In 1860, with the Cavour party, he opposed the work of Garibaldi, Crispi and Bertani at Naples, and became secretary of Luigi Carlo Farini during the latter's lieutenancy, but in 1865 assumed contemporaneously the editorship of the Perseveranza of Milan and the chair of Latin literature at Florence.
As a soldier he received the usual training of a Prussian prince, obtained his lieutenancy in 1784, became a colonel commanding in 1790, and took part in the campaigns of 1792-94.
Insurrections by adherents of the Alids gave him the opportunity to display his military skill; and when in 870 his stepfather died, by a stroke of luck the fief was given to his father-in-law, who retained Abmad in the lieutenancy, and indeed extended his authority to Alexandria, which had till that time been outside it.
In 882 relations between Abmad and Mowaffaq again became strained, and the former conceived the bold plan of getting the caliph Motamid into his power, which, however, was frustrated by Mowaffaqs vigilance; but an open rupture was the result, as Mowaffaq formally deprived Abmad of his lieutenancy, while Abmad equally formally declared that Mowaffaq had forfeited the succession.
He profited by his position at court to obtain the lieutenancy of the Bastille, the governorship of the duchy of Nemours, and the confiscated territories of Jean Larcheveque, seigneur of Parthenay.