Accomplishments Al-Mutawakkil

destruction of tomb of husain @ kerbela

al-mutawakkil unlike brother , father in not known having thirst knowledge, had eye magnificence , hunger build. great mosque of samarra @ time, largest mosque in world; minaret vast spiralling cone 55 m high spiral ramp. mosque had 17 aisles , wall panelled mosaics of dark blue glass.

the great mosque part of extension of samarra eastwards built upon part of walled royal hunting park. al-mutawakkil built many 20 palaces (the numbers vary in documents). samarra became 1 of largest cities of ancient world; archaeological site of ruins 1 of world s extensive. caliph s building schemes extended in a.h. 245 (859–860) new city, al-jaʻfariyya, al-mutawakkil built on tigris eighteen kilometres samarra. more water, , al-mutawakkil ordered canal built divert water tigris, entrusting project 2 courtiers, ignored talents of local engineer of repute , entrusted work al-farghanī, great astronomer , writer. al-farghanī, not specialist in public works, made miscalculation , appeared opening of canal deep water river flow @ near full flood.

news leaked infuriated caliph might have meant heads of concerned save gracious actions of engineer, sind ibn ʻalī, vouched eventual success of project, risking own life. al-mutawakkil assassinated shortly before error became public.

al-mutawakkil keen involve himself in many religious debates, show in actions against different minorities. father had tolerated shīʻa imām taught , preached @ medina, , first years of reign al-mutawakkil continued policy. imām ʻalī al-hadī s growing reputation inspired letter governor of medina, ʻabdu l-lāh ibn muħammad, suggesting coup being plotted, , al-mutawakkil extended invitation samarra imām, offer not refuse. in samarra, imām kept under virtuial house arrest , spied upon. however, no excuse take action against him ever appeared. after al-mutawakkil s death, successor had imām poisoned: al-hadī buried @ samarra. general shīʻa population faced repression. , embodied in destruction of shrine of hussayn ibn ʻalī, action carried out ostensibly in order stop pilgrimages site, , flogging , incarceration of alid yahya ibn umar.

also during reign, al-mutawakkil met famous byzantine theologian cyril philosopher, sent tighten diplomatic relations between empire , caliphate in state mission emperor michael iii.

of sons, al-muntasir succeeded him , ruled until death in 862, al-mu tazz reigned caliph 866 overthrow in 869, , al-mu tamid reigned caliph in 870–892 brother al-muwaffaq serving effective regent of realm until death in 891.