Al-Amiin
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Al-Amiin (full name: Muhammad al-Amiin) was a caliph of the Abbasid dynasty, with his capital at Baghdad. He ruled from 809 to 813 CE, succeeding upon the death of his father Harun al-Rashid.
His reign is remembered chiefly for a civil war between himself and his brother al-Ma'mun, which ended in Al-Amiin's defeat and death when forces loyal to his brother besieged Baghdad.
Origins and family
Al-Amiin was the son of Harun al-Rashid and Zubayda, who herself came from the Abbasid family. This had political significance: he was the only child of both parents who was of Abbasid descent, which strengthened his claim to the throne in comparison with his brother al-Ma'mun, whose mother was a Persian slave.
The succession plan
Harun al-Rashid drew up a succession agreement that divided the caliphate: Al-Amiin would become caliph, while al-Ma'mun would govern the eastern provinces (Khurasan) with hereditary right. This two-headed arrangement created a powerful rival center, and conflict arose when the two sides made competing claims over administrative and financial authority.
The civil war
The dispute turned into armed conflict. Al-Ma'mun's forces, led by a commander from the east, defeated the Baghdad garrison and then besieged the city for several months. Al-Amiin was killed when the siege ended in 813, and al-Ma'mun became the next caliph.