Al Ma’ Mum

The Abbasid caliph Al-Ma’mum (786-813) is best known for sponoring the translation of Greek Philosophy into Arabic and For Promoting The Activity of mathematicians, astronomers, engineers, physicians and cartographers. In his own time, however, he was a wildly controversial figure: having come to power by overthrowing the central government in Baghdad and killing his half brother, the caliph al-amin, he astonished his contemporaries by choosing a member of the rival house of Ali as his heir apparent.