Founder of the Tulunid dynasty. Born 220/835; Died 270/884.
Ahmad ibn Tulun came from a line of Turkish slaves in the service of the `Abbasid caliphs. His father, Tulun, supposedly came from Bukhara to the caliph al-Ma'mun as tribute in 200/815-816. From there, Tulun rose to the position of commander over the caliph's private guard. Ahmad received military training at Samarra and theological training at Tarsus. He gained favor with the caliph al-Musta`in and, upon his abdication in 251/866, al-Musta`in took Ahmad as the head of his guard in exile. al-Musta`in was killed the following year at the order of caliph al-Mu`tazz, but Ahmad was not involved in the intrigue. When Egypt was given as apanage in 254/868 by al-Mu`tazz to the Turkish general, and husband of Tulun's widow, Baykbak, Ahmad was appointed his lieutenant and acted as governor in residence in Fustat, entering the city in 254/868.
Ahmad spent his first four years in Egypt engaged in disputes with Ibn al-Mudabbir, the widely disliked attendent of finance, through their agents in Samarra. In the end, Ibn al-Mudabbir was removed from office. In 256/870, Baykbak was murdered and the Egyptian apanage was given over to Yarjukh, whose daughter Ahmad ibn Tulun had married. Under Yarjukh, Ahmad was reconfirmed as vice-governor over Fustat and given authority over Alexandria, Barka, and the frontier districts.
It is at this time, using the pretense of facing the rebel governor of Palestine Amajur, that Ahmad obtains the caliph's permission to purchase a large number of slaves to form an Egyptian military. This is the first Egyptian army independent of the caliph.
Shrewd maneuvers at court and well placed gifts kept Ahmad from being recalled by the caliph and helped him win favor over Ibn al-Mudabbir. The financial administration of both Egypt and the Syrian Marches were both placed under Ahmad as well, most likely to keep the information secret from al-Muwaffaq, the caliph's brother who was gaining greater influence over the empire.
In 258/872, the caliph's son Ja`far was made apangist of Egypt as the caliphate was split between Ja`far and al-Muwaffaq. The primary concern keeping al-Muwaffaq away from controlling the entire caliphate was his need to concentrate on the Zandj revolts in Iraq. al-Muwaffaq believed it his right to demand financial assistance in fighting the Zandj from every province of the `Abbasid Caliphate. Accusing Ahmad of having sent insufficient funds from Egypt, al-Muwaffaq sent a force of troops under Musa b. Bugha against the governor in 263/877. Stress on the `Abbasid military and the strength of the Tulunid force caused Musa to abandon the campaign. Encouraged by this victory, Ahmad moved to occupy Syria in 264/878 under the pretext of engaging in holy war against the Byzantines. This mission was likewise cut short when Ahmad's son and lieutenant in Egypt, `Abbas, revolted.
At this point, Ahmad began to add his own name to gold coins along with the name of the Caliph al-Mu`tamid and Ja`far. In 269/882, Ahmad offered al-Mu`tamid refuge from al-Muwaffaq in Fustat, but his planed escape was stopped and Ishaq b. Kundaj was sent by al-Muwaffaq as governor over Egypt and Syria. Through an assembly of jurists meeting in Damascus, Ahmad demanded al-Muwaffaq's forfeiture of his claims to succession. al-Muwaffaq retaliated by demanding that Ahmad's name be cursed in the mosques and Ahmad had al-Muwaffaq's name cursed in the mosques of Egypt and Syria.
Before any kind of peace could be reached between the two, Ahmad ibn Tulun died in 270/884.
Hasan, Zaky M. "Ahmad b. Tulun" EI2.
220 - Ahmad ibn Tulun is born.
251 - al-Musta`in abdicates and goes into exile under the protection of Ahmad ibn Tulun.
252 - al-Musta`in is killed by a conspiracy which does not include Ahmad ibn Tulun.
254 - Baykbak sends Ahmad ibn Tulun as resident governor of Egypt.
256 - Baykbak is murdered and the Egyptian apanage is given to Yarjukh.
258 - Ja`far is made apanagist over Egypt.
263 - al-Muwaffaq sends Musa b. Bugha against Ahmad ibn Tulun.
264 - Ahmad ibn Tulun makes a grab for Syria, but is pulled away when his son `Abbas tries revolting against his father in Egypt. Ahmad ibn Tulun begins adding his own name to gold coins minted in Fustat.
269 - Ahmad ibn Tulun offers the caliph al-Mu`tamid refuge from al-Muwaffaq in Fustat.
270 - Ahmad ibn Tulun dies. He is succeeded by his son Khumarawayh.