campaign against Seljuk sultan Mas'ud, who had obtained the title in Baghdad in January 1133 by the caliph himself. The rival armies met near Hamadan. The caliph, deserted by his troops, was taken prisoner, and pardoned on the promising not to quit his palace. Left in the caliphal tent, however, in the sultan's absence, he was found murdered while reading the Quran, as is supposed, by an emissary of the Assassins, who had no love for the caliph. Modern historians have suspected that Mas'ud instigated the murder although the two most important historians of the period Ibn al-Athir and Ibn al-Jawzi did not speculate on this matter. Physically, al-Mustarshid was a red-haired man with blue eyes and freckles. He was succeeded by his son al-Rashid. Family Al-Mustarshid's only wife was the daughter of Seljuk Sultan Ahmad Sanjar. They married in 1124. One of his concubines was Khushf. She was from Iraq, and was the mother of his son, the future Caliph Al-Rashid Billah. Succession He was succeeded by his son al-Rashid Billah in the year 1135. He ruled for just one year from 1135 up to his deposition on 17 August 1136. When the populace of Baghdad rose in revolt against him. His son was succeeded by his half-brother al-Muqtafi on 17 September 1136. Al-Muqtafi was the son of al-Mustazhir was a concubine named Ashin. She was from Syria, and was the mother of the future Caliph Al-Muqtafi. See also Al-Hakim I, an alleged great-great-great grandson of the Caliph al-Mustarshid, descendant of his son Ali ibn al-Mustarshid. Anushirvan ibn Khalid, a Persian vizier of the Caliph Al-Mustarshid served from 1132 to 1134. Ahmad Sanjar, father-in-law of Caliph Al-Mustarshid. References Notes Sources This text is partly adapted from William Muir's public domain, The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline, and Fall. Hanne, Eric. Putting the Caliph in his Place. اغتيال الخليفة المسترشد بالله 1092 births 1135 deaths 12th-century Abbasid caliphs Assassinated caliphs 12th-century murdered monarchs 12th-century Arabic poets Nizari Ismaili–Seljuk relations People of the Nizari–Seljuk wars Victims of the Order of Assassins Sons of Abbasid caliphs