ABSTRACT
Greatest of the Abbasid caliphs, the absolute spiritual and military leaders of the Islamic community, who presided over what is considered the golden age of the Arab Empire. Harun al-Rashid’s campaigns against the Byzantine Empire and European powers were largely successful, and his lavish court at Baghdad was legendary. The classic collection of stories The Thousand and One Nights is thought to have been partially inspired by the extravagance of his entertainments. Harun has been idealized by Muslim and non-Muslim writers for centuries, attaining a near mythic reputation.
