List of caliphs

A caliph is the supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state known as the caliphate.^[1][2] Caliphs led the Muslim Ummah as political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad,^[3] and widely-recognised caliphates have existed in various forms for most of Islamic history.^[4]

Caliph خَليفة (khalīfah)
Style	Amir al-Mu'minin
Residence	Major caliphates Medina, Saudi Arabia (632–656) Kufa, Iraq (656–661, 750–762) Damascus, Syria (661–744) Mecca, Saudi Arabia (683–692) Harran, Turkey (744–750) Baghdad, Iraq (762–836, 892–1258) Samarra, Iraq (836–892) Mansouria, Tunisia (969–973) Cairo, Egypt (973–1171, 1261–1517) Istanbul, Turkey (1517–1924) Parallel regional caliphates Cordoba, Spain (929–1031) Marrakesh, Morocco (1147–1269) Sokoto, Nigeria (1804–1903)
Appointer	Hereditary (since 661)
Precursor	Muhammad
Formation	8 June 632
First holder	Abu Bakr
Final holder	Abdulmejid II
Abolished	3 March 1924 (as political office in Turkey)

The first caliphate, the Rashidun Caliphate, was ruled by the four Rashidun caliphs (Arabic: الخلفاء الراشدون, lit. 'Rightly Guided Caliphs'), Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, who are considered by Sunni Muslims to have been the most virtuous and pure caliphs. They were chosen by popular acclamation or by a small committee, in contrast with the following caliphates, which were mostly hereditary.^[5] On the other hand, Shiites only recognise Ali and consider the first three caliphs to be usurpers.

The Rashidun caliphate ended with the First Fitna, which transferred authority to the Umayyad dynasty that presided over the Umayyad Caliphate, the largest caliphate and the last one to actively rule the entire Muslim world.^[6]

The Abbasid Revolution overthrew the Ummayads and instituted the Abbasid dynasty which ruled over the Abbasid Caliphate.^[7] The Abbassid Caliphate was initially strong and united, but gradually fractured into several states whose rulers only paid lip service to the caliph in Baghdad. There were also rivals to the Abbasids who claimed the caliphates for themselves, such as the Isma'ili Shia Fatimids, the Sunni Ummayyads in Córdoba and the Almohads, who followed their own doctrine. When Baghdad fell to the Mongols, the Abbassid family relocated to Cairo, where they continued to claim caliphal authority, but had no political power, and actual authority was in the hands of the Mamluk Sultanate.

After the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil III was taken to Constantinople, where he surrendered the caliphate to the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. The caliphate then remained in the House of Osman until after the First World War. The Ottoman Sultanate was abolished in 1922 by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The head of the House of Osman, Abdulmejid II, retained the title of caliph for two more years, after which the caliphate was abolished in 1924.

In March 1924, when the Ottoman Caliphate was abolished, Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz proclaimed himself Caliph. In October 1924, facing defeat by Ibn Saud, he abdicated and was succeeded as king by his eldest son Ali. After Hejaz was subsequently completely invaded by the Ibn Saud-Wahhabi armies of the Ikhwan, on 23 December 1925, Hussein surrendered to the Saudis, bringing the Kingdom of Hejaz, the Sharifate of Mecca and the Sharifian Caliphate to an end.^{[nb 1][8]}

Rashidun Caliphate (632–661)

Main articles: Rashidun and Rashidun Caliphate

Calligraphic name	Name (in Arabic)	Born (CE)	Reigned from (CE)	Reigned until (CE)	Died	Relationship with Muhammad	House
	Abu Bakr (أبو بكر الصديق)	573	8 June 632	22 August 634		Father of Aisha, Muhammad's wife	Banu Taim
	Umar (عمر بن الخطاب)	584	23 August 634	3 November 644 (assassinated by Abu Lu'lu'a Firuz)		Father of Hafsa, Muhammad's wife	Banu Adi
	Uthman (عثمان بن عفان)	579	11 November 644	20 June 656 (assassinated at the end of a siege upon his house; see First Fitna)		Husband of Muhammad's daughters, Ruqayya and later Umm Kulthum, and grandson of Muhammad's paternal aunt	Banu Ummaya
	Ali (علي بن أبي طالب)	601	20 June 656	29 January 661 (assassinated while praying in the Mosque of Kufa; see First Fitna)		Muhammad's cousin, and husband of Fatimah, Muhammad's daughter, and Umamah bint Zainab, Muhammad's granddaughter	Banu Hashim

Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)

Main article: Umayyad Caliphate

Image/Coin	Name	Born	Reigned from	Reigned until	Died	Relation with predecessor
	Mu'awiya I	602	661	29 April or 1 May 680		Second cousin of Uthman
	Yazid I	647	680	11 November 683		Son of Mu'awiya I
	Mu'awiya II	664	November 683	684		Son of Yazid I
	Marwan I	623–626	684	7 May 685		First cousin of Uthman
	Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan	646	685	8 October 705		Son of Marwan I
	Al-Walid I	668	October 705	23 February 715		Son of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
	Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik	674	February 715	22 September 717		Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid I
	Umar II	2 November 682	September 717	February 720		Nephew of Abd al-Malik First cousin of Al-Walid I and Sulayman Great-grandson of Umar through a maternal line
	Yazid II	687	10 February 720	26 January 724		Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid I and Sulayman
	Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik	691	26 January 724	6 February 743		Son of Abd al-Malik Brother of al-Walid I, Sulayman and Yazid II
	Al-Walid II	709	6 February 743	17 April 744 (assassinated)		Son of Yazid II
	Yazid III	701	17 April 744	3/4 October 744		Son of Al-Walid I
	Ibrahim ibn al-Walid		744 (few weeks)		25 January 750 (executed)	Son of Al-Walid I
	Marwan II	691	744	6 August 750 (killed)		Nephew of Abd al-Malik Cousin of Al-Walid I, Sulayman, Umar II, Yazid II and Hisham.

Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)

Main article: Abbasid Caliphate

Coin	Regnal name	Personal name	Born	Reigned from	Reigned until	Died	Parents
	Al-Saffāḥ	Abul-'Abbās 'Abdallah	721	25 January 750	10 June 754		Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah Rayta bint Ubaydallah al-Harsia
	Al-Mansur	Abu Ja'far 'Abdallah	714	10 June 754	775		Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah Sallamah
	Al-Mahdi	Abu 'Abdallah Muhammad	744/745	775	4 August 785		Al-Mansur, Abbasid Caliph Arwa bint Mansur al-Himyari
	Al-Hadi	Abu Muhammad Musa	764	August 785	14 September 786		Al-Mahdi, Abbasid Caliph Al-Khayzuran bint 'Atta
	Al-Rashid	Harun	763/766	14 September 786	24 March 809		Al-Mahdi, Abbasid Caliph Al-Khayzuran bint 'Atta
	Al-Amin	Muhammad	787	March 809	24/25 September 813		Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph Zubaidah bint Ja`far ibn al-Mansur
	Al-Ma'mun	Abu al-Abbas 'Abdallah	13/14 September 786	September 813	9 August 833		Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph Marajil
	Al-Mu'tasim	Abū Ishaq Muhammad	October 796	9 August 833	5 January 842		Harun ar-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph Maridah bint Shabib
	Al-Wathiq	Abu Ja'far Harun	811–813	5 January 842	10 August 847		Al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid Caliph Umm Harun Qaratis
	Al-Mutawakkil	Ja'far	February/March 822	10 August 847	11 December 861 (assassinated)		Al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid Caliph Umm Ja'far Shuja
	Al-Muntasir	Abu Ja'far Muhammad	November 837	861	7 or 8 June 862		Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph Hubshiya, a Greek concubine
	Al-Musta'in	Ahmad	836	862	866 (executed)		Muhammad ibn al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid prince Makhariq (concubine)
	Al-Mu'tazz	Abū ʿAbd allāh Muhammad	847	866	869		Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph Qabiha
	Al-Muhtadi	Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad		869	21 June 870		Al-Wathiq, Abbasid Caliph Qurb (greek concubine)
	Al-Mu'tamid	Abu’l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	842	21 June 870	15 October 892		Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph Fityan
	Al-Mu'tadid	Abu'l-'Abbas Ahmad	854/861	October 892	5 April 902		Al-Muwaffaq, Abbasid prince and Commander-in-chief Dirar
	Al-Muktafi	Abu Muhammad ʿAlî	877/878	5 April 902	13 August 908		Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph Jijak
	Al-Muqtadir	Abu al-Fadl Ja'far	895	13 August 908	929	31 October 932 (killed)	Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph Shaghab
	Al-Qahir	Abu Mansur Muhammad	899	929		950	Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph Fitnah
	Al-Muqtadir	Abu al-Fadl Ja'far	895	929	31 October 932 (killed)		Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph Shaghab
	Al-Qahir	Abu Mansur Muhammad	899	31 October 932	934	950	Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph Fitnah
	Al-Radi	Abu al-'Abbas Muhammad	December 909	934	23 December 940		Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph Zalum
	Al-Muttaqi	Abu Ishaq Ibrahim	908	940	944	July 968	Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph Khalub also known as Zuhra
	Al-Mustakfi	Abu’l-Qasim 'Abdallah	905	September 944	January 946	September/October 949	Al-Muktafi, Abbasid Caliph Ghusn, Greek concubine
	Al-Muti	Abu al-Qasim al-Faḍl	914	January 946	5 August 974	12 October 974	Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph Mash'ala
	Al-Ta'i'	Abd al-Karīm	932	974	991	3 August 1003	Al-Muti, Abbasid Caliph Utb (Greek concubine)
	Al-Qadir	Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad ibn Ishaq ibn al-Muqtadir	947	1 November 991	29 November 1031		Ishaq ibn al-Muqtadir, Abbasid prince Dimna
	Al-Qa'im	Abu Ja'far Abdallah	1001	29 November 1031	2 April 1075		Al-Qadir, Abbasid Caliph Badr al-Dija also known as Qatr al-Nida
	Al-Muqtadi	Abū'l-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im	1056	2 April 1075	February 1094		Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im Abbasid prince, Urjuman, (Armenian concubine)
	Al-Mustazhir	Abū l-ʿAbbās Ahmad	April/May 1078	February 1094	6 August 1118		Al-Muqtadi, Abbasid Caliph Taif al-Afwah (Egyptian)
	Al-Mustarshid	Abū'l-Manṣūr al-Faḍl	April/May 1092	6 August 1118	29 August 1135		Al-Mustazhir, Abbasid Caliph Lubaba
	Al-Rashid Billah	Abu Jaʿfar Manṣūr	1109	29 August 1135	1136	6 June 1138 (killed by Hashshashins)	Al-Mustarshid, Abbasid Caliph Khushf
	Al-Muqtafi	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad	9 March 1096	1136	12 March 1160		Al-Mustazhir, Abbasid Caliph Ashin Umm Muhammad
	Al-Mustanjid	Abū'l-Muẓaffar Yūsuf	1124	12 March 1160	20 December 1170		Al-Muqtafi, Abbasid Caliph Thawus
	Al-Mustadi	Hassan	1142	20 December 1170	30 March 1180		Al-Mustanjid, Abbasid Caliph Ghadha
	Al-Nasir	Abu'l-ʿAbbās Ahmad	6 August 1158	2 March 1180	4 October 1225		Al-Mustadi, Abbasid Caliph Sayyida Zumurrud
	Al-Zahir	Abu Nasr Muhammad	1176	5 October 1225	11 July 1226		Al-Nasir, Abbasid Caliph Asma
	Al-Mustansir	Abû Ja`far al-Manṣūr	17 February 1192	11 July 1226	2 December 1242		Az-Zahir, Abbasid Caliph Zahra
	Al-Musta'sim	Abu Ahmad Abdallah	1213	2 December 1242	20 February 1258		Al-Mustansir, Abbasid Caliph Hajir

During the later period of Abbasid rule, Muslim rulers began using other titles, such as Amir al-umara and Sultan.

Mamluk Abbasid dynasty (1261–1517)

Main article: Mamluk Sultanate

The Cairo Abbasids were largely ceremonial Caliphs under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultanate that existed after the takeover of the Ayyubid dynasty.^[9][10]

Regnal name	Personal name	Reign	Parents
Al-Mustansir	Abu al-Qasim Ahmad	13 June 1261 – 28 November 1261	Az-Zahir
Al-Hakim I	Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad	16 November 1262 – 19 January 1302	Abu 'Ali al-Hasan
Al-Mustakfi I	Abu ar-Rabi' Sulaiman	20 January 1302 – February 1340	Al-Hakim I
Al-Wathiq I	Abu Ishaq Ibrahim	February 1340 – 17 June 1341	Muhammad, son of Al-Hakim I
Al-Hakim II	Abu al-'Abbas Ahmad	1341–1352	Al-Mustakfi I
Al-Mu'tadid I	Abu Bakr	1352–1362	Al-Mustakfi I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1362–1377	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Musta’sim	Abu Yahya Zakariya	1377	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1377–1383	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Wathiq II	'Umar	September 1383 – 13 November 1386	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Musta'sim	Abu Yahya Zakariya	1386–1389	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1389 – 9 January 1406	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Musta'in	Abu al-Fadl al-'Abbas	22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414	Al-Mutawakkil I Bay Khatun
Al-Mu'tadid II	Abu al-Fath Dawud	1414–1441	Al-Mutawakkil I Kazal
Al-Mustakfi II	Abu ar-Rabi' Sulayman	1441 – 29 January 1451	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Qa'im	Abu Al-Baqa Hamzah	1451–1455	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Mustanjid	Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf	1455 – 7 April 1479	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Mutawakkil II	Abu al-'Izz 'Abdul 'Aziz	5 April 1479 – 27 September 1497	Ya'qub bin Al-Mutawakkil I Haj al-Malik
Al-Mustamsik	Abu as-Sabr	1497–1508	Al-Mutawakkil II
Al-Mutawakkil III	Muhammad	1508–1516	Al-Mustamsik
Al-Mustamsik	Abu as-Sabr	1516–1517	Al-Mutawakkil II
Al-Mutawakkil III	Muhammad	1517	Al-Mustamsik

Ottoman Caliphate (1517–1924)

Main article: Ottoman Caliphate

The head of the Ottoman dynasty was just entitled Sultan originally, but soon it started accumulating titles assumed from subjected peoples.^[11][12] Murad I (reigned 1362–1389) was the first Ottoman claimant to the title of Caliph; claimed the title after conquering Edirne.^[13]

Image	Tughra	Name	Reign	Parents
	Tughra of Selim I	Selim I	1517 – 21 September 1520	Bayezid II Gülbahar Hatun
	Tughra of Suleiman I	Suleiman I	30 September 1520 – 6 or 7 September 1566	Selim I Hafsa Sultan
	Tughra of Selim II	Selim II	29 September 1566 – 21 December 1574	Suleiman I Hürrem Sultan
	Tughra of Murad III	Murad III	22 December 1574 – 16 January 1595	Selim II Nurbanu Sultan
	Tughra of Mehmed III	Mehmed III	27 January 1595 – 20 or 21 December 1603	Murad III Safiye Sultan
	Tughra of Ahmed I	Ahmed I	21 December 1603 – 22 November 1617	Mehmed III Handan Sultan
	Tughra of Mustafa I	Mustafa I	22 November 1617 – 26 February 1618	Mehmed III Halime Sultan
	Tughra of Osman II	Osman II	26 February 1618 – 19 May 1622	Ahmed I Mahfiruz Hatun
	Tughra of Mustafa I	Mustafa I	20 May 1622 – 10 September 1623	Mehmed III Halime Sultan
	Tughra of Murad IV	Murad IV	10 September 1623 – 8 or 9 February 1640	Ahmed I Kösem Sultan
	Tughra of Ibrahim	Ibrahim	9 February 1640 – 8 August 1648	Ahmed I Kösem Sultan
	Tughra of Mehmed IV	Mehmed IV	8 August 1648 – 8 November 1687	Ibrahim Turhan Sultan
	Tughra of Suleiman II	Suleiman II	8 November 1687 – 22 June 1691	Ibrahim Aşub Sultan
	Tughra of Ahmed II	Ahmed II	22 June 1691 – 6 February 1695	Ibrahim Muazzez Sultan
	Tughra of Mustafa II	Mustafa II	6 February 1695 – 22 August 1703	Mehmed IV Gülnuş Sultan
	Tughra of Ahmed III	Ahmed III	22 August 1703 – 1 or 2 October 1730	Mehmed IV Gülnuş Sultan
	Tughra of Mahmud I	Mahmud I	2 October 1730 – 13 December 1754	Mustafa II Saliha Sultan
	Tughra of Osman III	Osman III	13 December 1754 – 29 or 30 October 1757	Mustafa II Şehsuvar Sultan
	Tughra of Mustafa III	Mustafa III	30 October 1757 – 21 January 1774	Ahmed III Mihrişah Kadın
	Tughra of Abdülhamid I	Abdul Hamid I	21 January 1774 – 6 or 7 April 1789	Son of Ahmed III Şermi Kadın
	Tughra of Selim III	Selim III	7 April 1789 – 29 May 1807	Mustafa III Mihrişah Sultan
	Tughra of Mustafa IV	Mustafa IV	29 May 1807 – 28 July 1808	Abdul Hamid I Sineperver Sultan
	Tughra of Mahmud II	Mahmud II	28 July 1808 – 1 July 1839	Abdul Hamid I Nakşidil Sultan
	Tughra of Abdülmecid I	Abdulmejid I	1 July 1839 – 25 June 1861	Mahmud II Bezmiâlem Sultan
	Tughra of Abdulaziz	Abdulaziz	25 June 1861 – 30 May 1876	Mahmud II Pertevniyal Sultan
	Tughra of Murad V	Murad V	30 May 1876 – 31 August 1876	Abdulmejid I Şevkefza Kadın
	Tughra of Abdülhamid II	Abdul Hamid II	31 August 1876 – 27 April 1909	Abdulmejid I Tirimüjgan Kadın
	Tughra of Mehmed V	Mehmed V	27 April 1909 – 3 July 1918	Abdulmejid I Gülcemal Kadın
	Tughra of Mehmed VI	Mehmed VI	4 July 1918 – 1 November 1922	Abdulmejid I Gülüstü Hanım
	— [nb 2]	Abdulmejid II	18 November 1922 – 3 March 1924	Abdulaziz Hayranidil Kadın;[14]

The Office of the Ottoman Caliphate was transferred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey which dissolved the office on March 3, 1924, in keeping with the policies of secularism that were adopted in the early years of the Republic of Turkey by its President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. After the abolition of the Caliphate, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey founded the Presidency of Religious Affairs as the new highest Islamic religious authority in the country.

Sharifian Caliphate (1924–1925)

Main article: Sharifian Caliphate

Map with the kingdom in green and the current region in red.

A last attempt at restoring the caliphal office and style with ecumenical recognition was made by Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz and Sharif of Mecca, who assumed both on 11 March 1924 and held them until 3 October 1924, when he passed the kingship to his son `Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Hashimi, who did not adopted the caliphal office and style.^[15] Like the Fatimid caliphs, he was a descendant of Muhammad through a grandson of Hasan ibn Ali. Hussein's claim for caliphate was not accepted by the Wahhabi and Salafi movements, and in 1925 he was driven from Hejaz by the forces of Ibn Saud as an outcome of the Second Saudi-Hashemite War. He continued to use the title of caliph during his remaining life in exile, until his death in 1931.

Image	Name	Reign	Parents
	Hussein bin Ali	3 March 1924 – 19 December 1925 (as reigning caliph)/4 June 1931 (as titular caliph in the exile)	Ali bin Muhammad Salah Bani-Shahar

Other caliphates

Hasan ibn Ali's Caliphate (661)

Main article: Hasan ibn Ali

After Ali was killed, the governor of Syria Mu'awiya led his army toward Kufa, where Ali's son Hasan ibn Ali had been nominated as Ali's successor.^[16][17] Mu'awiya successfully bribed Ubayd Allah ibn Abbas, the commander of Hasan's vanguard, to desert his post, and sent envoys to negotiate with Hasan.^[18] In return for a financial settlement, Hasan abdicated and Mu'awiya entered Kufa in July or September 661 and was recognized as caliph. This year is considered by a number of the early Muslim sources as 'the year of unity' and is generally regarded as the start of Mu'awiya's caliphate.^[19][20] Hasan abdicated as caliph after ruling for six or seven months.

Calligraphic/Coin	Name (and titles)	Birth	Reigned from	Reigned until	Death	Relationship with Muhammad (or previous Caliph)	Parents	House
	Hasan ibn Ali (حسن بن علي) Ahl al-Bayt Al-Mujtaba	624	661 (six or seven months)		670	Grandson of Muhammad Son of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib	'Ali ibn Abi-Talib, fourth Rashidun Caliph and first Imam of Shia Islam Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad and his first wife Khadijah	Banu Hashim

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr's Caliphate (684–692)

Main article: Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, the nephew of Aisha, the third wife of Muhammad, led a rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in 684 AD. He was proclaimed caliph in Mecca but was defeated and killed there in 692 AD after a six-month siege by general Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.^[21]

Coin	Name (and titles)	Birth	Reigned from	Reigned until	Death	Parents	House
	Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (عبد الله ابن الزبير)	May, 624 AD	November 683 AD	November 692 AD	November 692 AD	al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam Asma bint Abi Bakr,	Banu Asad

Talib al-Haqq (747–748)

Main article: Talib al-Haqq

Calligraphic/Coin	Name (and titles)	Birth	Reigned from	Reigned until	Death	Parents	House
	Talib al-Haqq (طالب الحق)	709	745	748	749

Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171)

Main articles: Fatimid Caliphate and List of Fatimid caliphs

Caliphate of Fatimid dynasty

Image/Coin	Regnal name	Personal name	Born	Reigned from	Reigned until	Died	Parents
	al-Mahdi Billah	Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn	874	27 August 909	4 March 934		Abd Allah al-Radi
	al-Qāʾim bi-Amr Allāh	Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh	893	4 March 934	17 May 946		Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah
	al-Mansur Billah	Abu Tahir Isma'il	914	17 May 946	18 March 953		al-Qa'im Karima
	al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah	Abu Tamim Ma'ad al-Muizz li-Din Allah	931	19 March 953	21 December 975		al-Mansur Billah
	al-Aziz Billah	Abu al-Mansur Nizar	955	18 December 975	13 October 996		al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah Al-Sayyida al-Mu'iziyya
	al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah	Abū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr	985	14 October 996	13 February 1021		al-Aziz Billah as-Sayyidah al-'Azīziyyah
	al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din Allah	Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥākim	1005	28 March 1021	13 June 1036		al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah
	al-Mustansir Billah	Abū Tamīm Maʿad al-Mustanṣir biʾllāh	1029	13 June 1036	29 December 1094		al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din Allah Rasad
	al-Musta'li Billah	Abū al-Qāsim Aḥmad ibn al-Mustanṣir	1074	29/30 December 1094	11/12 December 1101		al-Mustansir Billah
	al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah	Abū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr ibn al-Mustaʿlī	1096	11 December 1101	7 October 1130		al-Musta'li
	al-Hafiz li-Din Allah	Abūʾl-Maymūn ʿAbd al-Majīd ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Mustanṣir	1074/5 or 1075/6	23 January 1132	10 October 1149		Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Mustansir Billah
	al-Ẓāfir bi-Aʿdāʾ Allāh	Abū al-Manṣūr Ismāʿīl ibn al-Ḥāfiẓ	1133	10 October 1149	1 or 15 April 1154		al-Hafiz
	al-Fa'iz bi-Nasr Allah	Abūʾl-Qāsim ʿĪsā ibn al-Ẓāfir	1149	16 April 1154	22 July 1160		al-Zafir
	al-ʿĀḍid li-Dīn Allāh	Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yūsuf	1151	23 July 1160	13 September 1171		Yusuf ibn al-Hafiz li-Din Allah

Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031)

Main article: Caliphate of Córdoba

(Not universally accepted; actual authority confined to Spain and parts of Maghreb)^[22][23]

Name	Reign	Parents
Abd-ar-Rahman III	929–961	Muhammad ibn Abdullah son of the Emir of Córdoba Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Umawi Muzna
Al-Hakam II	961–976	Abd-ar-Rahman III Murjan
Hisham II al-Hakam	976–1009	Al-Hakam II Subh
Muhammad II	1009	Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III Muzna
Sulayman ibn al-Hakam	1009–1010	Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III Thabiya
Hisham II al-Hakam	1010–1013	Al-Hakam II Subh
Sulayman ibn al-Hakam	1013–1016	Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III Thabiya
Abd ar-Rahman IV	1021–1022	Mohammed, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Abd ar-Rahman V	1022–1023	Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III Ghala
Muhammad III	1023–1024	Abd ar-Rahman bin Ubayd Allah bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III Hawra
Hisham III	1027–1031	Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Malik bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III 'Ateb

Almohad Caliphate (1145–1269)

Main article: Almohad Empire

(Not widely accepted, actual dominions were parts of North Africa and Iberia)^[24][25]

The Almohad Empire at its greatest extent (c. 1200)

• Ibn Tumart 1121–1130
• Abd al-Mu'min 1130–1163
• Abu Ya'qub Yusuf I 1163–1184
• Abu Yusuf Ya'qub 'al-Mansur' 1184–1199
• Muhammad al-Nasir 1199–1213
• Abu Ya'qub Yusuf II 'al-Mustansir' 1213–1224
• Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid I 'al-Makhlu' 1224
• Abdallah al-Adil 1224–1227
• Yahya 'al-Mutasim' 1227–1229
• Abu al-Ala Idris I al-Ma'mun, 1229–1232
• Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid II 'al-Rashid' 1232–1242
• Abu al-Hassan Ali 'al-Said' 1242–1248
• Abu Hafs Umar 'al-Murtada', 1248–1266
• Abu al-Ula (Abu Dabbus) Idris II 'al-Wathiq' 1266–1269

Almohad family tree

Ali al-Kumi Abd al-Mu'min (1) Muhammad Abu Yaqub Yusuf I (2) Abu al-Hassan Ali Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman Abu Zakariya Abd al-Rahman Abu Abd al-Rahman Yaqub Abu Ibrahim Ismail Abu Said Uthman Abu Ali al-Hussein Abu Muhammad Abd Allah Abu Musa Isa Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Abu al-Rabi Sulayman Abu Imran Musa Abu Hafs Umar Abu Yusuf Yaqub 'al-Mansur' (3) Abu al-Ula Idris the Old Abu Yahya Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Abu Hafs Umar 'al-Rashid' Abu Zayd Muhammad Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid I 'al-Makhlu' (6) Abu Ibrahim Ishaq 'al-Tahir' Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman Abu Zakariya Yahya Abu al-Hassan Ali Abu Yusuf Yaqub Abu al-Rabi Sulayman Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Muhammad al-Nasir (4) Abdallah al-Adil (7) Abu Muhammad Said Abu Musa Ibrahim Abu Said Abu al-Ala Idris I 'al-Ma'mun' (9) Abu Hafs Umar 'al-Murtada' (12) Abu Zayd Abu Ishaq Abu Dabbus Idris II 'al-Wathiq' (13) Abu Ali Abd Allah 'al-Bayyansi' Abu Zayd Yahya 'al'Mutasim' (8) Musa Zakariya Ali Yusuf II 'al'Mustansir' (5) Abu al-Hassan Ali 'al-Said' (11) Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid II 'al-Rashid' (10)

Bornu and Songhai Empires (15th/16th century)

Main articles: Bornu Empire and Songhai Empire

The Bornu Empire at its greatest extent (c. 1750)

Songhai Empire at its greatest extent (c. 1500)

Several rulers of West Africa adopted the title of Caliph. Mai Ali Ghaji ibn Dunama was the first ruler of Bornu Empire to assume the title. Askia Mohammad I of Songhai Empire also assumed the title around the same time.^[26]

Indian caliphates (late medieval/early modern)

Since the 12th century, despite the South Asian domination of numerous Muslim empires, kingdoms and sultanates, Islamic caliphates were not fully attempted to be established across the Indian subcontinent. However, under the sharia based reigns of Sunni emperors such as Alauddin Khalji, Mughal Empire's Aurangzeb, and Mysore's rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, absolute forms of caliphates clearly appeared. These largely impacted the French-Italian emperor Napoleone Bonaparte and soldiers of the British Empire.^{[27][28][29][30]}

Sokoto Caliphate (1804–1903)

Main article: Sokoto Caliphate

The Sokoto Caliphate (pink) at its greatest extent (c. 1800)

(Not widely accepted, actual dominions were parts of West Africa)

Established by Tariqa Islamic scholar and religious leader Usman dan Fodio through the Fulani War (alternatively known as the Fulani Jihad), which sought to reduce the influence of pre-Islamic religious practices and spread a more vigorous form of Islam through the auspices of a Caliphate.

Ahmadiyya Caliphate (1908–present)

Main article: Khalifatul Masih § List of Ahmadiyya Caliphs

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Flag.

The Khalīfatul Masīh (Arabic: خليفة المسيح; Urdu: خلیفہ المسیح; English: Successor of the Messiah), sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah (i.e. Caliph, successor), is the elected spiritual and organizational leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who had taken the titles of Mahdi and Messiah of Islam.^{[nb 3]} The Caliph is believed to be divinely guided and is also referred to by members of current Khalifatul Masih is Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

After the death of Ghulam Ahmad, his successors directed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community from Qadian in Punjab, British India, which remained the headquarters of the community until 1947 with the independence of Pakistan. From this time on, the headquarters moved to and remained in Rabwah, a town built on land bought in Pakistan by the community in 1948. In 1984, Ordinance XX was promulgated by the government of Pakistan which rendered the Khalifatul Masih unable to perform his duties and put the very institution in jeopardy. Due to these circumstances, Khalifatul Masih IV left Pakistan and migrated to London, England, provisionally moving the headquarters to the Fazl Mosque.^[34]

Islamic State (2014–present)

Further information: Worldwide caliphate

On 29 June 2014, the Islamic State proclaimed the return of the Islamic caliphate, with its first caliph as Amir al-Mu'minin Abu Bakr Ibrahim bin Awwad Al-Badri Al-Husaini Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi As-sammera'i al-Baghdadi.^[35][36] The caliphate's claimed territory at its peak controlled 12 million people. At its height, Islamic State ruled territories in various countries including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria, Libya, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Congo, Yemen, and the Sinai region in Egypt, in addition to running guerrilla cells in many other countries.^{[37][38][failed verification]}

In 2014–15, dozens of Salafi Jihadi groups^[39] and scholars^[40] around the world pledged allegiance to ISIS-claimed Caliphate.

On 10 April 2018, during a rally of U.S. President Donald Trump in Elkhart, Indiana in support of Mike Braun’s bid for the US Senate, Vice President Mike Pence referred to ISIS as a Caliphate, claiming "ISIS is on the run, their Caliphate has crumbled, and we will soon drive them out of existence once and for all."^[41]

The Islamic State of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the militant jihadist organization prescribed by many states as a terrorist organization, and the founding organization of the Islamic State caliphate. Were severely degraded in operational capability, subscribers and territorial control during the military intervention in Iraq and Syria by the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, and in Syria by the Russian military intervention.^[42]

As of early, 2022 Islamic State occupies some territory in Nigeria and has 3 million people under its rule;^[43] and also it continues to maintain control over some rural uninhabited areas in both Iraq and Syria^[44][45]

No.	Image	Caliph	Date of birth	Reigned from	Reigned until
1		Abu-Bakr Ibrahim bin Awwad al-Baghdadi	28 July 1971	29 June 2014	27 October 2019
2		Abu-Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi	October 1976	31 October 2019	3 February 2022
3		Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi	Unknown	10 March 2022	15 October 2022
4		Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi	Unknown	30 November 2022	29 April 2023
5		Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi	Unknown	3 August 2023	Present

Timeline

See also

• Worldwide caliphate
• Shah
• Emir
• Shaykh al-Islām
  • List of Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire
• Grand Imam of al-Azhar
  • List of grand imams of al-Azhar
  • List of presidents of Al-Azhar University
• Mouride#Leadership
• Succession to Muhammad
• History of Islam
• Shia Islam
• Sunni Islam
• Sharifate of Mecca

Notes

1. The legitimacy of his Caliphate is disputed; however, the date of end can be assigned to his loss of the Harayman, in 1925 or to his death, in 1931. Both interpretations can be found in sources.
2. Abdulmejid II, the last Ottoman Caliph, lacked a tughra of his own, since he did not serve as head of state (that position being held by Mustafa Kemal, President of the newly founded Republic of Turkey) but as a religious and royal figurehead.
3. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the founder of the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam. The Sunni mainstream and the majority of Muslims reject the sect as it believes in prophethood after Muhammad;^[31][32][33] see also Persecution of Ahmadis on this topic.

References

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32. "The Ahmadiyyah Movement – Islamic Studies – Oxford Bibliographies – obo". Retrieved 2018-09-03.
33. "Ghulam Ahmad, Mirza – Oxford Islamic Studies Online". www.oxfordislamicstudies.com. Retrieved 2018-09-08. Founder of Ahmadi movement in Punjab, India, in 1889... The movement is labeled non-Muslim and fiercely opposed by Muslims, although the group considers itself Muslim.
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39. Power rankings April 2015
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45. "IS's concern continues to be maintaining control in places like the Muqdadiya and Khanaqin districts, Hawija, and Tarmiya https://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2023/02/violence-drops-in-iraq-in-january-2023.html

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