Al-Mutawakkil, who ruled the Abbasid Caliphate, was assassinated by members of his own Turkish guard. This assassination was the culmination of a series of conflicts and tensions between the caliph and his military. Al-Mutawakkil's rule had been marked by lavish spending, political favoritism, and conflicts with various factions within his empire, leading to dissatisfaction among the military guards, especially the Turkish contingent that had become increasingly powerful. After the assassination, the Turkish guard swiftly elevated al-Muntasir, a relative of al-Mutawakkil, to the caliphate. This act not only solidified the Turkish military’s control but also sparked a chaotic period in Samarra, the seat of the caliphate during this time.

The rise of al-Muntasir initiated a period known as the 'Anarchy at Samarra', characterized by political instability, violence, and the fracturing of authority within the Abbasid realm. The power dynamics shifted dramatically as the military factions, particularly the Turkish forces, started to assert their dominance over political decisions. Al-Muntasir's short reign struggled with the balancing act of appeasing the military while trying to govern effectively amidst rising tensions. The events surrounding the assassination highlighted the increasing militarization of politics in the Abbasid Caliphate and set the stage for future struggles between caliphs and their military factions.