Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Barmakids
Harun’s reign was the golden age of the Abbasids. Although Harun was himself responsible for it to a great extent yet it was due more to the efforts of Barmakis who had originally hailed from Balkh where their ancestor revered the Buddhist temple of Nawbahar and served as priests. Khalid was taken a prisoner with his mother by Qutaybah ibn Muslim. Khalid’s family gradually rose to the highest posts of honour and distinction. Khalid b. Barmak was the first to serve the Abbasids as chancellor of the exchequer during the time of Saffah and Mansur. Later Khalid was appointed wazir by Mansur. Yahya b. Khalid according to Ya’qubi with his two sons, Fazal and Ja’far, practically ruled the empire for seventeen years. Harun had suckled the milk of Fazai’s mother, e.g. Yaha’s wife and called Yahya father who served him as his tutor during the time of Mahdi and Hadi and when Hadi became caliph he tried to cancel Harun’s succession to the Khilafat. Yahya advised him not to do so fo: ’rich he was cast into prison.
Harun had appreciated his services and appointed him wazir with unlimited power, on his accession Yahya had four sons, Fazal, Ja’tar, Muss, and Muhammad and all of them held high posts in the government. Fazal and Ja’far, however proved themselves a good administrator. Growing old, Yahya resigned his office in favour of his sons Fazal and Ja’far. The two brothers worked as governess of various important provinces, Khurasan, Egypt and Syria and governed them efficiently. Fazal being a good administrator was popular among the people and favourite to the caliph. Ja’far was boon companion of Harun in privacy and amusements. As a guardian of Ma’mun, he ruled over the whole east and held the office of wazarat from the age of twenty for seventeen years.
The Barmakids lived gorgeously in fhtif magnificent palace called al, Ja’fariyah in Eastern Baghdad. Amazing fabulous wealth they vied with the caliph in bestowing presents on poets and panegyrists Ja’far’s friendship with the caliph at lai’-t proved tiresome for the latter. In 790 Harun is said to have taken aw’ay the state seal from Ja’far and given some of his power to Fazal ibn Rabi who was his rival and opponent. It was he who embittered the feelings of the caliph against Ja’far al-Barmaki and brought about his (Downfall but according to the latter historians, Tabari and his followers Ibn Athar

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Political and Cultural History of Islam
Harun Al-Rashid
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and Abu’I Fidah, a haram episode is related as the cause of Harun’s displeasure with him. Tabari as usual without adding his comments, relates that at the time of recreation Ja’far used to take with him Harun’s sister Abbasah with whom he was said to have fallen in love and by whom he had an illegitimate child. Latter they were married after the scandalous matter was given publicity by a maid servant. Harun had Ja’far put to death by a eunuch name Masrur in 803 and father and brother were imprisoned at Raqqah where they died two years later.
Ibn Khuldan following Ibn Qutaybah, Muhammad b. Abd Jahshiyari, Ahmad b. Da’ud Dinawari, Ahmad b. Abi Ya’qub b. Wahid who had not related this gossip in their works, ridiculous this view and explains their dower and fame which had made the chamberlain, Fazal ibn Rabi, the leader of the Arab faction at the court and many others their enemies as the reason for their fall. It was whispered to Harun that the Barmakis were plotting to bring about the downfall of the Abbasids. According to Jurji Zayadan the Barmakids were Shi’ahs and Khalid had sworn allegiance to the A lids. The AI ids often assembled in the palace of Ja’far and discussed the activities of Harun who had a hostile attitude towards the Alids. Some of their irresponsible talks reached the ears of Harun this made Harun forget their faithful service, suspect their fidelity and bring about their ruin. Moreover, Harun himself wanted to get rid of their power and unlimited control over finance in the case of the caliph yet generous towards their own kith and kin and supporters and spending lavishly in constructing their own palaces. People greeted and Fazal was idolized for his princely generosity the property of the Barmaki family was confiscated.2
Thus the Persian Shi’ite family, who had contributed the growth and fame of the Abbasid caliphs special Harun, fell casting a stain on the character of the royal family and it was said Harun himself later realized this and was so much grieved that he never laughed afterwards. The caliph killed even intimate friends and adherents of the family for their mourning over the tragedy. Ibrahim a faithful friend ofJa’far was one of the suffers. Alas it was suspicion and wrath of the/ despotic caliph which ruined so suddenly and so abruptly such aft illustrious family of Ja’far. The Barmakids were known for good administration, their fabulous fortune, generosity
Muir, Th^Caliphate, P.476.
and patronage. The famous historian, Muhammad b. Umar alWaqidi, was given a palace in the western Baghdad and 200,000 dinars by Yahya al-Barmaki to live in.