Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun

Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun ibn Hammud (Arabic: القاسم المأمون بن حمّود, died 1036) was an Arab Caliph of Córdoba in Muslim Spain for two periods, 1018 to 1021, and again for a short time in 1023 until he was driven from the city.^[1]

Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun القاسم المأمون
7th Caliph of Córdoba (first period)
Reign	1018 – 1021
Predecessor	Ali ibn Hammud al-Nasir
Successor	Yahya ibn Ali
(second period)
Reign	1023
Predecessor	Yahia ibn Ali
Successor	Abd al-Rahman V
Brother	Ali ibn Hammud al-Nasir
Names Al-Qasim al-Ma'mun ibn Hammud (Arabic: القاسم المأمون بن حمود)
Dynasty	Hammudid
Religion	Zaīdī Shī'a Islam

Al-Qasim was the brother of the Caliph Ali ibn Hammud al-Nasir and claimed the throne on 28 March 1018 shortly after his brother was assassinated.^[2] His reign was described in Ibn al-Khatib's A'mal al-a'lam.^[3]

At the outset of al-Qasim's reign, conspirators who had been plotting to overthrow his brother convinced the grandson of Abd al-Rahman III, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Malik to claim the throne. On 29 April 1018, the conspirators proclaimed Abd al-Rahman IV caliph. Shortly thereafter Abd al-Rahman IV was killed in a campaign to capture Córdoba. Therefore, for a short period at the outset of his reign the throne was contested with two individuals claiming to be caliph.^[2]

Al-Qasim is a skilled politician and for a while his policies of moderation help him to grow his popularity. Two disgruntled nephews, however, unhappy that al-Qasim was selected as the caliph when their father, Ali ibn Hammud, was assassinated lead partisan Berbers in a campaign to Cordoba to seize the throne. Not wanting to enter into a conflict, al-Qasim flees to Seville.^[4]

Yahya ibn Ali enters the capital and eight days later on 13 August 1021 is proclaimed caliph. Yahya ibn Ali's reign will last only a year and a half before the citizens of Cordoba tired of his arrogance and vanity force him to flee.^[4]

Al-Qasim returns to the capital and retakes the throne on 6 February 1023. The citizens of Cordoba, however, have had enough of Hammudid leadership and six months later in August insurrection and rioting breaks out and causes al-Qasim to flee the city for a second time. Al-Qasim is ultimately found and captured by his nephew Yahya, who has him assassinated.^[4]