Database: Animals at Court
In addition to its many human residents, the caliphal court was home to numerous animals. Coming from every corner of the empire and featuring in public as well as private settings, they symbolized the caliphs' power and generosity. Enthralled ambassadors were received in the capital by silk-clad elephants while shiny thoroughbred horses were ridden by the caliph in his public appearances. Zubaydah, wife of Caliph Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809), even had a pet monkey which she dressed as a general. But no animal featured as heavily at court as the hunting falcons of the caliphal falconry grounds.
Since antiquity, falcons have been linked to gods and kings in the Persian culture which influenced the Abbasid court. Through their graceful flight and deadly efficiency, they were associated with various heavenly beings protecting good and resisting evil. Seeing them on the eve of battle or using their feathers on weapons was thought to bring supernatural protection. Training them was therefore a way of harnessing divine help and cultivating legitimacy.
Caliphs also used falcons to hunt, as well as in public demonstrations of skill. They devoted huge resources to their acquisition and maintenance. Elaborate hunting expeditions provided full-time employment to a vast group of organizers, trainers, veterinarians, and assistants working under the supervision of the al-Bayzar (master falconer), one of the main officers of the court. Professional catchers, who picked up eggs and chicks in their nests, as well as merchants dealing in sporting birds from all over the world, also profited from this costly habit. Falcons even featured in poems and training guides. One of the most famous guides, Kitab al-Mutawakkili, was written for Caliph al-Mutawakkil himself, an avid hunter.