Bugha al-Sharabi

Who is Bugha al-Sharabi?

Bugha al-Sharabi, also known as Bugha al-Saghir to distinguish him from his unrelated contemporary Bugha the Elder, was a senior Turkish military leader in the mid-9th century Abbasid Caliphate.

He served under Caliph al-Mutawakkil in Azerbaijan, but later led the conspiracy among the Turkish troops who killed the caliph. Closely allied to another Turkish officer, Wasif, Bugha held power at court under the caliphs al-Muntasir and al-Musta'in, during the "Anarchy at Samarra". He fell into disgrace under al-Mu'tazz, however, who resented both his influence and his role in the murder of al-Mutawakkil, his father. In 868, Bugha was imprisoned and executed at the Caliph's orders.