Tulunids

Ṭūlūnids
طولونيون (ar)
Vassal of the Abbasid caliphate
868–905
Map of the Tulunid Dynasty in the Modern Day Boundaries of the Arab world
Capital		Al-Qata'i
Languages		Arabic (predominant), Turkic (army)
Religion		Islam (predominant), Coptic Christians
Government		Emirate
Emir
•	868–884	Aḥmad ibn Ṭūlūn
•	884–896	Khumarawaih ibn Ahmad ibn Tulun
History
•	Established	868
•	Disestablished	905
Area		1,500,000 km² (579,153 sq mi)
Currency		Dinar
Preceded by Succeeded by Abbasid caliphate Abbasid caliphate

in Anatolia
Artuqid dynasty
Saltuqid dynasty
in Azerbaijan
Ahmadili dynasty
Ildenizid dynasty
in Egypt
Tulunid dynasty
Ikhshidid dynasty
in Fars
Salghurid dynasty
in The Levant
Burid dynasty
Zengid dynasty
in Yemen
Rasulid dynasty

The Tulunids (Arabic: الطولونيون‎‎, Turkish: Tulunoğulları) were a dynasty of Turkic origin and were the first independent dynasty to rule Islamic Egypt, as well as much of Syria. They remained independent from 868, when they broke away from the central authority of the Abbasid dynasty that ruled the Islamic Caliphate, until 905, when the Abbasids restored the Tulunid domains to their control.

In the late 9th century, internal conflict amongst the Abbasids meant that control of the outlying areas of the empire was increasingly tenuous, and in 868 the Turkic officer Ahmad ibn Tulun established himself as an independent governor of Egypt. He subsequently achieved nominal autonomy from the central Abbasid government. During his reign (868–884) and those of his successors, the Tulunid domains were expanded to include Jordan Rift Valley, as well as Hijaz, Cyprus and Crete. Ahmad was succeeded by his son Khumarawayh, whose military and diplomatic achievements made him a major player in the Middle Eastern political stage. The Abbasids affirmed their recognition of the Tulunids as legitimate rulers, and the dynasty's status as vassals to the caliphate. After Khumarawayh's death, his successor emirs were ineffectual rulers, allowing their Turkic and black slave-soldiers to run the affairs of the state. In 905, the Tulunids were unable to resist an invasion by the Abbasid troops, who restored direct caliphal rule in Syria and Egypt.