Relations of Representatives of Transoxiana in Samarra during the Reigns of the Caliphs Al-Mutawakkil (847-861) and Al-Muntaṣir (861-862)

A critical stage in the decline of Abbasid central authority is revealed through the analysis of political dynamics in Samarra during the reigns of Caliphs al-Mutawakkil (847-861) and al-Muntaṣir (861-862). The study demonstrates that representatives from Transoxiana, including Turkic ghilman, Faraghina, and Ushrusanians, did not form a unified political group but operated within intricate patronage networks, military interests, and court rivalries. The research highlights the socio-spatial dimension of Samarra as a competitive settlement space among different military corps, drawing on archaeological and topographical studies alongside historical accounts from al-Ṭabarī, al-Yaʿqūbī, and al-Masʿūdī. This period marked the growing influence of Transoxianan elites in the caliphate's military-political system, contributing to the weakening of central authority.

Rakhmanova, O. R. (2026). RELATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF TRANSOXIANA IN SAMARRA DURING THE REIGNS OF THE CALIPHS AL-MUTAWAKKIL (847-861) AND AL-MUNTAṢIR (861-862). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.20670816