Barmakids

The Barmakids (Persian: برمکیان‎ Barmakīyān; Arabic: البرامكة‎ - al-Barāmikah, from the Sanskrit: pramukha प्रमुख "leader, chief administrator, registrar"; also wrongly called Barmecides (philologically, the third syllable contains an unvoiced velar, not a sibilant)) were an influential Persian family from Balkh in Bactria which seems to have been of Buddhist origin and came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs. Khalid, the son of Barmak became the Prime Minister or Wazir of Al Saffah, the first Caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His son Yahya aided Harun Al-Rashid in capturing the throne and rose to power as the most powerful man in the Empire. The Barmakids were remarkable for their majesty, splendor and hospitality. They are mentioned in some stories of the Arabian Nights.