Al-Mansur Abdallah
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansur Abdallah was an imam
of the Zaidi
state in Yemen
who held the imamate from 1187 (or 1197) to 1217.
tribe. He belonged to the Hamzite Sharifs, a division of the dynasty of the Rassids
. He was a fifth-generation descendant of the imam al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah
who died in battle in 1066. In his youth, he took up quranic studies and was an outstanding student who acquired a good juridical knowledge. As an adult, he was described as a large and well-shaped man with a heavy beard. The Zaidi community of the northern highland had not been able to appoint a new imam after the demise of al-Mutawakkil Ahmad bin Sulayman
in 1171. Abdallah made a proclamation in Jawf
in 1187. Although acknowledged by several men of standing, his attempt to gain power over the Zaidi community was a failure, and he withdrew to Jawf.
Ayyubid Dynasty
, which had invaded Yemen from its base in Egypt
in 1173. The new regime quickly occupied much of the country. The important highland city San'a was, for most of the time, in the hands of the Hatimid Sultan Ali bin Hatim, whose attitute to the Ayyubids alternated between submission and resistance. When the Ayyubid ruler Tughtakin, a brother of Saladin
, died in 1197, virtually all Yemen except Sa'dah
, the traditional centre of the Zaydiyyah, was in Ayyubid hands. In September or October 1197, the month after Tughtakin's death, Abdallah made his second bid for the imamate, and this time he was successful. As imam, he carried the honorific (laqab) title al-Mansur Abdallah. He established his residence in Sa'dah. Al-Mansur was a man of learning, and 81 works by his hand are listed in one source. Among his writings are a treatise on the mutual conduct of children and parents, answers to questions about the first four caliphs
, a diwan
, a rajaz poem on the care and training of horses, and a four-volume work dealing with doctrinary questions, Ash-Shafi. He sent his da'i (messengers) to Gilan and Deylaman
in Persia, so that the khutba
was read in his name among the Zaidis there. He also enjoyed some influence in the Hijaz. Al-Mansur Abdallah took a strict stance on religious matters, expelling unchaste women and pouring fermented drinks on the ground. The Mutarrifiyyah sect, which was considered heretic, was mercilessly crushed and its mosque
near San'a was torn down on the orders of al-Mansur.
. However, a Kurdish
emir, Haku bin Muhammad, and the Mamluk
Shams al-Khawass, subsequently fell away from the Ayyubids and joined the Zaidi camp. The imam and Shams al-Khawass seized San'a, which momentarily stood under an Ayyubid governor. Nevertheless, the two allies immediately fell out with each other, since Shams al-Khawass was suspicious of the imam's influence among the masses. The imam had to sneak out of San'a with great effort, but managed to reach his troops outside the city walls and took possession of the city. In 1198, a new Ayyubid army marched towards San'a but was defeated by the Zaidi forces at Dhamar
. Shortly afterwards, however, San'a was captured by still another Ayyubid contingent, and al-Mansur Abdullah withdrew to the mountainous stronghold Thula
.
, and in 1205 he made peace with the Ayyubid governor in San'a, Wurdashar. Nevertheless, the peace only lasted for about two years. Serious fighting broke out in 1215, and this time a number of Zaidi strongholds in the north were captured. Al-Mansur Abdallah withdrew to Kawkaban
where he took up a strong position. A large residence was constructed there, with quarters for his followers. A mint
was also established. A new Zaidi-Ayyubid peace was concluded in 1216, but fighting was resumed within short. The following battles turned inconclusive, and the warfare was terminated when the imam died in Kawkaban in 1217. After his demise, the Zaidi community was split between two rival imams. These were his son an-Nasir Muhammad
, and al-Hadi Yahya
who belonged to another Rassid
branch. Al-Mansur's nephews settled in the northern highland, adjacent to Asir, where they pursued their own secular policy, allying with the Zaidi imams, the Sulaymanid Sharifs, and the Rassids according to opportunities.
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the Zaidi
Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
state in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
who held the imamate from 1187 (or 1197) to 1217.
Background
Abdallah bin Hamzah was born in the village Ayshan in the territory of the HamdanHamdan
Hamdan is a name of Arab origin. Among people named Hamdan include:*Al-Hamdan, famous Druze family*Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Yemeni Guantanamo detainee, driver and bodyguard of Osama bin Laden*Gibran Hamdan, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills...
tribe. He belonged to the Hamzite Sharifs, a division of the dynasty of the Rassids
Rassids
The Imams of Yemen and later the Kings of Yemen were religiously consecrated leaders belonging to the Zaidiyyah branch of Shia Islam. They established a blend of religious and secular rule in parts of Yemen from 897. Their imamate endured under varying circumstances until the republican revolution...
. He was a fifth-generation descendant of the imam al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah
Al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah
Al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1060-1066.Hamzah was the son of the imam Abu Hashim al-Hasan, and assisted his father when he proclaimed his da'wa in 1031. After the death of imam Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami in 1053 at the battle of...
who died in battle in 1066. In his youth, he took up quranic studies and was an outstanding student who acquired a good juridical knowledge. As an adult, he was described as a large and well-shaped man with a heavy beard. The Zaidi community of the northern highland had not been able to appoint a new imam after the demise of al-Mutawakkil Ahmad bin Sulayman
Al-Mutawakkil Ahmad bin Sulayman
Al-Mutawakkil Ahmad bin Sulayman was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who revived the polity after a long interregnum, wielding power in 1138-1171.-Rise to the imamate:...
in 1171. Abdallah made a proclamation in Jawf
Al Jawf Governorate
Al Jawf is a governorate of Yemen.-Districts:*Al Ghayl District*Al Hazm District*Al Humaydat District*Al Khalq District*Al Maslub District*Al Matammah District*Al Maton District*Az Zahir District*Bart Al Anan District*Khabb wa ash Sha'af District...
in 1187. Although acknowledged by several men of standing, his attempt to gain power over the Zaidi community was a failure, and he withdrew to Jawf.
Renewed call for the imamate
By this time, the main external threat against the Zaidis was the Sunni MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Ayyubid Dynasty
Ayyubid dynasty
The Ayyubid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origin, founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt. The dynasty ruled much of the Middle East during the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The Ayyubid family, under the brothers Ayyub and Shirkuh, originally served as soldiers for the Zengids until they...
, which had invaded Yemen from its base in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1173. The new regime quickly occupied much of the country. The important highland city San'a was, for most of the time, in the hands of the Hatimid Sultan Ali bin Hatim, whose attitute to the Ayyubids alternated between submission and resistance. When the Ayyubid ruler Tughtakin, a brother of Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
, died in 1197, virtually all Yemen except Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
, the traditional centre of the Zaydiyyah, was in Ayyubid hands. In September or October 1197, the month after Tughtakin's death, Abdallah made his second bid for the imamate, and this time he was successful. As imam, he carried the honorific (laqab) title al-Mansur Abdallah. He established his residence in Sa'dah. Al-Mansur was a man of learning, and 81 works by his hand are listed in one source. Among his writings are a treatise on the mutual conduct of children and parents, answers to questions about the first four caliphs
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, a diwan
Diwan (poetry)
-Etymology:The English usage of the phrase Diwan Poetry comes from the Arabic word diwan , which is loaned from Persian means designated a list or register. The Persian word derived from the Persian dibir meaning writer or scribe...
, a rajaz poem on the care and training of horses, and a four-volume work dealing with doctrinary questions, Ash-Shafi. He sent his da'i (messengers) to Gilan and Deylaman
Dailamites
The Daylamites or Dailamites were an Iranian people inhabiting the mountainous regions of northern Iran on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. They were employed as soldiers from the time of the Sassanid Empire, and long resisted the Arab conquest of Iran and subsequent Islamization...
in Persia, so that the khutba
Khutba
Khutbah serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition.Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic tradition can be formally at the dhuhr congregation prayer on Friday...
was read in his name among the Zaidis there. He also enjoyed some influence in the Hijaz. Al-Mansur Abdallah took a strict stance on religious matters, expelling unchaste women and pouring fermented drinks on the ground. The Mutarrifiyyah sect, which was considered heretic, was mercilessly crushed and its mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
near San'a was torn down on the orders of al-Mansur.
Struggles over San'a
In 1197, Sultan Ali allied with al-Mansur Abdullah and fought against Mu'izz ad-Din Isma'il, the Ayyubid sultan in Yemen. The allies were heavily defeated at HadurHadur
Hadur is a village in western central Yemen. It is located in the San‘a’ Governorate.-External links:*...
. However, a Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
emir, Haku bin Muhammad, and the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
Shams al-Khawass, subsequently fell away from the Ayyubids and joined the Zaidi camp. The imam and Shams al-Khawass seized San'a, which momentarily stood under an Ayyubid governor. Nevertheless, the two allies immediately fell out with each other, since Shams al-Khawass was suspicious of the imam's influence among the masses. The imam had to sneak out of San'a with great effort, but managed to reach his troops outside the city walls and took possession of the city. In 1198, a new Ayyubid army marched towards San'a but was defeated by the Zaidi forces at Dhamar
Dhamar, Yemen
Dhamar is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of around 2400 metres.-Overview:Dhamar is situated 100 km to the south of Sana'a, north of Ibb, and west of Al-Beidha, 2700 m above sea level. Its name “Dhamar” goes back to the king of Sheba and Dou-Reddan at 15-35 AD...
. Shortly afterwards, however, San'a was captured by still another Ayyubid contingent, and al-Mansur Abdullah withdrew to the mountainous stronghold Thula
Thula
Thula is one of five towns in Yemen on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Dating to the Himyarite period, the town is very well-preserved and includes traditional houses and mosques.-World Heritage Status:...
.
Continuing struggles against the Ayyubids
In the following years, the inconclusive Zaidi struggle against the Ayyubids wore on. San'a was in the hands of the imam for several short terms. In 1203, the imam strengthened the fortress of ZafarZafar, Yemen
Ẓafār or Dhafar is an ancient Himyarite site situated in the Yemen, some 130 km south-south-east of the capital Sana'a. Given mention in different ancient texts, there is little doubt about the pronunciation of the name...
, and in 1205 he made peace with the Ayyubid governor in San'a, Wurdashar. Nevertheless, the peace only lasted for about two years. Serious fighting broke out in 1215, and this time a number of Zaidi strongholds in the north were captured. Al-Mansur Abdallah withdrew to Kawkaban
Kawkaban
Kawkaban is a town midway between Sana'a and Al-Mahweet. It is of particular historical importance for the Zaidiyyah, having been a stronghold for Yemeni kings due to its advantageous position. It is situated atop a plateau at 2750m above sea level. The sole entrance to the town is via a single...
where he took up a strong position. A large residence was constructed there, with quarters for his followers. A mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
was also established. A new Zaidi-Ayyubid peace was concluded in 1216, but fighting was resumed within short. The following battles turned inconclusive, and the warfare was terminated when the imam died in Kawkaban in 1217. After his demise, the Zaidi community was split between two rival imams. These were his son an-Nasir Muhammad
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Abdallah
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Abdallah was an imam of part of the Zaidi state in Yemen, who ruled in 1217-1226 in rivalry with a contender.-Appointment as imam muhtasib:...
, and al-Hadi Yahya
Al-Hadi Yahya
Al-Hadi Yahya was an imam of part of the Zaidi state in Yemen. He ruled from 1217 to 1239, partly in rivalry with a contender.Najm ad-Din Yahya bin Muhsin was a seventh-generation descendant of imam al-Mukhtar al-Qasim...
who belonged to another Rassid
Rassids
The Imams of Yemen and later the Kings of Yemen were religiously consecrated leaders belonging to the Zaidiyyah branch of Shia Islam. They established a blend of religious and secular rule in parts of Yemen from 897. Their imamate endured under varying circumstances until the republican revolution...
branch. Al-Mansur's nephews settled in the northern highland, adjacent to Asir, where they pursued their own secular policy, allying with the Zaidi imams, the Sulaymanid Sharifs, and the Rassids according to opportunities.