Harun prowled the streets of Baghdad, the capital of his empire, disguised as a commoner. This was the only way, he thought, to find out what was happening in his kingdom. He wanted to know who needed help, who was good, and who was evil. Harun al-Rashid ruled the Islamic Empire from 786 until 809, and during his reign, the empire prospered. Harun is still celebrated for the wealth of his empire and his support of the arts. And those visits into Baghdad captured the imagination of his people. Tales of his trips outside the palace were passed down from generation to generation. Centuries later, they were immortalized among the many stories of The Thousand and One Arabian Nights.
Harun al-Rashid was born in Rayy, Persia, the son of the caliph of the Islamic Empire. His date of birth is disputed. Some say it was March 20, 763; others say it was February 25, 766. Young Harun was educated by Yahya the Barmakid, a member of a powerful Persian family that had converted to Islam in the seventh century. Yahya was a skillful administrator, as well as a lover of science, philosophy, and the arts. From Yahya, Harun learned all that a future caliph needed to know. He learned religion, history, law, music, and poetry. The administrator was a great influence on the young prince and would stay by Harun’s side for most of his life.
With Yahya’s help, Harun proved his leadership skills at a young age. In 780, under the guidance of his teacher and his generals, Harun led an expedition to conquer lands along the frontier. His success in this expedition, as well as a second one in 782, gained Harun fame as a great warrior. His victories earned him the name al-Rashid, which means "the one following the right path," as well as an appointment to be governor of a large section of the empire.
Harun was so well liked that his father considered naming him first in line to the throne instead of Harun’s older brother, al-Hadi. Unfortunately, Harun’s father died in an accident in 785, before making the change, and al-Hadi became caliph. Harun did not challenge his brother, but al-Hadi was afraid of Harun’s popularity and Yahya’s influence, so he had them both jailed. When the new caliph died mysteriously within a year, some suspected Harun’s supporters to be behind the sudden death. On September 14, 786, Harun took the throne and named Yahya to be his vizier, the chief administrator of the realm. Yahya’s son Ja’far became Harun’s most trusted minister. These two men held the reins of the empire, which stretched from India and central Asia to Egypt and North Africa, for more than 16 years.
Harun’s empire was extremely wealthy due to tribute paid by conquered lands and the expansion of industry and trade. Its capital, Baghdad, was without equal at the time. Its wealth could be seen in the rich furnishings of the palace; for instance, only gold and silver vessels decorated in precious stones were used at the caliph’s table. Harun’s court was served by hundreds of servants, and his courtiers competed with each other to obtain the most expensive clothes, the greatest number of slaves, and the most beautiful lodgings. The stories told about Harun in The Thousand and One Arabian Nights reflect the opulence of his court.
The empire’s riches allowed Harun to be a generous patron of the arts. A poet himself, he attracted other poets, writers, musicians, and singers to his court. He urged artists to compete against each other and was known to give extravagant prizes, like a horse or a house, for a good poem. But a poem that displeased the caliph could result in death! These incidents, too, became part of the stories about him.
Religion also played a large role in Harun’s life and in his empire. He was a descendant of Mohammed, the principal prophet of Islam, and as caliph, Harun was expected to uphold Islamic law. Required by his faith to do one pilgrimage to Mecca to honor the prophet Mohammed, he completed at least eight. Following tradition, he donated money to other pilgrims on the journey.
Islam also influenced Harun’s behavior in The Thousand and One Arabian Nights. In these folktales, when Harun found someone breaking a religious law or committing an injustice, punishment was swift and often cruel. An executioner even accompanied Harun on many visits into Baghdad. In one story, the caliph suspected a man of having violated Islamic law by looking at the face of a woman to whom he was not related, so he ordered the man jailed and his house destroyed. But Harun was also capable of admitting mistakes. According to one folktale, he rewarded a fisherman with fifty thousand pieces of gold, a mule, and many slaves because he had wronged the poor man. The tales show that Harun was both feared and revered by his people.
The empire continued to prosper. But after seventeen years of trusting the governance of his realm to Yahya and Ja’far, Harun had a change of heart. He felt that Yahya and his son were becoming too powerful and using their offices to enrich themselves. He also did not like that his administrators tolerated other religions instead of preaching strict adherence to the Islamic faith. In 803, Harun had his mentor jailed and Ja’far killed, his body cut in pieces and displayed on Baghdad’s bridges. Harun ruled for several more years, until he fell ill on his way to put down a revolt. He died on March 24, 809.
The wealth of the Islamic Empire during Harun al-Rashid’s reign was legendary, but many believe its prosperity was not entirely due to Harun’s management. After all, his empire was largely administered by Yahya and Ja’far. Harun’s claim to fame is his patronage of the arts and the luxury of his court. Many historians argue that this caliph is remembered mainly because his actions—both kind and cruel—are woven into The Thousand and One Arabian Nights. These famous stories have assured Harun al-Rashid a place in history.