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What did Wikipedia remove from the Harun al-Rashid article?

The opening as it read in 2005

Harun al-Rashid ( Arabic هارون الرشيد also spelled Harun ar-Rashid , Haroun al-Rashid or Haroon al Rasheed ; English: Aaron the Upright; ca. 763 – March 24 , 809 ) was the fifth and most famous Abbasid Caliph . Ruling from 786 until 809 , his reign and the fabulous court over which he held sway are immortalized in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights . Harun was the son of al-Mahdi , the third 'Abbasid caliph (ruled 775–785), and al-Khayzuran , a former slave girl from Yemen and a woman of strong personality who greatly influenced affairs of state in the reigns of her husband and sons. Harun was strongly influenced by the will of his mother in the governance of the empire until her death in 789. His vizier (chief minister) Yahya the Barmakid, his sons, and other Barmakids generally controlled the administration. The Barmakids were a Persian family that had become very powerful under Al-Mahdi . Yahya had aided Harun in obtaining the caliphate, and he and his sons were in high favor until 798, when the caliph threw them in prison and confiscated their land. The cause assigned was this:— Yahya's son, Jafar , was the companion of Harun, who loved to have his own sister Abbasa and Jafar with him at times of recreation [1] . But Muslim etiquette forbade their common presence; and, to allow this, Harun had the marriage ceremony performed between them, on the understanding that it was purely nominal. But the ban was too weak for Abbasa. A child given secret birth was sent by her to Mecca; while a maid, quarreling with her mistress, made known the scandal. Harun while on a pilgrimage in Mecca heard the story and ascertained that the tale was probably true. On his return, shortly after, he had Jafar executed, whose body was despatched to Bagdad, and there, divided in two, impaled on either side of the bridge. It stayed there for three years, when Harun, happening to pass through Bagdad from the East, gave command for the remains to be taken down and burned. On the death of Jafar, his father and brother were both cast into prison. Harun became caliph when he was in early 20s. On the day of accession, his son al-Ma'mun was born, and al-Amin some little time later:—the latter was the son of the granddaughter of al-Mansur (founder of the city of Baghdad); so he took precedence over the former, whose mother was a Persian slave-girl. He began his reign by appointing very able ministers, who carried on the work of the government so well that they greatly improved the condition of the people. It was under Harun that Baghdad flourished into the most splendid city of its period. Tribute was paid by many rulers to the caliph, and these funds were used on architecture, arts and a luxurious life at court. He established his court there and lived in great splendor, attended by hundreds of courtiers and slaves . Later in his life he moved and set up his court at Ar Raqqah , in the north of Syria . He did this ostensibly to hold disloyal Syria in check, in spite (as he would say) of his loving Baghdad better than any other place in the whole world; he never again resided in Baghdad. He was very anxious that his people should be treated justly by the officers of the government, and he was determined to find out whether any had reason to complain. So he sometimes disguised himself at night and went about through the streets and bazaars, listening to the talk of those whom he met and asking them questions. In this way he learned whether the people were contented and happy, or not. Harun gave great encouragement to learning, poetry and music. He was a scholar and poet himself and whenever he heard of learned men in his own kingdom, or in neighboring countries, he invited them to his court and treated them with respect. The name of Harun, therefore, became known throughout the world. He had diplomatic relations with China and with Charlemagne . It is said that a correspondence took place between him and Charlemagne and in 802 Harun sent him a present consisting of silks, brass candelabra , perfume, slaves, balsam , ivory chessmen, a colossal tent with many-colored curtains, and a water clock that marked the hours by dropping bronze balls into a bowl, as mechanical knights — each one for each hour — emerged from little doors which shut behind them, and an elephant . The presents were unprecedented in Western Europe and may have influenced Carolingian art. He later commanded an army of 95,000 Arabs and Persians , sent by his father to invade the Eastern Roman Empire , which was then ruled by the Empress Irene . After defeating Irene's famous general, Nicetas , Harun marched his army to Chrysopolis (now Scutari ) on the Asiatic coast , opposite Constantinople . He encamped on the heights, in full view of the Roman capital. The Empress saw that the city would certainly be taken by the Muslims. She therefore sent ambassadors to Harun to arrange terms; but he sternly refused to agree to anything except immediate surrender. It is reported that then one of the ambassadors said, "The Empress has heard much of your ability as a general. Though you are her enemy, she admires you as a soldier." These flattering words were pleasing to Harun. He walked to and fro in front of his tent and then spoke again to the ambassadors. "Tell the Empress," he said, "that I will spare Constantinople if she will pay me seventy thousand pieces of gold as a yearly tribute. If the tribute is regularly paid Constantinople shall not be harmed by any Muslim force." The Empress agreed to these terms. She paid the first year's tribute; and soon the great Muslim army set out on its homeward march. The tribute of gold that the Empress Irene agreed to pay Harun was sent regularly for many years. It was always received at Baghdad with great ceremony. The day on which it arrived was made a holiday. The Roman soldiers who came with it entered the gates in procession. Muslim troops also took part in the parade. When the gold had been delivered at the palace, the Roman soldiers were hospitably entertained, and were escorted to the main gate of the city when they set out on their journey back to Constantinople. In AD 802 Nicephorus usurped the throne of the Eastern Empire. He sent ambassadors with a letter to Harun to tell him that the tribute would no longer be paid. The letter contained these words: "The weak and faint-hearted Irene submitted to pay you tribute. She ought to have made you pay tribute to her. Return to me all that she paid you; else the matter must be settled by the sword." As soon as Harun had read these words the ambassadors threw a bundle of swords at his feet. The caliph smiled, and drawing his own sword, or scimitar , he cut the Roman swords in two with one stroke without injuring the blade, or even turning the edge of his weapon. Then he dictated a letter to Nicephorus, in which he said: "Harun-al-Rashid, Commander of the Faithful to Nicephorus, the Roman dog: I have read thy letter. Thou shalt not hear, thou shalt see my reply." Harun was as good as his word. He started that day with a large army to punish the emperor. As soon as he reached Roman territory he ravaged the country and took possession of everything valuable that he found. He laid siege to Heraclea , a city on the shores of the Black Sea , and in a week forced it to surrender. Then he sacked the place. Nicephorus was now forced to agree to pay the tribute. Scarcely, however, had the caliph reached his palace in Baghdad when the emperor again refused to pay. Harun, consequently, advanced into the Roman province of Phrygia , in Asia Minor , with an army of 15,000 men. Nicepherus marched against him with 125,000 men. In the battle which followed the emperor was wounded, and 40,000 of his men were killed. After this defeat Nicephorus again promised payment of the tribute, but again failed to keep his promise. Harun now vowed that he would kill the emperor if he should ever lay hands upon him. But as he was getting ready to march once more into the Roman provinces a revolt broke out in one of the cities of his own kingdom; and while on his way to suppress it he died of an illness which had long given him trouble. He is said to be buried in Tus .¹

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Hārūn al-Rashīd ( ; also spelled Harun ar-Rashid ; , Aaron the Just , or Aaron the Rightly Guided ; March 17, 763 – March 24, 809) was the fifth and most famous Abbasid Caliph . He was born in Rayy , near Tehran , Iran , and lived in Baghdad , Iraq and most of his reign was in Ar Raqqah at the middle Euphrates . He ruled from 786 to 809, and his time was marked by scientific , cultural and religious prosperity. Art and music also flourished significantly during his reign. He established the library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom"). Since Harun was intellectually, politically and militarily resourceful, his life and the court over which he held sway have been the subject of many tales: some are factual but most are believed to be fictitious. An example of what is known to be factual is the story of the Clock that was among various presents that Harun had delightfully sent to Charlemagne . The presents were carried by the returning Frankish mission that came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Charlemagne and his retinue deemed the clock to be a conjuration for the sounds it emanates and the tricks it displays every time an hour ticks. Among what is known to be fictional is the famous The Book of One Thousand and One Nights containing many stories that are fantasized by Harun's magnificent court, and even Harun al-Rashid himself. The family of Barmakids which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate declined gradually during his rule.

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Harun al-Rashid ( ; hārūn ar-rašīd ) (17 March 763 or February 766 — 24 March 809) was the fifth Abbasid Caliph . His birth date is debated, with various sources giving dates from 763 to 766. His surname translates to "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". Ar-Rashid ruled from 786 to 809, during the peak of the Islamic Golden Age . His time was marked by scientific , cultural , and religious prosperity. Islamic art and music also flourished significantly during his reign. He established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq , and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a center of knowledge, culture and trade. During his rule, the family of Barmakids , which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Ar-Raqqah in present-day Syria . Since Harun was intellectually, politically, and militarily resourceful, his life and his court have been the subject of many tales, some factual, but most believed to be fictitious. One factual tale is the story of the clock that was among various presents that Harun sent to Charlemagne . The presents were carried by the returning Frankish mission that came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Charlemagne and his retinue deemed the clock to be a conjuration for the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked. Among what is known to be fictional is The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , which contains many stories that are fantasized by Harun's magnificent court and even Harun ar-Rashid himself. Amongst some of the Twelver sect of Shia Muslims he is disliked for his supposed role in the murder of their 7th Imam ( Musa ibn Ja'far ), although Sunnis and Zeydi Shia do not believe the historicity of this. André Clot, Harun al-Rashid and the world of the thousand and one nights .

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His birth date is debated, with various sources giving dates from 763 to 766. His epithet "al-Rashid" translates to "the Orthodox", "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". Al-Rashid ruled from 786 to 809, during the peak of the Islamic Golden Age . He established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq , and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a center of knowledge, culture and trade. During his rule, the family of Barmakids , which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Raqqa in present-day Syria . A Frankish mission came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Harun sent various presents with the emissaries on their return to Charlemagne 's court, including a clock that Charlemagne and his retinue deemed to be a conjuration because of the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked. Portions of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself. Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious. Some of the Twelver sect of Shia Muslims blame Harun for his supposed role in the murder of their 7th Imam ( Musa ibn Ja'far ). André Clot, Harun al-Rashid and the world of the thousand and one nights .

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964205972.

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His reign is traditionally regarded to be the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age . His epithet al-Rashid translates to "the Orthodox", "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". Harun established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq , and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a world center of knowledge, culture and trade. During his rule, the family of Barmakids , which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Raqqa in present-day Syria . Domestically, Harun pursued policies similar to those of his father Al-Mahdi . He released many of the Umayyads and 'Alids his brother Al-Hadi had imprisoned and declared amnesty for all political groups of the Quraysh . Large scale hostilities broke out with Byzantium , and under his rule, the Abbasid Empire reached its peak. A Frankish mission came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Harun sent various presents with the emissaries on their return to Charlemagne 's court, including a clock that Charlemagne and his retinue deemed to be a conjuration because of the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked. Portions of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself. Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). Historical Dictionary of Iraq . Historical Dictionary of Iraq . André Clot, Harun al-Rashid and the world of the thousand and one nights .

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The opening as it stood in 2025

5th Abbasid caliph (r. 786–809) This article is about fifth Abbasid caliph. Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn ibn Muḥammad ar-Rāshīd ( Arabic : أَبُو جَعْفَر هَارُون ٱبْنِ مُحَمَّد ٱلْمَهْدِيّ , romanized : Abū Ja'far Hārūn ibn Muḥammad al-Mahdī ), or simply Hārūn ibn al-Mahdī (Arabic: هَارُون ٱبْنِ ٱلْمَهْدِيّ ; c. 763 or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Hārūn al-Rāshīd (Arabic: هَارُون ٱلرَّشِيد , romanized: Hārūn ar-Rashīd ), was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate , reigning from September 786 until his death in March 809. His reign is traditionally regarded to be the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age . His epithet al-Rashid translates to "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". Harun established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq , and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a world center of knowledge, culture and trade. During his rule, the family of Barmakids , which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Raqqa in present-day Syria . Domestically, Harun pursued policies similar to those of his father Al-Mahdi . He released many of the Umayyads and 'Alids his brother Al-Hadi had imprisoned and declared amnesty for all political groups of the Quraysh . Large scale hostilities broke out with Byzantium , and under his rule, the Abbasid Empire reached its peak. A Frankish mission came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Harun sent various presents with the emissaries on their return to Charlemagne 's court, including a clock that Charlemagne and his retinue deemed to be a conjuration because of the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked. Portions of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself. Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). Historical Dictionary of Iraq . Historical Dictionary of Iraq . André Clot, Harun al-Rashid and the world of the thousand and one nights .

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