Motassem, at first named Billah (by the grace of God), Harun's third son, built a new city, Samara, 56 miles from Bagdad, and trans ferred thither his residence. In his wars against the Greeks and rebellious Persians he first used Turkish soldiers. From grief at the death of his private physician, Motassem be-• came insane, and died 842 A.D. (Heg. 227).
Vathek Billah, his -son, member of the Mo tazelite sect, exerted himself to promote the advancement of science; but he was an ener vated voluptuary, and died of nervous weakness (846 A.D., Heg. 232). A contest for the succes sion, between his brother Motawackel and his son Mothadi, was decided by the already power ful and arrogant Turkish bodyguard in favor of the former, the more unworthy competitor. Under Motawackel it became more and more customary to carry on all wars by means of Turkish mercenanes. Thus the Arabs were rendered unwarlike and must necessarily be the case in a hot climate with those who do not live in constant activity. Motawackel manifested a blind hatred of the Alides, not sparing even the memory of the de ceased. He moreover evinced a malignant spirit, and a proneness to sensuality and cruelty. His own son, Montasser, trained to early indul gence in both these vices, and often barbarously treated by him, conspired against him with the Turkish bodyguards and effected his murder (861 A.D., Heg. 247).
The Turlcs, who now arrogated the right of electing the caliphs, called the murderer to the throne of the faithful, and compelled his broth ers, who were innocent of the atrocious act, and whose revenge they feared, to renounce the suc cession which had been designed for them by Motawackel. Montasser died soon after of a fever, caused by the goadings of remorse (862 H A.D., heg. 248). The Turks then elected Mos tain Billah, a grandson of the Caliph Motassem. Two of the Alides became competitors with him for the caliphate. One of them, at Cufa, was defeated and put to death; but the other founded an independent empire in Tabristan, which subsisted half a century. The discord of the Turkish soldiers completed the dismember ment of the empire. One party raised to the throne Motaz, second son of Motawackel, and compelled Mostain to abdicate. Motaz Billah soon found means to get rid of him as well as of his own brother Muwiad. He then meditated the removal of the Turkish soldiers; but before he found courage to execute his projects they rebelled on account of their pay being in ar rear, and forced him to resign the government.
He soon after died (869 A.D., Heg. 255). They conferred the caliphate on Mohadi Billah, son of the Caliph Vathek, but deposed this excellent prince 11 months after, because he attempted to improve their military discipline.
Under Motawackel's third son, the sensual Motamed Billah, whom they next called to the caliphate, Muaffek his brother succeeded, by his prudence and courage, in overcoming the dan gerous preponderance of these Turks. Mo tamed transferred the seat of the caliphate from Samara back to Bagdad in the year 873 (Heg. 259), where it afterward continued. In the same year, owing to a revolution in the inde pendent government of Khorasan, the dynasty of the Thaherides gave place to that of the Sof farides, who eventually extended their dominion over Tabristan and Segestan. The governor of Egypt and Syria, Achmet Ben Tulun, also made himself independent (877 A.D., Heg. 263), from whom are descended the Tulunides. The brave Muaffek annihilated, indeed, the empire of the Zinghians, in Cufa and Bassora, 10 years after its formation (::1 A.D., Heg. 268) ; but he was unable to save the caliphate from the ruin to which it was continually hastening.
Motamed died soon after him (892 A.D., Heg. 279), and was succeeded by Muaffek's son, Mo thadad Billah. He contended unsuccessfully with a new sect that had arisen in Irak the Carpathians (899 A.D., Heg. 286)— against whom his son, Moktaphi Billah (902 A.D., Heg. 289), was more fortunate. He was still more successful in a war against the Tulunides, as he again reduced Egypt and Syria in 905 (Heg. 292). Under his brother, Moktadar Billah, who succeeded him at the age of 13 years (909 A.D., Heg. 296), rebellions and bloody quarrels about the sovereignty disturbed the government of the empire. He was several times deposed and reinstated, and finally murdered (931 A.D., Heg. 319). During his reign Abu Mohammed Obei dallah rose in Africa, who, pretending to be descended from Fatima, daughter of the Prophet (therefore from Ali), overthrew the dynasty of the Agladides in Tunis, and founded that of the Fatimites (910 A.D., Heg. 298). Not satisfied with reigning independent of the caliph, this party, as descendants of the Prophet, asserted themselves to be the only lawful caliphs.