An Investigating on the Influence of Iranian Ministers on the Abbasid Caliphate's Policies in Caliph Mahdi's Period (158-169 AH)

The Abbasid caliph, Mahdi, reigned from 158-169 AH. The Mahdi’s era is known for its extensive reforms in the Islamic world and dealing with the difficulties of Abbasid caliphs Saffah and Mansur. Mahdi departed in manner from his father, Mansour, and gave more opportunity to courtiers and other companions for political tact. In Mahdi’s era, for the first time in the Muslim world, the ministry became official and three Iranian ministers, Muawiyah ibn Yasar, Yaqub ibn Dawud, and Aba-Jafar Feyz ibn Abi Salih, got this position. The present study seeks to investigate the role the Iranian ministers played in the era of Mahdi in the caliphate’s policies, and their efforts to attain the caliphate power. The main question is that to what extent the minister's influence was effective in the caliph Mahdi’s era? The assumption is that one of the aims of the Iranians in the court of Abbasid caliphate was to dominate the policies of the caliphate and to advance the demands of Iranian people. After the short-term ministry of the Abu Salamah during the Saffah’s period and the coward ministry of Khalid Barmaki during the Mansour’s period, the Mahdi’s period should be considered as the starting point of the Iranians` influence on the Abbasid Caliphate bureaucracy.