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

Uj ayf Conspired Against the Caliph
The growing ascendancy of the Turks caused unrest among the Arabs who receded to the background. Mu’tasim lavished favours on the Turkish generals which roused jealousy in the ’Arab general’ Ujayf. He hatched a conspiracy against the Abbasid Caliph with Prince Abbas son of Ma’mun who had formerly refused to accept the throne but the plot was divulged by Abbas. Ujayf and other in league with conspiracy were executed. This resulted in the more dependence of Mu’tasim on the Turkish soldiery. Turks Superceded the Arab and Persian Officers
The conspirators were killed and Mu’tasim was saved but it had disastrous effects on the Caliphate. The employment of the Turks in the army was indeed one of the important causes for the ultimate fall of the dynasty. The Arab and Persian generals were replaced by Turks in the chief commands. But these Mamluks had no love for the Caliphate as they were mercenary soldiers and fought for money. Then again they also suffered from the evils of tribal jealousy and lust for power having no regard for life and right. Fall of Afshin
There was animosity between Abdullah Ibn Tahir and the Turkish general Afshin. The Turkish general hated Abdullah because he had exposed the appropriation of Babak’s spoil by the former. He also coveted his government and power and therefore secretly instigated Mazyar, the prince of Tabaristan to rise against Abdullah who was defeated and sent as prisoner to Samarra by the Khurasani

566 Political and Cultural History of Islam

governor in 224/Nov. 839-9 Mazyar gave out that he had been instigated by Afshin. Mazyar was scourged to death and Afshin attempted to escape to the Caspian shores. But he was captured and thrown into prison. A special court consisting of the chief Qazi, the wazir and a few other courtiers was formed and Afshin was tried as a Magian in 840. He was acquitted of the charge of heresy and sent back to the prison where he died a year after. Thus peace was reestablished in Tabaristan by the Abbasids. Achievements and Character
Mu’tasim died in Rabi ”I 227/Jan 842 the month and year Theophilus died. The Caliph ruled for about nine years. He was strong and able but lacked political foresight and laid the foundation of the decay of the empire by ousting Arab generals and depending entirely on Turkish generals like Afshin, Ashnas, Itakh and Wasif whose fatal yoke it was difficult for his successors to throw off. Nine of his descendants succeeded one after another and ruled about fifty years upto Safar 295/Nov. 907.
As a man Mu’tasim was kind and helpful to the poor and needy. He once helped a husbandman’s palfrey with its burden and at another time brought out of a ditch a fallen oldman with his laden ass. But as a sovereign he perpetrated multiple cruelties. He was intolerant and supported heterodoxy. He encouraged freedom of discussion and philosophers like al-Kindi graced his court. The Mu’tazilites were patronized and the people were not allowed any divergence from this. The Caliph firmly believed that the Qura’n was not eternal and the eyes of the mortal beings would not be able to see God in the future world. Those who differed from him these two dogmas were tortured Imam Ibn Hanbal for his opposition suffered scourge and imprisonment.
S.M. Imamuddin. P. 164
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