al-MU`TAMID ANNOUNCES SUCCESSION ARRANGEMENT

In 261/875, al-Mu`tamid announced his succession arrangements in which his son, Ja`raf ibn al-Mu`tamid al-Mufawwad, would inherit the western half of the empire while his brother, al-Muwaffaq, would inherit the eastern half of the empire. This comes after al-Muwaffaq had asserted himself over the caliphate, essentially ruling the empire himself, and the announcement of his place in the succession begins a series of events in which Ahmad ibn Tulun begins to ally himself with al-Mu`tamid against the succession of al-Muwaffaq and his usurpation of power.