عبد الله بن المعتز

Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz was given the oath of allegiance to the caliphate in 296 AH after the deposition of al-Muqtadir, and took the regnal title al-Muntasir billah. Al-Tabari relates that he chose this title for himself. ¹

Al-Suyuti says that he answered the deposers on condition that there would be no bloodshed in the matter. The commanders, judges and notables then swore allegiance to him and gave him the title al-Ghalib billah, and he appointed Muhammad ibn Dawud ibn al-Jarrah as his vizier. They then withdrew from him, defeated and without fighting. He fled, was imprisoned, and was brought out dead. ²

Al-Mas'udi describes him as an eloquent man of letters and a natural poet, of easy style and smooth diction, with a fine gift for inventing meanings. ³