Abd ar-Rahman II () (792–852) was the fourth Umayyad Emir of Córdoba in the Al-Andalus Iberia from 822 until his death.
Abd ar-Rahman II was born in Toledo, the son of Emir Al-Hakam I.
In his youth he took part in the so-called "massacre of the ditch", when from 700 to 5,000 people came to pay homage to the princes who were killed by order of Al-Hakam.
He succeeded his father as Emir of Córdoba in 822 and engaged in nearly continuous warfare against Alfonso II of Asturias, whose southward advance he halted (822–842).
In 825, he had a new city, Murcia, built, and proceeded to settle it with Arab loyalists to ensure stability.
In 835, he confronted rebellious citizens of Mérida by having a large internal fortress built; again in 837, he suppressed a revolt of Christians and Jews in Toledo via the same measures.The Inheritance of Rome, Chris Wickham, Penguin Books Ltd. 2009, .
p. 341.
He issued a decree by which the Christians were forbidden to seek martyrdom, and he had a Christian synod held to forbid  martyrdom.
In 839 or 840, he sent an embassy under al-Ghazal to Constantinople to sign a pact with the Byzantine Empire against the Abbasids.
In 844, Abd ar-Rahman repulsed an assault by Vikings who had disembarked in Cádiz, conquered Seville (with the exception of its citadel) and attacked Córdoba itself.
Thereafter he constructed a fleet and naval arsenal at Seville to repel future raids.
He may have sent al-Ghazal on a second embassy to the Vikings in Ireland after this.
He responded to William of Septimania's requests of assistance in his struggle against Charles the Bald's nominations.
Abd ar-Rahman was famous for his public building program in Córdoba where he died in 852.
He made additions to the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba.
A vigorous and effective frontier warrior, he was also well known as a patron of the arts.
He was also involved in the execution of the "Martyrs of Córdoba", and was a patron of the great composer Ziryab.
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