| Abu Ishaq Ibrahim II | |
|---|---|
| Caliph of theHafsid Sultanate | |
| Reign | 1350–1369 |
| Predecessor | Abu al-Abbas Ahmad al-Fadl al-Mutawakkil |
| Successor | Abu-l-Baqa Khalid II |
| Born | October or November 1336 |
| Died | 19 February 1369 (aged 32) Hafsid Sultanate |
| Dynasty | Hafsids |
| Religion | Islam |
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim II or Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Abu-Bakr (Arabic:أبو إسحاق إبراهيم بن أبي بكر) was theHafsidcaliph ofTunis from 1350 to 1369. He was the son ofAbu Yahya Abu Bakr II.[1][2]
In 1350 the Almohad sheikh Ibn Tafragin overthrew Abu Ishaq's brotheral-Fadl and had him proclaimed caliph instead. As Abu Ishaq was only thirteen years old, effective power remained with Ibn Tafragin for another 14 years.[3]: 172 It was shortly after Abu Ishaq's reign began that the famous philosopherIbn Khaldun was appointed to his first post in public service as chief clerk (sahib al-alameh) in Ibn Tafragin's administration.[4][5]
Abu Ishaq's reign was characterised by constant strife and rebellion. His cousins, the Hafsid rulers ofConstantine andBéjaïa waged war on Tunis. Meanwhile, the powerful Banu Makki family inGabès ruled the south and was effectively independent. Against this backdrop theMarinid rulerAbu Inan Faris ofFez, Morocco decided to make a fresh attempt to revive his father's expansionist plans. He tookAlgiers,Tlemcen andMédéa before turning his attention to the Hafsid domains. In 1352 he occupied Bejaïa and in 1356–1357, Constantine,Annaba and Tunis. Gabès submitted to him without a siege. However, as with the previous Marinid conquest, the Arab tribes of the interior of Ifriqiya soon rebelled and in 1357 the Dawadid Arabs were forbidden to collect a tax which they charged the sedentary, and the Arabs revolted; in 1357 Abu Inan Faris was compelled to retreat to Fez. Abu Ishaq Ibrahim had been forced to flee Tunis and hide in the interior. With the departure of Abu Inan Faris, he and Ibn Tafragin returned to Tunis. The Marinid ruler died in 1358, after which his empire broke up. TheZayyanid dynasty recovered Tlemcen and the Hafsid rulers of Béjaïa and Constantine were restored.[3]: 174–180
Under Abu Ishaq the work of rebuilding the walls of themedina of Tunis and extending it to include the medieval suburbs was undertaken. The gates ofBab Alioua andBab El Allouj were also built during his reign.[6][7][8]
In October 1364, shortly after Abu Ishaq married his daughter, Ibn Tafragin died. For the first time, Abu-Ishaq was able to exercise power on his own. Meanwhile, the Hafsid ruler of ConstantineAbu al-Abbas Ahmad II seized Béjaïa from his cousin Abu-Abd-Allah in 1366, thereby reunifying the Western Hafsid domain. Abu-Ishaq died in 1369 at the age of thirty two and was succeeded by his sonAbu-l-Baqa Khalid II who was a young boy of no more than ten or twelve. Factional struggles quickly broke out and it was easy for Abu al-Abbas Ahmad II to occupy Tunis in 1370. Abu-l-Baqa escaped by sea but died in a shipwreck.[3]: 181, 185–7
| Preceded by | Hafsid dynasty 1350–1369 | Succeeded by Abu-l-Baqa Khalid II |