 The future al @-@ Mu 'tasim was born to the Caliph Harun al @-@ Rashid ( ruled 786 – 809 ) and Marida , a Turkic slave concubine . He was born in the Khuld ( " Eternity " ) Palace in Baghdad , but the date is unclear : according to al @-@ Tabari , his birth was placed by various authorities either in October 796 ( Sha 'ban AH 180 ) , or earlier , in AH 179 ( i.e. spring 796 or earlier ) . Al @-@ Tabari describes the adult al @-@ Mu 'tasim as " fair @-@ complexioned , with a black beard the hair tips of which were red and the end of which was square and streaked with red , and with handsome eyes " , while other authors stress his physical strength and the fact that he was almost illiterate . 
