Al-Khayzuran

Al-Khayzuran was described as beautiful, intelligent and gifted. At that time the woman slaves of the harem, called jarya or jawari, were famed for educating themselves in music, singing, astrology, mathematics and theology in order to keep their master's interest, and Al-Khayzuran took regular lessons in fiqh from the most learned qadis.[1]

She eventually became the favorite of Al-Mahdi. Upon his succession as Caliph in 775, she convinced him to free and marry her; depriving his first wife, Princess Rayta (daughter of caliph Al-Saffah) of her privileges as well as demoting her son from the position of heir to the throne. Instead, Al-Mahdi name Al-Khayzuran's sons as his heirs, despite the fact that it went against custom for the sons of a slave to be so named. As a Queen, al-Khayzuran now holds supreme authority over the caliph's Harem, even the caliph had to live or behave in this area according to her wish. She quickly took over the management of this complex institution, from social life to the planning of parties and ceremonies, including the management of the large sums of money that come in.

From that point on she was the most powerful and influential woman in the empire, accompanying Al-Mahdi whenever he held court; She hidden behind a curtain, if she did not agree with something, she would place her hand on his back, out of sight. Al-Khayzuran had direct access to the Caliph at all times: her suggestions were always adopted, individuals she recommended would be favored and promoted, and at her intercession he forgave enemies or commuted death sentences.[1]

Silver dirham of Caliph al-Mahdi (r. 775–785), minted at Baghdad in 778/9

At court she was allied with the Barmakids. During Al-Mahdi's reign Al-Khayzuran held an extraordinary and unusually degree of power for anyone, let alone a woman: she discussed and helped decide all military and state affairs, she was not secluded in the harem, her influence over al-Mahdi allowed her to exercise political power outside of the harem over everyone and anything or everywhere, she met petitioners, both men and women, who asked her for favors or to intercede on their behalf with her husband, the caliph. These petitioners included court officials, military officers, nobles, and merchants, and she had her own court where she held audiences with generals, politicians and officials in her chambers, mixing with men and discussing state affairs or they passed her petitions of the state in envelopes. Al-Mahdi even allowed her to meet with foreign ambassadors and sign official papers for the administration of the empire. All these measures were innovations considered culturally inappropriate for a woman, underscoring her influence and power throughout the empire.[1]

Al-Khayzuran's palace, like the Caliph's, was guarded by soldiers and her lands spread past the outskirts of the capital, and she also ran a number of enterprises and factories through agents who reported directly to her, she also had a large business abroad and the much merchants and nobles of the capital and its suburbs depended on her; she owned hundreds of slaves, had many female attendants, and commanded a luxurious lifestyle. Her annual income was one-third that of the caliphate, which amount doubled during the caliphates of her sons Al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid, and accounted for more than half of the caliphate's total income. As her husband aged, her power at court grew and she even awarded some of her relatives with positions. While al-Mahdi was campaigning in the west and north or he traveled to around the empire for sightseeing, she managed affairs in Baghdad on his behalf. She also summond her mother, two sisters and two brothers to court, married her sister Salsal to Prince Ja'far, and named her brother Ghatrif Governor of Yemen.[1]

In addition to their two sons the couple also had a daughter, named Banuqa. Al-Mahdi loved her so much that he had her dressed as a boy, so she could accompany him on his travels. When she died at age 16,[2] her father caused a scandal by demanding public condolences, which was not deemed correct for a daughter.[1]

One time when Khaizuran was in her flat encircled by other imperial women, a servant notificed her that Muznah, the widow of Marwan II, the last Umayyad caliph, was at the door. Muznah was impoverished and her story and situation moved Khaizuran's heart so much that she arranged for her to be provided for. When Khaizuran and Mahdi had dinner together that evening, she notified him what had happened. Mahdi praised her charity, and Muznah enjoyed royal patronage until her death in subsequent reign.[3]

In 785, Al-Mahdi died during an expedition with his son Harun, who rushed back to Baghdad to inform her. Her two sons were also absent from the city, and to secure the succession for her son, she called upon the viziers and ordered them to pay the wages of the army to secure order, and then had them swear allegiance to her son as their new Caliph in his absence.[1]

Al-Khayzuran reportedly wished to continue to engage in politics during the reign of her son: "Khayzuran wanted to dominate her son as she had previously dominated his father, al-Mahdi."[1] She continued to give audiences in her chambers and discuss state affairs during the reign of her son Al-Hadi:

"She continued to monopolize decision-making without consulting him [al-Hadi], Khayzuran in the first part of Hadi’s reign used to settle his affairs and to deal with him as she had dealt with his father before him in assuming absolute power to command and forbid. She in the first part of Hadi’s reign, behaved as she had before.... . During the reign of al-Mahdi people came and went through her door, and she settled the affairs of the state."[1]

Al-Hadi, however, opposed her participation in state affairs, and he was not inclined to allow displays of authority by her and attempted to exclude her from them, reportedly saying: "it is not in the power of women to intervene .. . in matters of sovereignty. Look to your prayers and your prayer beads."[1] He disapproved of the fact that his mother gave audiences to supplicants, politicians, officials and generals and conferred with them and thus mixed with men, which he considered improper, and he publicly addressed the issue of his mothers public life by assembling his generals and asked them:

'Who is the better among us, you or me?' asked Caliph al-Hadi of his audience.

'Obviously you are the better, Commander of the Faithful,' the assembly replied.

'And whose mother is the better, mine or yours?' continued the caliph.

'Your mother is the better, Commander of the Faithful.'

'Who among you', continued al-Hadi, 'would like to have men spreading news about your mother?'

'No one likes to have his mother talked about,' responded those present.

'Then why do men go to my mother to speak to her?'[1]

Until this time period, Muslim women had not yet been fully secluded from society in a harem, but harem system was to become fully institutionalized in the Islamic world under the Abbasid caliphate,[4] when the Abbasid harem was established.[5]

Despite his opposition, Al-Hadi did not manage to disturb his mother's extraordinary authority base, and she refused to retire from politics into the harem. The conflict was finally exposed in public when she interceded in favor of a supplicant, Abdallah ibn Malik, and publicly demanded a reply from her son, who lost his temper and openly yelled at her and said:

"Wait a moment and listen well to my words ... . Whoever from among my entourage - my generals, my servants - comes to you with a petition will have his head cut off and his property confiscated. What is the meaning of those retinues that throng around your door every day? Don't you have a spindle to keep you busy, a Koran for praying, a residence in which to hide from those besieging you? Watch yourself, and woe to you if you open your mouth in favour of anyone at all."[1]

Al-Khayzuran is rumored to have had her eldest son Al-Hadi murdered after this incident.[1] One reason given is that she learned that he was planning to kill his brother Harun al-Rashid, another that he attempted to poison her himself, which she discovered after first allowing her dog to eat of the dish he had sent to her.[1] One version claims that she gave the task of killing him to one of his slave concubines, or jawari, to suffocate him with cushions.[1]

Her second son, caliph Harun al-Rashid, in contrast to his brother, did not oppose to his mother participating in the affairs of state, but instead openly acknowledged her political ability and publicly trusted her advice, and governed the realm by her side.[1] He was proud to point out that there was no reason for him to be ashamed of sharing his power with a woman, if she had such ability and brilliance as Al-Khayzuran.[1]

Though it is difficult to say exactly in which issues she pressed her policy, it is nevertheless acknowledged that she participated in the decision making that formed the policy of the Caliphate. And at this time Al-Khayzuran retained all the powers of the empire and actually ruled instead of the caliph. She also legitimized her full-scale authority over her son by an old and popular saying "a mother's right is God's right".[1]

"The histories do not detail Khayzuran's political achievements, but coins were struck in her name, palaces were named for her, and the cemetery in which subsequent Abbasid rulers were laid to rest carries her name, all testifying not only to status but also to civic largesse."[6]

When she died in 789, her son broke the rules which demanded that he show no sorrow, and instead publicly demonstrated his sorrow and participated in her funeral, which attracted much attention.[1]