Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik 691 – 743
Biography
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik was born on January 1, 691, in Damascus during a transformative period in Islamic history. He would go on to serve as the tenth Umayyad caliph, inheriting a vast empire that stretched across three continents. His life spanned fifty-two years, a substantial tenure for a ruler of his era, during which he oversaw significant developments within the Umayyad caliphate.
His reign was marked by the responsibilities of leading one of history’s most expansive Islamic empires. As caliph, Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik navigated the complex political and administrative challenges that came with governing such a widespread realm. The position placed him at the center of religious, military, and civil authority during a crucial period in Islamic civilization.
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik passed away on February 10, 743, in Resafa, succumbing to diphtheria at the age of fifty-two. His death marked the end of an important chapter in Umayyad history. Though the specifics of his burial location remain unrecorded, his legacy endured through the historical record and the impact of his caliphate on the Islamic world and beyond.