Al-Khayzuran was born in Jorash, near modern
Bisha,
Saudi Arabia. She was kidnapped from her home by a
Bedouin who then sold her in a slave market near
Mecca to Al-Mahdi during his pilgrimage. Officially it was illegal for Muslims to enslave Muslims, however all sources are nevertheless adamant that she was a slave, and to break the official rule barring the enslavement of Muslims was not an unusual in practice in that context. She eventually became the favorite of Al-Mahdi. Upon his succession as caliph in 775, she convinced him to free and marry her; depriving his first wife, Princess
Rayta (daughter of Caliph
Al-Saffah) of her privileges as well as demoting her son from the position of heir to the throne. Instead, Al-Mahdi name Al-Khayzuran's sons as his heirs, despite the fact that it went against custom for the sons of a slave to be so named. As a queen, al-Khayzuran now held supreme authority over the caliph's harem; even the caliph had to behave in this area according to her wishes. She quickly took over the management of this complex institution, from social life to the planning of parties and ceremonies, including the management of the large sums of money that come in. From that point on, she was the most powerful and influential woman in the empire, accompanying Al-Mahdi whenever he held court. She hidden behind a curtain, and if she did not agree with something, she would place her hand on his back out of sight. Al-Khayzuran had direct access to the caliph at all times: her suggestions were always adopted, individuals she recommended were favored and promoted, and at her intercession he forgave enemies or commuted death sentences. her father caused a scandal by demanding public condolences, which was not deemed correct for a daughter.
Reign of Musa al-Hadi In 785, Al-Mahdi died during an expedition with his son Harun, who rushed back to Baghdad to inform her. Her two sons were also absent from the city, and to secure the succession for her son, she called upon the viziers and ordered them to pay the wages of the army to secure order, and then had them swear allegiance to her son as their new Caliph in his absence. when the
Abbasid harem was established. Despite his opposition, Al-Hadi did not manage to disturb his mother's extraordinary authority base, and she refused to retire from politics into the harem. The conflict was finally exposed in public when she interceded in favor of a supplicant, Abdallah
ibn Malik, and publicly demanded a reply from her son, who lost his temper and openly yelled at her and said: :"Wait a moment and listen well to my words ... . Whoever from among my entourage - my generals, my servants - comes to you with a petition will have his head cut off and his property confiscated. What is the meaning of those retinues that throng around your door every day? Don't you have a spindle to keep you busy, a Koran for praying, a residence in which to hide from those besieging you? Watch yourself, and woe to you if you open your mouth in favour of anyone at all." When she died in 789, her son broke the rules which demanded that he show no sorrow, and instead publicly demonstrated his sorrow and participated in her funeral, which attracted much attention. ==Family==