Tales of the Caliph is a series of tales featuring the hardship and adventures of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, who was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate reigning from September 786 until his death. His reign is traditionally regarded to be the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age. Excerpt: "The Caliph, being on a tour of inspection through the various provinces of his empire, chanced on a certain occasion to be stopping at Bussora. And one evening, disguised, as was his wont, as a merchant, and, as usual, accompanied only by his faithful Grand Vizier, Giafer, he strolled through the bazaars silent and observant. Meeting with nothing worthy of arresting his particular attention, he wandered on until he came at length to some very narrow and mean lanes near the waterside."