Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Abd al-Malik

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Malik äbˌdo͝ol-mälĭkˈ [key], c.646–705, 5th Umayyad caliph (685–705); son of Marwan I. At his accession, Islam was torn by dissension and threatened by the Byzantine Empire. With the ...

Abd al-Mumin

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Mumin äbˌdäl-mŭˈmĭn [key], d. 1163, founder of the empire of the Almohads. He was the favorite of the Almohad religious reformer Ibn Tumart and became (1130) his successor. Even before hi...

Yaqut al-Hamawi

(Encyclopedia)Yaqut al-Hamawi yäko͞otˈ äl-hämäwēˈ [key], 1179–1229, Arab geographer. Born in Byzantium, he was bought as a slave by a merchant, al-Hamawi. He was freed on the death of his master and trave...

Abd al-Aziz

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Aziz Turk. äbdülˈäzēzˈ [key], 1830–76, Ottoman sultan (1861–76), brother and successor of Abd al-Majid. The economic and political reforms enacted under his rule could not outpace the...

Abd al-Qadir

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Qadir: see Abd al-Kader.

Abd al-Rahman

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Rahman. For Muslim rulers thus named, use Abd ar-Rahman.

Abd al-Hafiz

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Hafiz äbˌdäl-häfēdˈ [key], 1875?–1937, sultan of Morocco (1908–12). Placed on the throne by the revolution that deposed his brother Abd al-Aziz IV, he was soon confronted with uprisin...

Abd al-Hamid I

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Hamid I Turk. äbdülˈhämēdˈ [key], 1725–89, Ottoman sultan (1774–89), brother and successor of Mustafa III. His reign, one of decline for the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), saw the end of th...

Abd al-Kader

(Encyclopedia)Abd al-Kader äbˌdäl-kädērˈ [key], c.1807–1883, Algerian military and religious leader. Although born to an anti-Turkish family, he was chosen emir of Mascara to fight the French invaders who h...

Ahmad al-Mansur

(Encyclopedia)Ahmad al-Mansur äˈməd äl-mänso͞orˈ, Arabic äkhmädˈ [key] [al-Mansur,=the victorious], d. 1603, emir of Morocco (1578–1603). Proclaimed ruler after his brother's death at the battle of Ksar...