Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz

Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz (861–908) was an Abbasid prince, poet, and literary critic who briefly became caliph in 908 before being deposed and killed.

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Abbasid Caliphate: An Islamic dynasty that ruled from Baghdad and other capitals from 750 to 1258. Ibn al-Mu'tazz belonged to the ruling family during its ninth-century political fragmentation.
Al-Muktafi: The Abbasid caliph who ruled from 902 to 908, immediately before al-Muqtadir. His death created the succession opening seized by Ibn al-Mu'tazz.
Kitab al-Badi: A work of Arabic literary criticism by Ibn al-Mu'tazz that catalogues rhetorical figures in poetry and prose. This treatise is his best-known account of Arabic rhetorical devices.
Arabic literary criticism: The analysis and evaluation of Arabic literary works, including their language, forms, and rhetorical effects. His treatise is an early systematic contribution to this critical tradition.
Caliph: A ruler claiming leadership of the Muslim community as successor to Muhammad. The office he briefly held defined the stakes of his 908 seizure of power.
Al-Muqtadir: The Abbasid caliph who ruled from 908 to 932, apart from brief interruptions. The court’s choice of this young caliph displaced Ibn al-Mu'tazz.
Arabic rhetoric: The study and practice of persuasive and aesthetically effective expression in Arabic. His critical vocabulary systematized devices already present in Arabic literary practice.
Abbasid literary culture: The literary practices and institutions that flourished under Abbasid rule. His work reflects a court culture where princes could also become authors and critics.
Abbasid succession: The contested process by which members of the Abbasid family inherited the caliphate. Rival claims within the dynasty shaped the circumstances of his accession and fall.
Al-Muqtadir's first deposition: The 908 episode in which al-Muqtadir was removed and Ibn al-Mu'tazz briefly proclaimed caliph. It is the decisive episode of Ibn al-Mu'tazz’s political career.