List of Abbasid caliphs

The Abbasid caliphs were the holders of the Islamic title of caliph who were members of the Abbasid dynasty, a branch of the Quraysh tribe descended from the uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

The family came to power in the Abbasid Revolution in 748–750, supplanting the Umayyad Caliphate. They were the rulers of the Abbasid Caliphate, as well as the generally recognized ecumenical heads of Islam, until the 10th century, when the Shi'a Fatimid Caliphate (established in 909) and the Caliphate of Córdoba (established in 929) challenged their primacy. The political decline of the Abbasids had begun earlier, during the Anarchy at Samarra (861–870), which accelerated the fragmentation of the Muslim world into autonomous dynasties. The caliphs lost their temporal power in 936–946, first to a series of military strongmen and then to the Shi'a Buyid Emirs that seized control of Baghdad; the Buyids were in turn replaced by the Sunni Seljuk Turks in the mid-11th century, and Turkish rulers assumed the title of "Sultan" to denote their temporal authority. The Abbasid caliphs remained the generally recognized suzerains of Sunni Islam, however. In the mid-12th century, the Abbasids regained their independence from the Seljuks, but the revival of Abbasid power ended with the Sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258.

Most Abbasid caliphs were born to a concubine mother, known as umm al-walad (Arabic: أم الولد, lit. 'mother of the child'). The term refers to a slave woman who had a child from her owner; those women were renowned for their beauty and intelligence, in that the owner might recognize the legitimacy of his children from them to be legally free and with full rights of inheritance, and refrain from trading the mothers afterwards. Those concubines where from non-Muslim lands and brought to slavery in the Abbasid Caliphate via a number of different slave trade routes. The slave concubines mostly were Abyssinians, Armenians, Berbers, Byzantine Greeks, Turkish or even from Sicily.

Abbasid Caliphs (750–1258)

This is the list of Abbasid Caliphs.

No.	Reign	Regnal Name	Personal Name	Parents	Notable Events
1	750 – 8 June 754	al-Saffāḥ	Abū’l-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh	Muhammad ibn Ali Rayta bint Ubaydallah al-Harsia	Descendant of al-Abbas, Muhammad's uncle. Founder of the Abbasid dynasty (second dynasty of Islamic Caliphate). Battle of Talas (751) secures Muslim predominance in Central Asia.
2	10 June 754 – 775	al-Manṣūr	Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh	Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdullah Sallamah, (possibly from Nefzaoua)	Nominated heir by his brother caliph Al-Saffah (the founder of Abbasid dynasty) in 754. Al-Mansur was proclaimed Caliph on his way to Mecca in the year 753 CE (136 AH) and was inaugurated the following year. Founder of Baghdad. He was one of the famous Abbasid caliphs. During his reign, a Fugitive Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman I founds the Emirate of Córdoba in al-Andalus (756).
3	775 – 4 August 785	al-Mahdī bi-'llāh	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad	Al-Mansur Umm Musa Arwa bint Mansur al-Himyari	Nominated heir by his father After the death of his father, he succeeded him. Al-Mahdi commenced his rule by releasing several political prisoners, expanding and decorating the holy places of Mecca and Medina, and building fountains and lofts for Hajj pilgrims. He expanded the mail service, increased his secret service, fortified cities, and increased judicial appointments. His charitable giving was also impressive.
4	August 785 – 14 September 786	al-Hādī	Abū Muḥammad Mūsā	Al-Mahdi Al-Khayzuran bint 'Attia	Nominated first heir by his father Al-Mahdi after the death of his father, he succeeded him
5	14 September 786 – 24 March 809	al-Rashīd	Hārūn	Al-Mahdi Al-Khayzuran bint 'Atta	Nominated second heir by his father al-Mahdi, after the death of his brother Caliph al-Hadi, he succeeded him in 786.
6	March 809 – 24/25 September 813	al-Amīn	Abū Mūsā Muḥammad	Harun al-Rashid Umm Ja'far Zubaidah bint Ja'far ibn al-Mansur	Nominated first heir by his father Harun al-Rashid, after the death of his father in 809, he succeeded him. He tried to remove his half-brother Abdallah al-Ma'mun from line of succession. In 811, a Civil war of the Fourth Fitna began. Al-Amin was deposed and killed at the Siege of Baghdad.
7	September 813 – 9 August 833	al-Maʾmūn	Abū'l-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh	Harun al-Rashid Umm Abdallah Marajil	Nominated second heir by his father. His half-brother al-Amin tried to remove him as heir. He overthrow al-Amin and succeeded his half-brother al-Amin after a civil war in 813. Victor of the civil war. Launch of the Translation Movement, major revamp of the House of Wisdom, and systematic support of scholars for the gathering and translation of knowledge from various civilizations. During his reign, Caliphate expanded its rule in Mediterranean Islands especially with Establishment of the Emirate of Crete (824/827) and Start of the Muslim conquest of Sicily (827) By the end of al-Ma'mun's reign in 833, Ibn Abi Du'ad had become a close associate of the caliph, and on his deathbed al-Ma'mun recommended to his brother and successor al-Mu'tasim that he admit Ibn Abi Du'ad to his circle of advisors.
8	9 August 833 – 5 January 842	al-Muʿtaṣim bi-’llāh	Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad	Harun al-Rashid Maridah bint Shabib, probably from Sughd Region	His brother, Al-Ma'mun had made no official provisions for his succession. According to the account of al-Tabari, on his deathbed al-Ma'mun dictated a letter nominating his brother, rather than his son al-Abbas, as his successor. Establishment of the Turkish ghilman in positions of power. Militarization and centralization of the administration. The start of official support for Mu'tazilism, institution of the mihna from in 833. under Abbasid official Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad. Founder of Samarra city. He moved the capital to Samarra in 836.
9	5 January 842 – 10 August 847	al-Wāthiq bi-'llāh	Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn	Al-Mu'tasim Qaratis, Greek concubine	When his father, al-Mu'tasim took care for his son and heir to acquire experience in governance. Nominated heir by his father. Al-Wathiq succeeded his father and ruled as Caliph for six years. Al-Wathiq died as the result of dropsy, while being seated in an oven in an attempt to cure it.
10	10 August 847 – 11 December 861	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā 'llāh	Jaʿfar	Al-Mu'tasim Umm Ja'far Shuja	As a young prince, he was appointed as Amir al-hajj by his brother Al-Wathiq in 842 and he remained a Courtier under his brother's reign. End of official support for Mu'tazilism, abolition of the miḥnah (848/851). Return to traditional orthodoxy. Al-Mutawakkil was the last great Abbasid caliph; after his death the dynasty would fall into a decline. He was Assassinated by his guards with support of his son al-Muntasir.
11	861 – 7 or 8 June 862	al-Muntaṣir bi-'llāh	Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad	Al-Mutawakkil Hubshiya, Greek concubine	Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra Caliph al-Mutawakkil (847–861) had created a plan of succession that would allow his sons to inherit the caliphate after his death; he would be succeeded first by his eldest son, al-Muntasir, then by al-Mu'tazz and third by al-Mu'ayyad. However, Al-Muntasir tried to change it and he almost succeeded in it. Decline of the Abbasid Caliphate Just like most Abbasid caliphs, He provided endowments to his kins Banu Hashim.
12	862 – 866	al-Mustaʿīn bi-ʾllāh	Aḥmad	Muhammad ibn al-Mu'tasim, Abbasid prince Makhariq, concubine from Sicily	Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra. Fled to Baghdad in 865, beginning of the Fifth Fitna (civil war). Abbasid Caliphate civil war (865–866). The war between Al-Musta'in and Al-Mu'tazz. It ended when Al-Mu'tazz became Caliph in 866.
13	866 – 869	al-Muʿtazz bi-ʾllāh	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad	Al-Mutawakkil Sabiha (Qabiha), Greek concubine	Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra. Al-Mu'tazz's reign (866–869) marks the apogee of the decline of the Caliphate's central authority, and the climax of centrifugal tendencies, expressed through the emergence of the autonomous dynasties. Deposed by the Turkic military officers.
14	869 – 21 June 870	al-Muhtadī bi-'llāh	Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad	Al-Wathiq Qurb, Greek concubine	Reigned during the Anarchy at Samarra. As a ruler, al-Muhtadi sought to emulate the Umayyad caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, widely considered a model Islamic ruler. Assassinated by the Turkish military. End of Anarchy at Samarra.
15	21 June 870 – 15 October 892	al-Muʿtamid ʿalā ’llāh	Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	Al-Mutawakkil Fityan, Greek concubine from Kufa	Al-Mu'tamid's reign marks the end of the "Anarchy at Samarra" and the start of the Abbasid restoration. His brother was Commander-in-chief al-Muwaffaq, who held the loyalty of the military and had great influence over him. Start of the "Abbasid revival". Repulse of the Saffarids rebellion and subjugation of the Zanj Revolt. Establishment of the autonomous Tulunid dynasty in Egypt, Gradual decline of Abbasid rule in Transoxiana, Persia, Sind and Punjab, North Africa, Middle East and Arabia.
16	October 892 – 5 April 902	al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh	Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	Al-Muwaffaq, Abbasid prince and Commander-in-chief Dirar (Hariz), Greek concubine	He was the nephew of Al-Mu'tamid, He added his name in line of succession and removed his cousin as heir. After his uncle death his succeeded him. Al-Mu'tadid had inherited his father's gifts as a ruler and was distinguished alike for his economy and his military ability, becoming "one of the greatest of the Abbasids in spite of his strictness. Height of the "Abbasid revival". Recovery of Jazira, Thughur, Jibal. Return of the capital to Baghdad and start of the Qarmatian missionary activity and raids.
17	5 April 902 – 13 August 908	al-Muktafī bi-'llāh	Abū Muḥammad ʿAlī	Al-Mu'tadid Jijak, Turkish concubine	Nominated heir by his father, Caliph Al-Mu'tadid. Al-Mu'tadid took care to prepare Ali al-Muktafi, his oldest son and heir, for the succession by appointing him as a provincial governor: first in Rayy, Qazvin, Qum and Hamadan. During his reign Abbasids completely recovered Egypt and Syria from the Tulunids. End of the "Abbasid revival".
18	13 August 908 – 929	al-Muqtadir bi-'llāh	Abū'l-Faḍl Jaʿfar	Al-Mu'tadid Shaghab, Greek concubine	He was nominated heir by his half-brother Al-Muktafi, however, Al-Muktafi died young and Al-Muqtadir came to the throne at the age of 13, the youngest Caliph in Abbasid history and Islamic History. Unsuccessful usurpation attempt in favour of Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz (908). Caliphal title also claimed by al-Mahdi Billah of the Fatimids from 909 and Abd al-Rahman III of Córdoba from 929.
19	929	al-Qāhir bi-'llāh	Abū al-Manṣūr Muḥammad	Al-Mu'tadid Fitnah, Berber concubine	First reign; installed by the commander-in-chief Mu'nis al-Muzaffar for a two days.
(18)	929 – 31 October 932	al-Muqtadir bi-'llāh	Abū'l-Faḍl Jaʿfar	Al-Mu'tadid Shaghab	Second reign Qarmatian sack of Mecca and Medina (930). Killed in battle before Baghdad against Mu'nis al-Muzaffar.
(19)	31 October 932 – 934	al-Qāhir bi-'llāh	Abū al-Manṣūr Muḥammad	Al-Mu'tadid Fitnah, Berber concubine	Second reign After his brother was killed, he succeeded him as Caliph. In 31 October 932 he was deposed.
20	934 – 23 December 940	al-Rāḍī bi-'llāh	Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad/Muḥammad	Al-Muqtadir Thaloum, Berber concubine	Originally nominated heir by his father Al-Muqtadir. After the death of his uncle Al-Qahir he succeeded him. Al-Radi is commonly spoken of as the last of the real Caliphs: the last to deliver orations at the Friday service, to hold assemblies with philosophers to discuss the questions of the day, or to take counsel on the affairs of State; the last to distribute largess among the needy, or to interpose to temper the severity of cruel officers.
21	940 – 944	al-Muttaqī li-'llāh	Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm	Al-Muqtadir Khalub Zahrah, concubine	Beginning of the later Abbasid period. He was chosen by Military officers after the death of his brother Caliph Al-Radi. Overthrown and blinded by the amīr al-umarāʾ Tuzun.
22	September 944 – 29 January 946	al-Mustakfī bi-ʾllāh	ʿAbd Allāh	Al-Muktafi Ghusn (Amlah al-Nas), concubine	Installed by the amīr al-umarāʾ Tuzun. Deposed and blinded after the Buyid takeover of Baghdad and Iraq.
23	29 January 946 – 974	al-Muṭīʿ li-ʾllāh	Abū'l-Qāsim al-Faḍl	Al-Muqtadir Shaghla, concubine from Sicily	He succeeded his cousin Al-Mustakfi, during his reign Buyids influence grew. Installed by the Buyid Amir Mu'izz al-Dawla. During the last years of his reign, Abbasids completely lost Egypt, Palestine and Hejaz. Increasingly incapacitated by a partial paralysis that had begun following a stroke in 970, al-Muti was now induced to abdicate with his health as a pretext, and was replaced by his son Abd al-Karim, as al-Ta'i (r. 974–991), on 5 August.
24	974 – 991	al-Ṭāʾiʿ li-amri ʿllāh	Abd al-Karīm	Al-Muti Utb al-Rumiyah	He was nominated heir by his father Al-Muti and his father Abdicated for his son became of partial paralysis that had begun following a stroke in 970. During his reign, Syria was torn by contending factions — Fatimid and Carmathian; while the Buyīds was split up into parties that were fighting among themselves. To top this all off, the Byzantine Emperor John Tzimisces stormed the east in a victorious campaign in 975 and took several Syiria cities. After holding the office for seventeen years, aṭ-Ṭaʼiʻ was deposed in 991. Deposed by the Buyid Amir Baha' al-Dawla.
25	1 November 991 – 29 November 1031	al-Qādir bi-'llāh	Aḥmad	Ishaq ibn al-Muqtadir, Abbasid prince Tumna, concubine	He succeeded his cousin, Caliph Al-Ta'i. Installed by the Buyid Amir Baha' al-Dawla. During his reign, he granted the title Sultan to Muslim rulers. The sultans were religious deputy of the all later Abbasid Caliphs. Upholding of Sunni orthodoxy; publication of the Baghdad Manifesto.
26	29 November 1031 – 2 April 1075	al-Qāʾim bi-amri 'llāh	Abu Ja'far Abdallah	Al-Qadir Badr al-Dija (Qatr al-Nida), Armenian concubine	End and disintegration of the Caliphate of Córdoba (1031). Start of Seljuk influence of Baghdad by the Seljuk Turks under Tughril (in 1055), end of Buyid influence. Al-Qa'im granted the title Sultan to Tughril, Alp Arslan, and Malik Shah I. The Almoravids recognize the Abbasid caliph's religious and nominal authority (c. 1062).
27	2 April 1075 – February 1094	al-Muqtadī bi-amri ’llāh	Abū'l-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh	Muhammad ibn al-Qa'im, Abbasid prince Urjuwuan, Armenian concubine	He was born to Abbasid prince Muhammad Dhakirat and an Armenian Umm walad. He was honored by the Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah I, during whose reign the Caliphate was recognized throughout the extending range of Seljuk Sultanate. Hejaz, with the Holy Cities, now recovered from the Fatimids, acknowledged again the spiritual jurisdiction of the Abbasids.
28	February 1094 – 6 August 1118	al-Mustaẓhir bi-'llāh	Abū l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	Al-Muqtadi Taif Al-Afwah, Egyptian concubine	He succeeded his father as Caliph. He was the notable Caliph of the later Abbasid Era. The appearance of the First Crusade in Syria. He his known for contributing to Mawdud's struggling against crusades to reconquer Muslim lands of Levant coastline.
29	6 August 1118 – 29 August 1135	al-Mustarshid bi-'llāh	Abū'l-Manṣūr al-Faḍl	Al-Mustazhir Lubaba, Slavs concubine	He succeeded his father as Caliph. He was a notable Caliph of Later Abbasid Era and he was also an Arabic poet. Al-Mustarshid deposed and imprisoned his vizier Amid al-dawla Jalal al-Din Hasan ibn Ali. One year later he also deposed Ahmad ibn Nizam al-Mulk as his vizier. Foundation of the Almohad Empire in the Maghreb (1121). The Almohads were anti-Abbasids.
30	29 August 1135 – 1136	al-Rāshid bi-'llāh	Abu Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr	Al-Mustarshid Khushf, Iraqi concubine	Nominated heir by his father, After the assassination of his father he succeeded him. Deposed by the Seljuk Sultan Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud. Al-Rashid Billah was deposed by seljuks and he fled to Isfahan where he was assassinated by a team of four Shia Nizari Ismailis (Assassins) in June 1138. This was celebrated in Alamut for a week.
31	1136 – 12 March 1160	al-Muqtafī li-ʾamri ’llāh	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad	Al-Mustazhir Ashin, Syrian concubine	He was the brother of caliph Al-Mustarshid and uncle of Al-Rashid Billah. Al-Muqtafi successfully established an army during the later Abbasid era. (Previously Caliphs were militarily dependent on Seljuks. Siege of Baghdad (1157) by the Seljuks fails. Restoration of the Caliph's political and military influence of Later Abbasids.
32	12 March 1160 – 20 December 1170	al-Mustanjid bi-'llāh	Abū'l-Muẓaffar Yūsuf	Al-Muqtafi Thawus, Turkish or Abyssinian concubine	He succeeded his father Al-Muqtafi.
33	20 December 1170 – 30 March 1180	al-Mustaḍīʾ bi-amri ʾllāh	al-Ḥasan	Al-Mustanjid Ghadha, Armenian concubine	Al-Mustadi succeeded his father Caliph Al-Mustanjid. He enjoys nothing but what he earns by the labor of his own hands, and therefore manufactures coverlets, which he stamps with his seal, and which his officers sell in the public market. His political and religious authority was recognized throughout Middle East especially by Saladin ruler of Egypt. Caliph Al-Mustadi granted Saladin the title Sultan. Also gave him authority over holy cities; Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. End of the Fatimid Caliphate in 1171, restoration of Abbasid authority in Egypt under Saladin.
34	2 March 1180 – 4 October 1225	al-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh	Abu'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	Al-Mustadi Sayyida Zumurrud	Recovery of Jerusalem from the Crusaders (1187) by Saladin. Al-Nasir was the influential Caliph of the Later Abbasid era. According to historian Angelika Hartmann, Al-Nasir was the last effective Abbasid caliph of Later Abbasid Caliphate. His political and religious authority was recognized throughout Middle East especially in territory of Ayyubid dynasty of Saladin.
35	5 October 1225 – 11 July 1226	al-Ẓāhir bi-amri’llāh	Abu Nasr Muḥammad	Al-Nasir Asma	He was nominated as heir in 1189. He succeeded his father. In his short reign, he lowered the taxes, and built a strong army to resist invasions. He died on 10 July 1226, nine months after his accession. During his short reign he saw disastrous Mongol Invasion in parts of Eastern Islamic World.
36	11 July 1226 – 2 December 1242	al-Mustanṣir bi-'llāh	Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr	Al-Zahir Zahra, Turkish concubine	He succeeded his father caliph Al-Zahir. Al-Mustansir was the penultimate Caliph of the later Abbasid era. During his reign Eastern Islamic World was invaded by Mongols. The great cities like Bukhara, Samarkand were destroyed and millions of Muslims were killed.
37	2 December 1242 – 20 February 1258	al-Mustaʿṣim bi-'llāh	ʿAbd Allāh	Al-Mustansir Hajer, Abyssinian concubine	Last Abbasid caliph of Later Abbasid Era End of the Abbasid dynasty. Al-Musta'sim was the last known recognised Muslim caliph. His death marked the complete end of the Caliphate as a political and religious entity in the Middle East. Executed after the Mongol sack of Baghdad, he ruled for a period of 15 years 2 months and 15 days.

Caliphs of Cairo (1261–1517)

In 1261, the Abbasid dynasty was re-established by a cadet branch of the dynasty at Cairo under the auspices of the local Mamluk sultans, but these caliphs were purely religious and symbolic figures, while temporal power rested with the Mamluks. The revived caliphate in Cairo lasted until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517, after which the caliphal title passed to the Ottoman dynasty.

The Cairo Abbasids were largely ceremonial caliphs under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultanate that existed after the takeover of the Ayyubid dynasty.

No.	Reign	Regnal Name	Personal Name	Parents	Notable Events
1	13 June 1261 – 28 November 1261	al-Mustanṣir bi-llāh	Abū'l-Qāsim Aḥmad	Az-Zahir Umm ahmad (concubine)	Installed as caliph in Cairo, Egypt by the Mamluk sultan Baybars in 1261.
2	16 November 1262 – 19 January 1302	al-Ḥākim bi-Amri'llāh I	Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad	Abu Ali Hasan ibn Abu Bakr ibn Hasan	Installed as caliph by ruler of Aleppo, Aqqush, in 1261, proclaimed as caliph in Cairo by Baybars after al-Mustansir II died.
3	20 January 1302 – February 1340	al-Mustakfī bi-llāh I	Abū ar-Rabīʾ Sulaymān	Al-Hakim I
6	1352 – 1362	al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh I	Abū al-Fatḥ Abū Bakr	Al-Mustakfi I		First reign, deposed in 1377.^[citation needed]
8	1377	al-Mustaʿṣim bi-'llāh	Abū Yaḥya Zakarīyāʾ	Al-Wathiq I	First reign
(7)	1377 – 1383	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh I	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad		Second reign
9	September 1383 – 13 November 1386	al-Wāthiq bi-'llāh II	Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar	Al-Wathiq I
(7)	1389 – 9 January 1406	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh I	Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad		Third reign
10	22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414	al-Mustaʿīn bi-'llāh	Abū al-Faḍl al-ʿAbbas	Al-Mutawakkil I Bay Khatun, Turkish concubine	Became Sultan of Egypt from 7 May – 6 November 1412, as a titular figurehead for Shaykh al-Mahmudi.^[citation needed]
11	1414 – 1441	al-Muʿtaḍid bi-'llāh II	Abū al-Fatḥ Dāwud	Al-Mutawakkil I Kazal, Turkish concubine	Bay Khatun
13	1451 – 1455	al-Qāʾim bi-ʾamr Allāh	Abū al-Baqāʾ Ḥamza	Al-Mutawakkil I Bay Khatun	Bay Khatun
15	5 April 1479 – 27 September 1497	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh II	Abū al-ʿIzz ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz	Ya'qub ibn al-Mutawakkil I Haj al-Malik		First reign, abdicated in 1508.
17	1508 – 1516	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh III	Muḥammad		Second reign
(16)	1516 – 1517	al-Mustamsik bi-'llāh	Abū al-Ṣabr Yaqūb		Second reign, abdicated in 1516.^[citation needed]
(17)	1517	al-Mutawakkil ʿalā'llāh III	Muḥammad		Second reign In 1516 or 1517, he was sent to Constantinople by the Ottoman sultan Selim II after accompanying the Mamluk sultan al-Ghuri to Syria, where the latter was defeated by the Ottomans, prior to the final Ottoman invasion of Egypt. This marked the end of the Abbasid caliphs.

Genealogy

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