Middle Ages

Abbasid Caliphate

Period
AD 750 – AD 1259
Duration
approx. 509 years
Greatest extent
around AD 778
Area (max.)
approx. 8.2 million km²
Abbasid Caliphate at its greatest extent (around AD 778) · Borders: Cliopatria
▶ View on the interactive map

Profile

Strength

Professional army with Turkic slave soldiers (mamluks); Baghdad was among the largest cities in the world around 800.

Famous figures

  • al-Mansur
  • Harun al-Rashid
  • al-Ma'mun
  • al-Mu'tasim

Wars & battles won

  • Battle of Talas (751)
  • Capture of Amorium (838)
  • Suppression of the Zanj Rebellion (869–883)

Wars & battles lost

  • Loss of provinces to breakaway dynasties (from the 9th century)
  • Mongol sack of Baghdad (1258)

Languages

  • Arabic
  • Persian

Period and duration

Abbasid Caliphate — according to the map data from AD 750 to AD 1259, roughly 509 years. The dates refer to the time the empire is drawn as its own territory on the world map; historians sometimes date its founding and end differently.

Greatest extent

Abbasid Caliphate — greatest extent around AD 778: the mapped borders then cover about 8.2 million km², roughly 5.5% of Earth's land area. The area is calculated from the border lines of the map and is therefore an approximation.

AD 750Area according to the map data (max. 8.2 million km²)AD 1259

Predecessors and successors

States that ruled the same territory directly before and after:

Before (AD 749)

After

Neighbours around AD 778

The largest states in the region at the same time:

Learn more

Borders and dates: Cliopatria / Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0). Coastlines: Natural Earth. Text: Centaurian.