Voting Station

Harun Al-Rashid

Please vote to see the next celebrity.

Monarch

The Resume

    (March 17, 763-March 24, 809)
    Born in Rey, Iran
    Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate (September 14, 786-March 24, 809)
    Heavily featured in many stories in ‘One Thousand and One Nights’
    Died in Tus, Iran

Why he might be annoying:

    His birth year is sometimes listed as 766.
    He imprisoned many members of the Barmakids, the family of his early advisor Yahya ibn Khalid who helped him rise to power in the first place. (January 28, 803)
    He could be considered a ruthless and violent ruler who wouldn’t hesitate to use force to make ends meet.
    Due to the large size of the Abbasid Caliphate, he often had trouble keeping the empire in order, especially far-flung territories in North Africa had established their own dynasties.
    He gave precedence for his younger son, whose mother was his cousin and main wife, over his older son, whose mother was a slave girl.
    He passed a law ordering Jews to wear yellow belts and Christians to wear blue belts. (807)
    He divided his empire between his sons, resulting in civil war breaking out upon his death.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His name literally means ‘Aaron the Just’.
    His mother was a slave girl.
    He was highly willing to treat his people justly that he often disguised himself while out in the streets in order to learn about their situations.
    Science and culture flourished immensely under his reign.
    He turned Baghdad into a prosperous city.
    He wrote some of the stories of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’.
    He maintained friendly relations with Charlemagne and the Tang Dynasty.
    He even sent Charlemagne a wide array of gifts and granting Christians free access to the Holy Land after receiving gifts from him earlier. (802)

Credit: Big Lenny


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 40 Votes: 15.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 19 Votes: 10.53% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 44 Votes: 50.0% Annoying