Ibrahim ibn al-Walid

Ibrahim ibn al-Walid براهيم ابن الوليد
Khalīfah Amir al-Mu'minin
Dirham of Ibrahim ibn Al-Walid
13th Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate
Reign	4 October 744 — 4 December 744
Predecessor	Yazid III
Successor	Marwan II
Died	25 January 750
Names Ibrahim ibn al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik
House	Marwanid
Dynasty	Umayyad
Father	Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik
Religion	Islam

Ibrahim ibn al-Walid (? – 25 January 750) (Arabic: ابراهيم ابن الوليد بن عبد الملك) was an Umayyad caliph, and a son of Caliph al-Walid I (r. 705–715). He ruled from 4 October 744 to 4 December 744.

Reign

Ibrahim ruled for two months in 744 before he abdicated, and went into hiding out of fear of his political opponents. The shortness of this time and his incomplete acceptance led Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari to state that he did not succeed in becoming caliph (v. 26, p. 247). However, al-Tabari (p. 13) does record that Ibrahim as caliph did confirm the appointment of Abdallah ibn Umar as governor of Iraq (v. 27, p. 13).

Background

Ibrahim was named heir apparent by his brother Yazid III. Marwan II decided to oppose Yazid III, and even though he later gave allegiance to Yazid, on the early death of that caliph, Marwan continued his own ambitions. Ibrahim requested and was granted Marwan's assurance of personal safety. He travelled with Marwan to former Caliph Hisham's residence at Rusafah in Syria. Like most members of the Umayyad family, Ibrahim was executed by the Abbasids in 750.

Bibliography

• Hillenbrand, Carole, ed. (1989). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXVI: The Waning of the Umayyad Caliphate: Prelude to Revolution, A.D. 738–744/A.H. 121–126. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-88706-810-2.
• Williams, John Alden, ed. (1985). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXVII: The ʿAbbāsid Revolution, A.D. 743–750/A.H. 126–132. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-87395-884-4.