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Category Archives: Islam History B: the Umayyads
Completing the Conquest of North Africa, 698-708
After Abd al-Malik was secure in Damascus, he had fighting men to spare. Foreign expeditions rewarded soldiers with booty, so he offered his men the opportunity to launch another invasion of North Africa. The general this time would be Hassan … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Abd al-Malik, Berbers, Carthage, Kahina, Kairouan, Musa ibn Nusayr, Tangier
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Siege of Mecca, 692
In 689, Caliph Abd al-Malik was ready to take on the Meccan Caliph Abdallah ibn Zubayr. He started with Iraq, which was shaky but technically loyal to Mecca, through Abdallah’s brother Musab. As you know, everything happened slowly then; it … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Abd al-Malik, Abdallah ibn Zubayr, Basra, Battle of Maskin, Hajj, Hajjaj, Iraq, Kufa, Mecca
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Caliph Abd al-Malik and Dome of the Rock, 688-90
Abd al-Malik had focused his main attention on consolidating power in Syria, leaving his rival Caliph Abdallah ibn Zubayr to battle against Kharijites in Iraq and Arabia. This allowed almost a decade in which Mecca was ruled by a power … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Abd al-Malik, Al-Aqsa, Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Mecca
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The Divided Caliphate and lots of rebels, 683-692
Before the Syrian army could push farther into rebellious Arabia, it was called back to Damascus. Yazid had suddenly died. His son was a young man who died soon after him. (Shi’ite history records that he criticized his family for … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Abd al-Malik, Damascus, Marwan, Mecca
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The Sack of Medina, 683
Don’t imagine that Medina and Mecca took the news of Husayn’s head on a lance quietly. They may have imagined that Yazid’s men would not dare to hurt the Prophet’s grandson, or they may have been prepared for news of … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Abd al-Malik, Marwan, Mecca, Medina, Yazid
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The Road to Karbala, 680
Mu’awiya had promised Ali’s son Hassan that he would set up a council to choose a ruler after his death, but he didn’t keep his word. His son Yazid, whose mother was a Syrian Arab princess, just took over in … Continue reading
North Africa: from Libya to the Atlantic Ocean, 670-683
The Roman province of Africa consisted of a long, narrow strip of coastland in Libya and a much larger zone around ancient Carthage, comparable in size to Ireland or even Greece. The climate was much like Italy’s and this part … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Algeria, Berbers, Libya, Morocco, North Africa, Tunisia, Uqba ibn Nafi
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Caliph Mu’awiya, 660-680
Let’s remember that Mu’awiya was raised in Mecca by clan chief Abu Sufyan and his wife, Hind. Hind is the woman who paid a slave to kill Muhammad’s kinsman at Uhud, and then cut a piece from his liver and … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Marwan, Mu'awiya, Yazid
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The Story of Hassan
When his father Ali was assassinated, Hassan was about 35. Ali’s supporters in Kufa quickly gave their allegiance to him as Caliph and Imam. “Imam,” the leader who stands in front, was the title Ali had taken when he felt … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Hassan, Medina, Mu'awiya, poison
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The Rule and Death of Ali, 661
All of these events had taken just over a year to play out (though the arbitration process may have gone on longer). Ali remained Caliph of the eastern portion of the Islamic Empire, with nominal control of Arabia. Mu’awiya ruled … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History B: the Umayyads
Tagged Ali, Kufa, Najaf, Rejectionists
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