Who Were the Barmakids?

The Barmakids were a distinguished family whose origins trace back to the city of Balkh in present-day Afghanistan. They began as Zoroastrian priests before converting to Islam. Their name derives from their ancestor Barmak, who was a high priest at the Nawbahar temple – one of the most famous Zoroastrian temples in Balkh.

Barmak was one of the chief priests of the temple, and his descendants followed in his footsteps. Some of his progeny converted to Islam and became leaders of the Abbasid movement in Khorasan. Khalid ibn Barmak was one of the prominent advocates for the Abbasid caliphate in his region, and he was chosen by Caliph Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah to be his vizier.

The Barmakids in the Abbasid Golden Age

The Barmakid family became the crown jewel of the Abbasid state due to their virtues, generosity, and significant contributions, particularly during the reign of Harun al-Rashid. Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki was responsible for raising Harun al-Rashid, and his wife was Harun’s wet nurse. Yahya played a crucial role in securing Harun’s succession when Musa al-Hadi attempted to depose him.

Yahya managed Harun’s affairs until the caliph entrusted him with all matters of state. His son al-Fadl ibn Yahya was Harun’s foster brother and was responsible for raising al-Amin, Harun’s son. Al-Fadl successfully quashed the rebellion of Yahya ibn Abdullah in Daylam and governed Khorasan and other regions. He established a large army of 50,000 soldiers who were directly loyal to him, calling them the ‘Abbasiyya.

Ja’far ibn Yahya al-Barmaki was Harun’s close companion and confidant. He suppressed tribal conflicts in Syria in 800 CE and was later appointed governor of Khorasan, Syria, and Egypt. Harun also entrusted him with the upbringing of his son al-Ma’mun. Musa, the third son of Yahya, was a great military commander who governed Syria in 802 CE. The fourth son, Muhammad, remains a mysterious figure in history with no clear record of his role.

The Origins of the Barmakids

There are several accounts about the origins of the Barmakids. According to one narrative, they came from prominent families of Balkh, and their ancestor Barmak was a Zoroastrian priest who served at the Nawbahar temple. The Nawbahar was a fire temple in Balkh that was highly revered, where fires were kept burning continuously.

The temple was built with the highest architecture, and green silk banners were raised on its highest point, each banner being a hundred cubits long or more. The kings of that region held its priests in high esteem, submitted to their authority, and sent them gifts. The priest in charge was called Barmak, a title given to all who served in this capacity. Therefore, the Barmakids were named after this title because Khalid ibn Barmak descended from those who served at this temple.