The New Student's Reference Work/Haroun-al-Raschid

Haroun-al-Raschid (hä-rön′ äl-ră-shid′) or Aaron the Just, caliph of Bagdad, was born in 763 and became caliph in 786. He was a scholar and poet, and by his taste and hospitality made his court the center of all the wit, learning and art of the Moslem world. The government of his kingdom he left to his grand vizier, Barmecide Gahya, and his four sons, and they served him well. But at length Haroun conceived a deep hatred of the vizier and his sons, and in 803 caused them to be put to death. The affairs of the kingdom now quickly fell into confusion, and rebellion broke out in every corner of the empire. Haroun marched in person against the rebels, but was attacked with apoplexy and died at Tûs in March, 809. Haroun the Magnificent is made the hero of many of the stories of the Arabian Nights, which have thrown a false halo around his memory; for with all his accomplishments he was in heart cruel. See Life by E. H. Palmer, in the New Plutarch Series.