brother al-Saffah (r. 750–754). He founded the 'Round City' of Madinat al-Salam, which was to become the core of imperial Baghdad. Modern historians regard al-Mansur as the real founder of the Abbasid Caliphate, one of the largest polities in world history, for his role in stabilizing and institutionalizing the dynasty.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

According to al-Suyuti's History of the Caliphs, al-Mansur lived AD 714 – 6 October AD 775 (95 AH – 158 AH) . Al-Mansur was born at the home of the Abbasid family in Humayma (modern-day Jordan) after their emigration from the Hejaz in 714 (95 AH). His mother was Sallamah, a slave woman. Al-Mansur was a brother of al-Saffah. Both were named Abd Allah, and to distinguish between them, al-Saffah was referred to by his kunya Abu al-Abbas.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Al-Mansur was a great-great-grandson of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, an uncle of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Al-Mansur's brother al-Saffah began asserting his claim...

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