Baghdad

Baghdad, also spelled Bagdad, is the capital city of Iraq, located on the Tigris. It was founded in 762 by Al-Mansur, and became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. For much of the Abbasid era, during the Islamic Golden Age, Baghdad was one of the largest cities in the world. It was largely destroyed at the hands of the Mongol Empire in 1258. In 1393, Baghdad was occupied by the Central Asian Turkic conqueror Timur. Sultan Ahmad Jalayir fled to Syria, and Timur left the Sarbadar prince Khwaja Mas'ud to govern Baghdad. However, Ahmad Jalayir returned and took over Baghdad again. In 1401, Baghdad was again sacked, by Timur. Baghdad became a provincial capital controlled by the Mongol Jalayirid (1400–1411), Turkic Kara Koyunlu (1411–1469), Turkic Ak Koyunlu (1469–1508), and the Iranian Safavid (1508–1534) dynasties. The Safavids took control of the city in 1509, which the Ottomans seized it in 1535, but the Safavids regained control in 1624. Between 1623 and 1638, it returned to Iranian rule before falling back into Ottoman hands. In latter part of the 18th century it under Mamluk government. Direct Ottoman rule was reimposed by Ali Rıza Pasha in 1831. From 1851 to 1852 and from 1861 to 1867, Baghdad was governed under the Ottoman Empire by Mehmed Namık Pasha. Baghdad and southern Iraq remained under Ottoman rule until 1917, when when it was taken over by the British during World War I. In 1921, Baghdad became the capital of the Mandatory Iraq under the Mandate of Mesopotamia. After receiving independence in 1932, the city became capital of the new Kingdom of Iraq.

Nearby pages
Baghelkhand, Bagheria, Baghmunda, Baghmundi Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Baghouse