A caliph is the supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state known as the caliphate. Caliphs (also known as 'Khalifas') led the Muslim as political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and widely recognised caliphates have existed in various forms for most of Islamic history.
The first caliphate, the Rashidun Caliphate, was ruled by the four Rashidun caliphs (, ), Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, who are considered by Sunni Muslims to have been the most virtuous and pure caliphs. They were chosen by popular acclamation or by a small committee, in contrast with the following caliphates, which were mostly hereditary.Office of the 33rd Lead Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense (May 2023) "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS" (PDF) Retrieved 2023-05-04 On the other hand, Shia Muslims only recognise the Twelve Imams and consider the first three caliphs to be usurpers.
The Rashidun Caliphate ended with the First Fitna, which transferred authority to the Umayyad dynasty that presided over the Umayyad Caliphate, the largest caliphate and the last one to actively rule the entire Islamic world.
The Abbasid Revolution overthrew the Umayyads and instituted the Abbasid dynasty which ruled over the Abbasid Caliphate.Saïd Amir Arjomand, Abd Allah Ibn al-Muqaffa and the Abbasid Revolution. Iranian Studies, vol. 27, Nos. 1–4. London: Routledge, 1994. The Abbasid Caliphate was initially strong and united, but gradually fractured into several states whose rulers only paid lip service to the caliph in Baghdad. There were also rivals to the Abbasids who claimed the caliphates for themselves, such as the Isma'ili Shia Fatimids, the Sunni Umayyads in Córdoba and the Almohads, who followed their own doctrine. When Baghdad fell to the Mongols, the Abbasid family relocated to Cairo, where they continued to claim caliphal authority, but had no political power, and actual authority was in the hands of the Mamluk Sultanate.
After the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil III was taken to Constantinople, where he surrendered the caliphate to Sultan Selim I. The caliphate then remained in the House of Osman until after World War I. The Ottoman Sultanate was abolished in 1922 by the Government of the Grand National Assembly, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The head of the House of Osman, Abdülmecid II, retained the title of caliph until 1924, when the Ottoman Caliphate was abolished by Atatürk and the newly proclaimed Republic of Turkey.
Since the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate, no single caliph of Islam has currently been recognized across the Islamic world, although various groups have made limited or disputed claims.
Rashidun Caliphate (632–661)
Calligraphic nameName (in Arabic)Born (CE)Reigned from (CE)Reigned until (CE)DiedRelationship with MuhammadHouseAbu Bakr()5738 June 63223 August 634Father of Aisha, Muhammad's wifeBanu TaimUmar()58423 August 634 6 November 644(assassinated by Abu Lu'lu'a Firuz)Father of Hafsa, Muhammad's wifeBanu AdiUthman()5796 November 64417 June 656(assassinated at the end of a siege upon his house; see First Fitna)Husband of Muhammad's daughters, Ruqayya and later Umm Kulthum, and grandson of Muhammad's paternal auntBanu UmayyaAli()60117 June 65628 January 661(assassinated while praying in the Mosque of Kufa; see First Fitna)Muhammad's cousin, and husband of Fatima, Muhammad's daughter, and Umama bint Abi al-As, Muhammad's granddaughterBanu Hashim
Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
CoinNameBornReigned fromReigned untilDiedRelation with predecessorMu'awiya I602January 66129 April 680Son of Abu SufyanYazid I64768011 November 683Son of Mu'awiya IMu'awiya II664November 683684Son of Yazid IMarwan I623–6266847 May 685Son of Al-Hakam ibn Abi al-AsAbd al-Malik ibn Marwan6466858 October 705Son of Marwan IAl-Walid I668October 70523 February 715Son of Abd al-Malik ibn MarwanSulayman ibn Abd al-Malik674February 71522 September 717 Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid IUmar II2 November 682September 717February 720 Nephew of Abd al-Malik First cousin of Al-Walid I and Sulayman Great-grandson of Umar through a maternal lineYazid II68710 February 72026 January 724 Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid I and SulaymanHisham ibn Abd al-Malik69126 January 7246 February 743 Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid I, Sulayman and Yazid IIAl-Walid II7096 February 74317 April 744 (assassinated)Son of Yazid IIYazid III70117 April 7443/4 October 744Son of Al-Walid IIbrahim ibn al-Walid744 (few weeks)25 January 750(executed)Son of Al-Walid IMarwan II6917446 August 750(killed) Nephew of Abd al-Malik Cousin of Al-Walid I, Sulayman, Umar II, Yazid II and Hisham.
Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)
CoinNameBornReigned fromReigned untilDiedParentsRegnalPersonalAl-SaffāḥAbul-'Abbās 'Abdallah72125 January 75010 June 754 Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah Rayta bint Ubaydallah al-HarsiaAl-MansurAbu Ja'far 'Abdallah71410 June 754775 Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah SallamahAl-MahdiAbu 'Abdallah Muhammad744/7457754 August 785 Al-Mansur, Abbasid Caliph Arwa bint Mansur al-HimyariAl-HadiAbu Muhammad Musa764August 78514 September 786 Al-Mahdi, Abbasid Caliph Al-Khayzuran bint 'AttaAl-RashidHarun763/76614 September 78624 March 809 Al-Mahdi, Abbasid Caliph Al-Khayzuran bint 'AttaAl-AminMuhammad787March 80924/25 September 813 Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph Zubaidah bint Ja`far ibn al-MansurAl-Ma'munAbu al-Abbas 'Abdallah13/14 September 786September 8139 August 833 Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph MarajilAl-Mu'tasimAbū Ishaq MuhammadOctober 7969 August 8335 January 842 Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph Maridah bint ShabibAl-WathiqAbu Ja'far Harun811–8135 January 84210 August 847 Al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid Caliph Umm Harun QaratisAl-MutawakkilJa'farFebruary/March 82210 August 84711 December 861 Al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid Caliph Umm Ja'far ShujaAl-MuntasirAbu Ja'far MuhammadNovember 8378617 or 8 June 862 Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph Hubshiya, a Greek concubineAl-Musta'inAhmad836862866 (executed) Muhammad ibn al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid prince Makhariq (concubine)Al-Mu'tazzAbū ʿAbd allāh Muhammad847866869 Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph QabihaAl-MuhtadiAbū Isḥāq Muḥammad86921 June 870 Al-Wathiq, Abbasid Caliph Qurb (greek concubine)Al-Mu'tamidAbu’l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad84221 June 87015 October 892 Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph FityanAl-Mu'tadidAbu'l-'Abbas Ahmad854/861October 8925 April 902 Al-Muwaffaq, Abbasid prince and Commander-in-chief DirarAl-MuktafiAbu Muhammad ʿAlî877/8785 April 90213 August 908 Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph JijakAl-MuqtadirAbu al-Fadl Ja'far89513 August 90892931 October 932(killed) Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph ShaghabAl-QahirAbu Mansur Muhammad899929950 Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph FitnahAl-MuqtadirAbu al-Fadl Ja'far89592931 October 932(killed) Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph ShaghabAl-QahirAbu Mansur Muhammad89931 October 932934950 Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph FitnahAl-RadiAbu al-'Abbas MuhammadDecember 90993423 December 940 Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph ZalumAl-MuttaqiAbu Ishaq Ibrahim908940944July 968 Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph Khalub also known as ZuhraAl-MustakfiAbu’l-Qasim 'Abdallah905September 944January 946September/October 949 Al-Muktafi, Abbasid Caliph Ghusn, Greek concubineAl-MutiAbu al-Qasim al-Faḍl914January 9465 August 97412 October 974 Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph Mash'alaAl-Ta'i' Abd al-Karīm9329749913 August 1003 Al-Muti, Abbasid Caliph Utb (Greek concubine)Al-Qadir Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad ibn Ishaq ibn al-Muqtadir9471 November 99129 November 1031 Ishaq ibn al-Muqtadir, Abbasid prince DimnaAl-Qa'im Abu Ja'far Abdallah100129 November 10312 April 1075 Al-Qadir, Abbasid Caliph Badr al-Dija also known as Qatr al-NidaAl-Muqtadi Abū'l-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im10562 April 1075February 1094 Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im Abbasid prince, Urjuman, (Armenian concubine)Al-MustazhirAbū l-ʿAbbās AhmadApril/May 1078February 10946 August 1118 Al-Muqtadi, Abbasid Caliph Taif al-Afwah (Egyptian)Al-MustarshidAbū'l-Manṣūr al-FaḍlApril/May 10926 August 111829 August 1135 Al-Mustazhir, Abbasid Caliph LubabaAl-Rashid BillahAbu Jaʿfar Manṣūr110929 August 113511366 June 1138(killed by Hashshashins) Al-Mustarshid, Abbasid Caliph KhushfAl-MuqtafiAbū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad9 March 1096113612 March 1160 Al-Mustazhir, Abbasid Caliph Ashin Umm MuhammadAl-MustanjidAbū'l-Muẓaffar Yūsuf112412 March 116020 December 1170 Al-Muqtafi, Abbasid Caliph ThawusAl-MustadiHassan114220 December 117030 March 1180 Al-Mustanjid, Abbasid Caliph GhadhaAl-NasirAbu'l-ʿAbbās Ahmad6 August 11582 March 11804 October 1225 Al-Mustadi, Abbasid Caliph Sayyida ZumurrudAl-ZahirAbu Nasr Muhammad11765 October 122511 July 1226 Al-Nasir, Abbasid Caliph AsmaAl-MustansirAbû Ja`far al-Manṣūr17 February 119211 July 12262 December 1242 Az-Zahir, Abbasid Caliph ZahraAl-Musta'simAbu Ahmad Abdallah12132 December 124220 February 1258 Al-Mustansir, Abbasid Caliph Hajir
During the later period of Abbasid rule, Muslim rulers began using other titles, such as Amir al-umara and Sultan.
Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171) (Additional)
Image/CoinNameBornReigned fromReigned untilDiedParentsRegnalPersonalal-Mahdi BillahAbū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn87427 August 9094 March 934 Abd Allah al-Radial-Qāʾim bi-Amr AllāhAbū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh8934 March 93417 May 946 Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billahal-Mansur BillahAbu Tahir Isma'il 91417 May 946 18 March 953 al-Qa'im Karimaal-Mu'izz li-Din AllahAbu Tamim Ma'ad al-Muizz li-Din Allah93119 March 95321 December 975 al-Mansur Billahal-Aziz BillahAbu al-Mansur Nizar95518 December 97513 October 996 al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah Al-Sayyida al-Mu'iziyyaal-Hakim bi-Amr AllahAbū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr98514 October 99613 February 1021 al-Aziz Billah as-Sayyidah al-'Azīziyyahal-Zahir li-I'zaz Din AllahAbū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥākim100528 March 102113 June 1036 al-Hakim bi-Amr Allahal-Mustansir BillahAbū Tamīm Maʿad al-Mustanṣir biʾllāh102913 June 1036 29 December 1094 al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din Allah Rasadal-Musta'li BillahAbū al-Qāsim Aḥmad ibn al-Mustanṣir107429/30 December 109411/12 December 1101 al-Mustansir Billahal-Amir bi-Ahkam AllahAbū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr ibn al-Mustaʿlī109611 December 11017 October 1130 al-Musta'lial-Hafiz li-Din AllahAbūʾl-Maymūn ʿAbd al-Majīd ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Mustanṣir1074/5 or 1075/623 January 113210 October 1149 Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Mustansir Billahal-Ẓāfir bi-Aʿdāʾ AllāhAbū al-Manṣūr Ismāʿīl ibn al-Ḥāfiẓ 113310 October 1149 1 or 15 April 1154 al-Hafizal-Fa'iz bi-Nasr AllahAbūʾl-Qāsim ʿĪsā ibn al-Ẓāfir 114916 April 115422 July 1160 al-Zafiral-ʿĀḍid li-Dīn AllāhAbū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yūsuf115123 July 1160 13 September 1171 Yusuf ibn al-Hafiz li-Din Allah
Mamluk Abbasid dynasty (1261–1517)
The Cairo Abbasids were largely ceremonial Caliphs under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultanate that existed after the takeover of the Ayyubid dynasty.Bosworth 2004, p. 7Houtsma & Wensinck 1993, p. 3
NameReignParentsRegnalPersonalAl-MustansirAbu al-Qasim Ahmad13 June 1261 – 28 November 1261 Az-ZahirAl-Hakim IAbu 'Abdullah Muhammad16 November 1262 – 19 January 1302 Abu 'Ali al-HasanAl-Mustakfi IAbu ar-Rabi' Sulaiman20 January 1302 – February 1340 Al-Hakim IAl-Wathiq IAbu Ishaq IbrahimFebruary 1340 – 17 June 1341 Muhammad, son of Al-Hakim IAl-Hakim IIAbu al-'Abbas Ahmad1341–1352 Al-Mustakfi IAl-Mu'tadid IAbu Bakr1352–1362 Al-Mustakfi IAl-Mutawakkil IAbu 'Abdillah Muhammad1362–1377 Al-Mu'tadid IAl-Musta’simAbu Yahya Zakariya1377 Al-Wathiq IAl-Mutawakkil IAbu 'Abdillah Muhammad1377–1383 Al-Mu'tadid IAl-Wathiq II'UmarSeptember 1383 – 13 November 1386 Al-Wathiq IAl-Musta'simAbu Yahya Zakariya1386–1389 Al-Wathiq IAl-Mutawakkil IAbu 'Abdillah Muhammad1389 – 9 January 1406 Al-Mu'tadid IAl-Musta'inAbu al-Fadl al-'Abbas22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 Al-Mutawakkil I Bay KhatunAl-Mu'tadid IIAbu al-Fath Dawud1414–1441 Al-Mutawakkil I