Are any of the stories of "One Thousand and One Nights" based on historical figures?

1 Answer
Mar 28, 2016

Yes, many of them were actually based off the life inside the royal court of the Abbasid Empire.

Explanation:

One Thousand and One Nights takes place in the Abbasid capital of Baghdad, when Harun al-Rashid was the caliph. The stories describe the luxurious and deceit-filled life of the caliph, his large family (several wives and children), and his bureaucracy. It also highlights the bustling nature of the courts, which were filled with entertainment.