Al-Muntaṣir left four sons: Aḥmad, ʿAlī, ʿAbd Allāh, and ʿUmar.
- Al-Mustaʿin Billāh Aḥmad ibn al-Muʿtaṣim Billāh
He was the caliph, Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn al-Muʿtaṣim Billāh Muḥammad ibn Hārūn al-Rashīd ibn al-Mahdī al-ʿAbbāsī, a brother of al-Wāthiq and al-Mutawakkil.
Born: 221 AH.
He received the oath of allegiance in Rabīʿ al-Ākhir 248 AH, immediately after the death of his brother al-Muntaṣir.
He had a ruddy complexion, was of medium height, with a sparse beard on the cheeks, handsome features, smallpox marks on his face, and a somewhat high forehead. He lisped, pronouncing the s as th.
His mother was a concubine.
Extravagant with money and wasteful (1), he scattered jewels and luxurious garments until the caliphate itself became unstable and affairs fell into disorder.
On the advice of his secretary Shujāʿ ibn al-Qāsim he appointed Abū Mūsā Utāmish as vizier, but later had them both put to death and made Aḥmad ibn Ṣāliḥ ibn Shabarzād his vizier instead.
When Bāghir the Turk—the man who had killed al-Mutawakkil—was himself slain, the Turkish mamluks took offence on his behalf. Throughout this period al-Mustaʿin acted under the orders of Waṣīf and Bughā.
He was courteous, well-bred, and possessed of fine qualities. His mother’s name was Mukhāriq.