| Abu al-Fadl Abbas al-Musta'in Billah أبو الفضل عباس المستعين بالله | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10thCaliph of Cairo | |||||
| Reign | 22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 | ||||
| Predecessor | al-Mutawakkil I | ||||
| Successor | al-Mu'tadid II | ||||
| Sultan of Egypt | |||||
| Reign | 7 May – 6 November 1412 | ||||
| Predecessor | Nasir-ad-Din Faraj | ||||
| Successor | Shaykh al-Mahmudi | ||||
| Born | 1390 Cairo,Egypt | ||||
| Died | February or March 1430 (aged 39–40) Alexandria, Egypt | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Issue | al-Mutawakkil II | ||||
| |||||
| Father | al-Mutawakkil I | ||||
| Mother | Bay Khatun | ||||
| Religion | SunniIslam | ||||
Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas ibn Muhammad[a] (c. 1390–February or March 1430), commonly known asal-Musta'in II,[b] was the 10th "shadow"Abbasid caliph ofCairo, reigning under the tutelage of theEgyptian Mamluk sultans from 1406 to 1414. He was the only Cairo-based caliph to hold political power asSultan of Egypt,[1][2] albeit for only six months in 1412. All the otherCairene caliphs who preceded or succeeded him were spiritual heads lacking any temporal power.[3][4]
Al-Musta'in was the son ofal-Mutawakkil I by a Turkish concubine named Bay Khatun. He succeeded his father as caliph on 22 January 1406.[5] At that point in time, the role of the caliphs had been reduced to legitimizing the rule of theBurjiMamluk sultans through the issuance of certificates of investiture. Al-Musta'in accompanied SultanFaraj on his campaign in theLevant against the rebelamirs (governors) ofAleppo andTripoli. Faraj's defeat atLajjun on 25 April 1412 resulted in anarchy. Al-Musta'in was captured by the rebels, who competed against each other for the sultanate. Unable to choose a candidate from among themselves, the quarreling Mamluks followed the advice of the royal secretary Fath Allah, who had suggested appointing al-Musta'in as sultan.[4]
After formally removing Faraj from office, al-Musta'in reluctantly accepted the sultanate on 7 May 1412.[4] He agreed to take on the post only after having obtained assurance from the Mamluks that he would retain his position as caliph in the event of his deposition from the sultanate.[1] Faraj surrendered and was sentenced to death. His execution took place on 28 May. The Mamluk realms were divided, withNawruz al-Hafizi receiving the Syrian provinces and al-Musta'in returning to Egypt accompanied byShaykh al-Mahmudi andBaktamur Djillik. Al-Musta'in took up his residence at theCairo Citadel on 12 July.[4] He involved himself in the appointment and removal of ministers, andcoins were struck in his name.[5] This signalled his intention to rule as sultan and not to content himself with a figurehead role. Worried by such a prospect, Shaykh started to gradually isolate al-Musta'in, nearly turning him into a state prisoner. Baktamur Djillik's death on 15 September accelerated Shaykh's usurpation of power, which became complete when he had himself recognized as sultan on 6 November 1412, whereupon he assumed the title of al-Mu'ayyad. After long hesitation, al-Musta'in formally abdicated the sultanate, and was held in the Citadel. Having filled his role asinterim sultan, he expected to remain as caliph, as had been initially agreed upon. However, he was deposed from the caliphate by Shaykh on 9 March 1414, and replaced by his brotheral-Mu'tadid II.[4]
Shaykh's dethronement of al-Musta'in was declared unlawful by theulama. Acting upon this, Nawruz al-Hafizi decided to wage battle against Shaykh.[5] The latter transferred al-Musta'in toAlexandria along with Faraj's three sons on 29 January 1417.[4] According to 15th-century historianal-Suyuti, al-Musta'in remained in the Mediterranean city until the reign of SultanSayf ad-Din Tatar, when he was released and allowed to return to Cairo. However, he preferred to stay in Alexandria, where he received considerable sums of money from the merchants.[5] He died there ofplague in 1430 at less than 40 years of age. In retrospect, al-Musta'in's short reign as sultan is viewed as a failed attempt at producing an Abbasid revival.[4] In 1455, his brotheral-Qa'im equally tried and failed to hold power as sultan.[1] Nevertheless, al-Musta'in's position as caliph was recognized far beyond Egypt's borders, with distant rulers such asGhiyasuddin Azam Shah ofBengal sending him large sums of money.[5]
But not a single one of them (with the exception of Musta'in, who was made the plaything of rival political factions in 1412 and for six months was styled Sultan) ever exercised any function of government or enjoyed any political power.
These Caliphs were the spiritual heads only. All temporal authority lay with the Mamluk Sultans. [...] In 1412 C.E. the Caliph Al Mustain captured temporal power as well, but he could not hold such power for more than six months. The Caliphs who followed him had to remain content as spiritual heads only.
Al-Musta'in Born: c. 1390 Died: 1430 | ||
| Sunni Islam titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Caliph of Cairo 22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 | Succeeded by |
| Regnal titles | ||
| Preceded by | Sultan of Egypt 7 May 1412 – 6 November 1412 | Succeeded by |
| Salihi Mamluks |
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| Bahri dynasty |
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| Burji dynasty |
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