Ujayf ibn Anbasa

Nothing is known of his family, but he was probably of native Khurasani or Transoxianan origin. He appears in the early 9th century as a follower of the rebel governor Rafi ibn al-Layth, but quickly abandoned him along with most of the people of Fergana and Tashkent when Caliph Harun al-Rashid himself campaigned to Khurasan in 808.[1][2]'Ujayf probably belonged to the same social group as the other eastern Iranian generals who were later employed by al-Mu'tasim in his "Turkish" guard, and who were minor princes or drawn from the landed gentry (dihqans).[3][4]

Under al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833), Ujayf became a distinguished general, campaigning in northern Persia and suppressing the Kharijite revolt of Bilal al-Dibabi in 829.[1] Ujayf maintained his position under Mu'tasim, Ma'mun's half-brother and successor, campaigning against the Zutt in southern Iraq in 834, and leading a number of expeditions against the Byzantines in Asia Minor.[1] Ujayf was one of the military leaders to receive cantonments for themselves and their troops at Mu'tasim's new capital at Samarra,[5] and he was granted the revenue from the market of the town of Ishtikhan (near Samarkand) as a reward.[1]

In 838, however, during Mu'tasim's great campaign against the Byzantine city of Amorium, Ujayf fell out with the caliph over the provisioning of the army;[1] to this were added other perceived slights, and Ujayf and his followers began to conspire against the caliph. Ujayf was probably a leading member of a powerful group within the Abbasid military establishment that already back in 833 had opposed Mu'tasim's accession, and had favoured his nephew, Ma'mun's son al-Abbas. The agitation then had only subsided after Abbas himself swore allegiance to his uncle, but now a conspiracy was formed to kill Mu'tasim as well as his top Turkish commanders, al-Afshin and Ashinas. The plot was uncovered, however, and the ringleaders were arrested, with Ujayf being executed.[1][6]

• Bosworth, C. E. (2000). "ʿUd̲j̲ayf b. ʿAnbasa". In Bearman, P. J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E. & Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume X: T–U (2nd ed.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 778. ISBN 978-90-04-11211-7.
• Gordon, Matthew S. (2001). The Breaking of a Thousand Swords: A History of the Turkish Military of Samarra (A.H. 200–275/815–889 C.E.). Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-4795-2.
• Kennedy, Hugh (1986). The Early Abbasid Caliphate: A Political History. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-7099-3115-8.