List of caliphs

A caliph is the supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state known as the caliphate. Caliphs led the Muslim as political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and widely recognised caliphates have existed in various forms for most of Islamic history.
The first caliphate, the Rashidun Caliphate, was ruled by the four Rashidun caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, who are considered by Sunni Muslims to have been the most virtuous and pure caliphs. They were chosen by popular acclamation or by a small committee, in contrast with the following caliphates, which were mostly hereditary. On the other hand, Shiites only recognise Ali and consider the first three caliphs to be usurpers.
The Rashidun caliphate ended with the First Fitna, which transferred authority to the Umayyad dynasty that presided over the Umayyad Caliphate, the largest caliphate and the last one to actively rule the entire Muslim world.
The Abbasid Revolution overthrew the Umayyads and instituted the Abbasid dynasty which ruled over the Abbasid Caliphate. The Abbasid Caliphate was initially strong and united, but gradually fractured into several states whose rulers only paid lip service to the caliph in Baghdad. There were also rivals to the Abbasids who claimed the caliphates for themselves, such as the Isma'ili Shia Fatimids, the Sunni Umayyads in Córdoba and the Almohads, who followed their own doctrine. When Baghdad fell to the Mongols, the Abbasid family relocated to Cairo, where they continued to claim caliphal authority, but had no political power, and actual authority was in the hands of the Mamluk Sultanate.
After the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil III was taken to Constantinople, where he surrendered the caliphate to the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. The caliphate then remained in the House of Osman until after the First World War. The Ottoman Sultanate was abolished in 1922 by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The head of the House of Osman, Abdülmecid II, retained the title of caliph for two more years. However, on March 3, 1924, Atatürk and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey officially abolished the Ottoman Caliphate.

Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)

During the later period of Abbasid rule, Muslim rulers began using other titles, such as Amir al-umara and Sultan.

Mamluk Abbasid dynasty (1261–1517)

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

Regnal name	Personal name	Reign	Parents
Al-Mustansir	Abu al-Qasim Ahmad	13 June 1261 – 28 November 1261	Az-Zahir
Al-Hakim I	Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad	16 November 1262 – 19 January 1302	Abu 'Ali al-Hasan
Al-Mustakfi I	Abu ar-Rabi' Sulaiman	20 January 1302 – February 1340	Al-Hakim I
Al-Wathiq I	Abu Ishaq Ibrahim	February 1340 – 17 June 1341	Muhammad, son of Al-Hakim I
Al-Hakim II	Abu al-'Abbas Ahmad	1341–1352	Al-Mustakfi I
Al-Mu'tadid I	Abu Bakr	1352–1362	Al-Mustakfi I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1362–1377	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Musta’sim	Abu Yahya Zakariya	1377	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1377–1383	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Wathiq II	'Umar	September 1383 – 13 November 1386	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Musta'sim	Abu Yahya Zakariya	1386–1389	Al-Wathiq I
Al-Mutawakkil I	Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad	1389 – 9 January 1406	Al-Mu'tadid I
Al-Musta'in	Abu al-Fadl al-'Abbas	22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414	Al-Mutawakkil I Bay Khatun
Al-Mu'tadid II	Abu al-Fath Dawud	1414–1441	Al-Mutawakkil I Kazal
Al-Mustakfi II	Abu ar-Rabi' Sulayman	1441 – 29 January 1451	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Qa'im	Abu Al-Baqa Hamzah	1451–1455	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Mustanjid	Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf	1455 – 7 April 1479	Al-Mutawakkil I
Al-Mutawakkil II	Abu al-'Izz 'Abdul 'Aziz	5 April 1479 – 27 September 1497	Ya'qub bin Al-Mutawakkil I Haj al-Malik
Al-Mustamsik	Abu as-Sabr	1497–1508	Al-Mutawakkil II
Al-Mutawakkil III	Muhammad	1508–1516	Al-Mustamsik
Al-Mustamsik	Abu as-Sabr	1516–1517	Al-Mutawakkil II
Al-Mutawakkil III	Muhammad	1517	Al-Mustamsik

Ottoman Caliphate (1517–1924)

The head of the Ottoman dynasty was just entitled Sultan originally, but soon it started accumulating titles assumed from subjected peoples. Murad I was the first Ottoman claimant to the title of Caliph; claimed the title after conquering Edirne.

Image	Tughra	Name	Reign	Parents
		Selim I	1517 – 21 September 1520	Bayezid II Gülbahar Hatun
		Suleiman I	30 September 1520 – 6 September 1566	Selim I Hafsa Sultan
		Selim II	29 September 1566 – 21 December 1574	Suleiman I Hürrem Sultan
		Murad III	22 December 1574 – 16 January 1595	Selim II Nurbanu Sultan
		Mehmed III	27 January 1595 – 20 or 21 December 1603	Murad III Safiye Sultan
		Ahmed I	21 December 1603 – 22 November 1617	Mehmed III Handan Sultan
		Mustafa I	22 November 1617 – 26 February 1618	Mehmed III Halime Sultan
		Osman II	26 February 1618 – 19 May 1622	Ahmed I Mahfiruz Hatun
		Mustafa I	20 May 1622 – 10 September 1623	Mehmed III Halime Sultan
		Murad IV	10 September 1623 – 8 or 9 February 1640	Ahmed I Kösem Sultan
		Ibrahim	9 February 1640 – 8 August 1648	Ahmed I Kösem Sultan
		Mehmed IV	8 August 1648 – 8 November 1687	Ibrahim Turhan Sultan
		Suleiman II	8 November 1687 – 22 June 1691	Ibrahim Aşub Sultan
		Ahmed II	22 June 1691 – 6 February 1695	Ibrahim Muazzez Sultan
		Mustafa II	6 February 1695 – 22 August 1703	Mehmed IV Gülnuş Sultan
		Ahmed III	22 August 1703 – 1 or 2 October 1730	Mehmed IV Gülnuş Sultan
		Mahmud I	2 October 1730 – 13 December 1754	Mustafa II Saliha Sultan
		Osman III	13 December 1754 – 29 or 30 October 1757	Mustafa II Şehsuvar Sultan
		Mustafa III	30 October 1757 – 21 January 1774	Ahmed III Mihrişah Kadın
		Abdul Hamid I	21 January 1774 – 6 or 7 April 1789	Son of Ahmed III Şermi Kadın
		Selim III	7 April 1789 – 29 May 1807	Mustafa III Mihrişah Sultan
		Mustafa IV	29 May 1807 – 28 July 1808	Abdul Hamid I Sineperver Sultan
		Mahmud II	28 July 1808 – 1 July 1839	Abdul Hamid I Nakşidil Sultan
		Abdulmejid I	1 July 1839 – 25 June 1861	Mahmud II Bezmiâlem Sultan
		Abdulaziz	25 June 1861 – 30 May 1876	Mahmud II Pertevniyal Sultan
		Murad V	30 May 1876 – 31 August 1876	Abdulmejid I Şevkefza Kadın
		Abdul Hamid II	31 August 1876 – 27 April 1909	Abdulmejid I Tirimüjgan Kadın
		Mehmed V	27 April 1909 – 3 July 1918	Abdulmejid I Gülcemal Kadın
		Mehmed VI	4 July 1918 – 19 November 1922	Abdulmejid I Gülüstü Hanım
	—	Abdulmejid II	19 November 1922 – 3 March 1924	Abdulaziz Hayranidil Kadın;

The Office of the Ottoman Caliphate was transferred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey which dissolved the office on March 3, 1924, in keeping with the policies of secularism that were adopted in the early years of the Republic of Turkey by its President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
After the abolition of the Caliphate, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey founded the Presidency of Religious Affairs as the new highest Islamic religious authority in the country.

Other caliphates

Hasan ibn Ali's caliphate (661)

After Ali was killed, the governor of Syria Mu'awiya led his army toward Kufa, where Ali's son Hasan ibn Ali had been nominated as Ali's successor by his followers in Iraq. Mu'awiya successfully bribed Ubayd Allah ibn Abbas, the commander of Hasan's vanguard, to desert his post, and sent envoys to negotiate with Hasan. In return for a financial settlement, Hasan abdicated and Mu'awiya entered Kufa in July or September 661 and was recognized as caliph. This year is considered by a number of the early Muslim sources as 'the year of unity' and is generally regarded as the start of Mu'awiya's caliphate.

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr's caliphate (684–692)

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, a grandson of the first caliph Abu Bakr and a nephew of Aisha, the third wife of Muhammad, led an uprising against the Umayyad Caliphate in 684 CE. He was proclaimed caliph in Mecca. He ruled Mecca and Medina, the most important places in Islam, for about eight years; outlasting three Umayyad rulers: Yazid ibn Muawiyah, Muawiyah ibn Yazid, and Marwan ibn al-Hakam. Islamic scholars consider him to be the rightful caliph instead of Marwan ibn al-Hakam. He was eventually defeated and killed in Mecca in 692 after a six-month siege by general Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.

Coin	Name	Birth	Reigned from	Reigned until	Death	Parents	House
	Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr	May, 624	November 683	November 692	November 692	Zubayr ibn al-Awwam Asmā' bint Abi Bakr,	Banu Asad

Talib al-Haqq (747–748)

Calligraphic/Coin	Name	Birth	Reigned from	Reigned until	Death	Parents	House
	Talib al-Haqq	709	745	748	749

Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031)

'
Name Reign Parents
Abd-ar-Rahman III 929–961
Muhammad ibn Abdullah son of the Emir of Córdoba Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Umawi
Muzna
Al-Hakam II 961–976
Abd-ar-Rahman III
Murjan
Hisham II al-Hakam 976–1009
Al-Hakam II
Subh
Muhammad II 1009
Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Muzna
Sulayman ibn al-Hakam 1009–1010
Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Thabiya
Hisham II al-Hakam 1010–1013
Al-Hakam II
Subh
Sulayman ibn al-Hakam 1013–1016
Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Thabiya
Abd ar-Rahman IV 1021–1022
Mohammed, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Abd ar-Rahman V 1022–1023
Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Ghala
Muhammad III 1023–1024
Abd ar-Rahman bin Ubayd Allah bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Hawra
Hisham III''' 1027–1031
Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Malik bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
'Ateb
Almohad Caliphate (1145–1269)

Abd al-Mu'min 1130–1163
Abu Ya'qub Yusuf I 1163–1184
Abu Yusuf Ya'qub 'al-Mansur' 1184–1199
Muhammad al-Nasir 1199–1213
Abu Ya'qub Yusuf II 'al-Mustansir' 1213–1224
Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid I 'al-Makhlu' 1224
Abdallah al-Adil 1224–1227
Yahya 'al-Mutasim' 1227–1229
Abu al-Ala Idris I al-Ma'mun, 1229–1232
Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid II 'al-Rashid' 1232–1242
Abu al-Hassan Ali 'al-Said' 1242–1248
Abu Hafs Umar 'al-Murtada', 1248–1266
Abu al-Ula (Abu Dabbus) Idris II 'al-Wathiq' 1266–1269
Hafsid Caliphate (1249–1574)
The Hafsids claimed their descent from Rashidun caliph Omar. After the fall of Baghdad, Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub and Sharif of Mecca Abu Numayy recognized the Hafsids in 1258 and 1259 respectively.
Bornu and Songhai Empires (15th/16th century)
Several rulers of West Africa adopted the title of Caliph. Mai Ali Ghaji ibn Dunama was the first ruler of Bornu Empire to assume the title. Askia Mohammad I of Songhai Empire also assumed the title around the same time.
Indian caliphates (late medieval/early modern)
Since the 12th century, despite the South Asian domination of numerous Muslim empires, kingdoms and sultanates, Islamic caliphates were not fully attempted to be established across the Indian subcontinent. However, under the sharia based reigns of Sunni emperors such as Alauddin Khalji, Mughal Empire's Aurangzeb, and Mysore's rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, absolute forms of caliphates clearly appeared. These largely impacted the French-Italian emperor Napoleone Bonaparte and soldiers of the British Empire.
Sokoto Caliphate (1804–1903)

Established by Tariqa Islamic scholar and religious leader Usman dan Fodio through the Fulani War, which sought to reduce the influence of pre-Islamic religious practices and spread a more vigorous form of Islam through the auspices of a Caliphate.
Ahmadiyya Caliphate (1908–present)
The Khalīfatul Masīh, sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah, is the elected spiritual and organizational leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who had taken the titles of Mahdi and Messiah of Islam. The Caliph is believed to be divinely guided and is also referred to by members of current Khalifatul Masih is Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
After the death of Ghulam Ahmad, his successors directed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community from Qadian in Punjab, British India, which remained the headquarters of the community until 1947 with the independence of Pakistan. From this time on, the headquarters moved to and remained in Rabwah, a town built on land bought in Pakistan by the community in 1948. In 1984, Ordinance XX was promulgated by the government of Pakistan which rendered the Khalifatul Masih unable to perform his duties and put the very institution in jeopardy. Due to these circumstances, fourth Khalifatul Masih Mirza Tahir Ahmad left Pakistan and migrated to London, England, provisionally moving the headquarters to the Fazl Mosque.
Sharifian Caliphate (1924–1925)
In March 1924, when the Ottoman Caliphate was abolished, Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz proclaimed himself Caliph. An attempt at restoring the caliphal office and style following the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate was made by Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz and Sharif of Mecca, who assumed both on 11 March 1924 and held them until 3 October 1924, when he passed the kingship to his son Ali bin Hussein, who did not adopted the caliphal office and style. Like the Fatimid caliphs, he was a descendant of Muhammad through a grandson of Hasan ibn Ali. Hussein's claim for caliphate was not accepted by the Wahhabi and Salafi movements, and in 1925 he was driven from Hejaz by the forces of Ibn Saud as an outcome of the Second Saudi-Hashemite War. He continued to use the title of caliph during his remaining life in exile, until his death in 1931.
In October 1924, facing defeat by Ibn Saud, he abdicated and was succeeded as king by his eldest son Ali bin Hussein. After Hejaz was subsequently completely conquered by the Ibn Saud-Wahhabi armies of the Ikhwan, on 23 December 1925, Hussein surrendered to the Saudis, bringing the Kingdom of Hejaz, the Sharifate of Mecca and the Sharifian Caliphate to an end.