Abbas

Abbas, the uncle of Mohammed, at first hostile to him, but ultimately the chief promoter of his religion, was born in 566, and died 652. He was the founder of the family of the Abbasides, who ruled as califs of Bagdad from 750 till the Mongol conquest in 946, but continued to exercise the spiritual functions of the caliphate, first at Bagdad, and from 1258 in Egypt under the protection of the Mamelukes, till 1517, when that dignity passed to the Turkish sultan. See MOHAMMED, CALIF.—The ABBASIDES in Persia were descended from the race of the Sofi, who ascribed their origin to the calif Ali. This race acquired dominion in 1500, and became extinct in 1736. Among them, Abbas I., surnamed the Great, was the most eminent ruler. He came to the throne 1586, and died 1628. His reign was marked by a series of victories over the Turks. In alliance with England, he destroyed, in 1621, the Portuguese colony at Ormuz. See PERSIA.