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

Amin’s Death
The siege of Baghdad brought death to the reigning caliph. Amin thought of fleeing to Syria but his advisers had been threatened by Ma’mun in order to force him to surrender or be prepared to meet condign punishment. Amin yielded and surrendered to Harthamah who had been once his friend in the past. Tahir did not like and while he was crossing the river by a boat to go to the camp of Harthamah the boat was attacked the caliph was taken prisoner and beheaded on

24th Muharram 198/September 813 and Zubavdah was banished to Mosul with her two grandsons. Amin’s head was sent to Ma’mun along with the insignia of royalty, the scepter signet and royal robes. Thus ended the inglorious reign of Amin. By over throwing the ljma\yads the Persians had achieved partial victory over the Arabs but with the victory of Ma’mun over Amin they obtained complete victory over the Arabs.2

In beautifying the capital and in maintaining the standard of court life Amin had also his own contributions. Once he gave

300,000 dinars to his professional singer uncle Ibrahim Ibn Mahdi on his chanting a few verses from the composition of Abu Nuwas. On the Tigris there were built as related above a number of barges of animals’ shape, the cost of one \Cbse! aioiie was 3,000,0(JU dirhanib. These eagle and lion like vessels added to the sights to be seen on or by the river. Under his personal direction an all night balled was conducted joined by beautiful dancers and singers.

The victory of Mamun over his brother was once more like the overthrow of the Umayyads by the Abbasids, the victory of the Peisians over the Arabs. It was a fresh stage in the ebb of the tide which had begun to flow nearly two hundred years before. The troops and people of Baghdad repeated now that they had not fought more bravely for Amin; but that, says our annalist, was because of the treasure he used to lavish on them. Indeed there was little more that could be said to favour him. His troubled and inglorious reign lasted four years and eight months.
Mun I he Caliphate, P.493
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CHAPTER

Abdullah Al-Ma’mun