Ahmad ibn Tulun

Ahmad ibn Tulun (Arabic: أحمد بن طولون, DMG Aḥmad ibn Tulun, . * 835, † March 884 in Antioch ) was the founder of the Muslim, Turkish-born Tulunids Dynasty in Egypt and ruled from 868 to 884

Ahmad ibn Tulun - or better ibn Dolun (Turkish name meaning full moon) - had accompanied the Turkish military slave ( Mamluk ) participated in the civil war between the Caliph al - Mu'tazz and al - Musta'in and the latter into exile 866. After the assassination of al - Mustain Ahmad was sent as deputy governor for a Turkish rulers in Samarra to Egypt.

Soon he had established his position in Egypt so that he no longer led away the taxes due to the caliph from 868. This money allowed him by the expansion of irrigation systems and the construction of a fleet to support the Egyptian economy. In addition, he operated an extensive construction activity. Examples include the built 876-879 Ibn Tulun Mosque in the new Qatai he founded north of Fustat (now Cairo ), and the expansion of the port of Acre. Ahmad ibn Tulun tried to push back in favor of the Muslims, the great influence of the Christian Copts in administration. But very successful, he can not have been so since the Copts managing dominated until the 11th century.

Ahmad was a great friend of the culinary arts; many traditional Egyptian dishes and spice blends to have been created by himself.

The prosperous economy enabled Ahmad ibn Tulun the construction of a large army, with which he filled 875 Barka ( Cyrenaica ). 878 he conquered Syria and Cilicia. When he tried to invade Mesopotamia, staged the Abbasid ruler al - Muwaffaq a revolt of his son Abbas. In the following period failed not only the submission of Mecca, but it was the rule of Cilicia again lost.

Ahmad ibn Tulun died in March 884 Its importance is mainly seen in the fact that Egypt under him, for the first time since the Ptolemies, an independent kingdom was. Successor Ibn Tuluns his son Chumarawaih ( 884-896 ).