Battles of Madhar and Harura
Battles of Madhar and Harura | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Second Fitna | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Zubayrid Caliphate | Pro-Alid forces of Mukhtar al-Thaqafi | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Umar ibn Ubaydallah al-Taymi Abbad ibn al-Husayn al-Habati Muqatil ibn Misma al-Bakri |
Mukhtar al-Thaqafi Abu Amra Kaysan † Abdallah ibn Qurad al-Khath'ami Salim ibn Yazid al-Kindi † Sa'id ibn Munqidh al-Hamdani † Malik ibn Amr al-Nahdi † Umar ibn Abdallah al-Nahdi † | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy | Heavy | ||||||
6,000–7,000 sympathizers of Mukhtar executed in Kufa following Harura |
The battles of Madhar and Harura (Arabic transliteration: Yawm Madhār and Yawm Ḥarūrāʾ) successively took place in the latter half of 686 in the environs of
Location
Madhar was a town on the military route between Kufa and Basra, situated along the bank of a tributary of the Tigris. It lay 320 kilometers (200 mi) southeast of Kufa and 65 kilometers (40 mi) north of Basra.[1][2][a] Harura was a village or district near Kufa.[4][5] Based on the description of the 13th-century geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi, historian Michael Fishbein locates it roughly 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) south of Kufa.[6] According to the medieval sources, during the pre-Islamic period and through the 7th century, Harura was located either on the banks of the Euphrates or one of its canals.[4] By the 9th century, it is described as being in the desert. Historian Laura Veccia Vaglieri concludes that this meant "the hydrographic system of the region had thus probably undergone a transformation".[4]
Background
During the
The mawālī in Mukhtar's revolt were non-Arabs of
Battle of Madhar
Mus'ab dispatched his agents to Kufa to recruit supporters and weaken Mukhtar in his stronghold.
Upon learning of Mus'ab's advances, Mukhtar rallied the Kufans with promises of victory at Madhar.[14][18] His army was commanded by Ahmar ibn Shumayt. Some of Mukhtar's troops, which were with Ibn al-Ashtar in Mosul, returned to Mukhtar after Ibn al-Ashtar's indifference to Mukhtar's letters. Ibn Shumayt's right wing was led by Abd Allah ibn Kamil al-Shakiri, Abd Allah ibn Wahab al-Jushami commanded his left wing, Kathir ibn Ismail al-Kindi led the infantry, while a certain Abd al-Saluli was in charge of the cavalry.[19] The mawālī faction was led by the chief of Mukhtar's personal guard, Abu Amra Kaysan.[18] Ibn Shumayt advanced towards Basra and camped at Madhar, where Mus'ab arrived shortly afterward.[19] Though the mawālī were mounted, the commander of Ibn Shumayt's left wing, Abd Allah ibn Wahab, an Arab who likely disdained the mawālī, suggested that they were weak, prone to flight if attacked, and therefore should be made to fight on foot. Ibn Shumayt accepted the advice and ordered the mawālī to dismount.[18]
Before the battle, both sides summoned each other to surrender and acknowledge the authority of their respective leaders—Ibn al-Zubayr and Mukhtar. Abbad's cavalry assault was repulsed. Then, Muhallab attacked and defeated the Kufans' right flank led by Ibn Kamil al-Shakiri. The Basrans' right wing attacked and defeated the Kufans' left wing. Shortly afterward, the commander of the Kufan forces Ahmar ibn Shumayt was overwhelmed and slain. Muhallab ordered his cavalry to charge on the Kufan foot soldiers and the latter fled. Mus'ab then sent Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath with his cavalry to decimate the fleeing Kufans and told him: "Take your revenge [on the mawālī]!"[20] Many of the Kufan horsemen escaped, while most of the foot soldiers were killed or captured. All the prisoners were put to death by the Kufan refugees in Mus'ab's army.[20] Despite Ibn Wahab's suspicions, the mawālī put up serious resistance and large numbers of them died.[21] Their leader Abu Amra Kaysan was likely killed as the sources do not mention him after the battle. The survivors of Mukhtar's army retreated to Kufa and informed Mukhtar of the defeat.[18] The news undermined Mukhtar's prestige. Regarding his promise of victory, his mawālī remarked: "This time he told lies".[18][22] Mukhtar himself remarked: "By God the slaves [mawālī] have been killed on an unprecedented scale".[18] The precise date of the battle is not given in the historical accounts, but according to modern historians, it would have been fought in the middle of 686.[14][18]
Battle of Harura
Mus'ab pursued the fleeing Kufans. In order to quickly reach Kufa, he sent his infantry and provisions by boats, while his cavalry moved by land. On learning this, Mukhtar fortified the palace, stocked provisions, and placed Kufa under the command of a certain
Mus'ab soon arrived at Harura. In charge of the Kufan troops in his army was Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath. Muhallab commanded the right wing and the left wing was commanded by Umar ibn Ubaydallah ibn Ma'mar al-Taymi. The infantry were led by Muqatil ibn Misma al-Bakri.[23] Mukhtar installed Abd Allah ibn Qurad al-Khath'ami at the head of his shurṭa (security retinue). The right and left wings of his forces were commanded by Sulaym ibn Yazid al-Kindi and Sa'id ibn Munqidh al-Hamdani, respectively, while his cavalry and infantry were led by Umar ibn Abdallah al-Nahdi and Malik ibn Amr al-Nahdi,[24] the latter a veteran of the Battle of Siffin in 657.[25]
When the armies neared each other, Mukhtar sent detachments to confront each of the Basran fifths and the pro-Zubayrid Kufans, while he remained stationary among his troops. Mukhtar's forces made initial gains against the Basran Bakr and Abd al-Qays fifths and pressed forward. They then drove back the Ahl al-Jibal fifth and approached Mus'ab who entrenched himself at an elevated position with his men and shot arrows against Mukhtar's troops. Upon Mus'ab's urging, al-Muhallab, who had remained stationary with the Azd and Tamim fifths, led an assault against Mukhtar's troops and landed them a severe blow, though heavy fighting continued until nightfall.
Aftermath
Mus'ab's forces proceeded to enter Kufa and besiege Mukhtar in his palace. The latter's defenders initially put up meager resistance.[29] The siege lasted for four months.[30] At one point during the siege, Mukhtar and 200 defenders made a sortie and dispersed 100 attackers.[31] They returned and the siege was tightened until Mukhtar exited with some nineteen of his men and made a last stand, in which he was slain.[32] This occurred on 3 April 687.[33]
Pressed by the vengeful Kufan ashrāf in his camp, including Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath's son
Notes
References
- ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 88 n.
- ^ Wellhausen 1975, p. 144, n 37.
- ^ Streck & Morony 1991, p. 921.
- ^ a b c Vaglieri 1971, p. 235.
- ^ Wellhausen 1927, p. 58.
- ^ a b Fishbein 1990, p. 92.
- ^ a b Hawting 1993, pp. 522–523.
- ^ Donner 2010, pp. 183–184.
- ^ Watt 1960, pp. 163–164.
- ^ Wellhausen 1975, p. 131.
- ^ Dixon 1971, p. 49.
- ^ Wellhausen 1975, pp. 133–134.
- ^ Donner 2010, p. 185.
- ^ a b c Wellhausen 1975, p. 137.
- ^ a b c Hawting 1993, p. 523.
- ^ a b Fishbein 1990, p. 87.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 89.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dixon 1971, p. 71.
- ^ a b Fishbein 1990, p. 88.
- ^ a b Fishbein 1990, pp. 89–90.
- ^ Wellhausen 1975, pp. 137–138.
- ^ a b Wellhausen 1975, p. 138.
- ^ Dixon 1971, p. 72.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, pp. 92–93.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 94.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 84.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, pp. 94–95.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, pp. 95–96.
- ^ Wellhausen 1975, pp. 138–139.
- ^ a b Lammens & Pellat 1993, p. 650.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, pp. 102–103.
- ^ a b Wellhausen 1975, p. 139.
- ^ a b Hawting 1993, p. 524.
- ^ Dixon 1971, p. 75.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, pp. 116–117.
- ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 109.
Bibliography
- Dixon, Abd al-Ameer A. (1971). The Umayyad Caliphate, 65–86/684–705 (a Political Study). London: Luzac. ISBN 978-0-718-90149-3.
- ISBN 978-0-674-05097-6.
- Fishbein, Michael, ed. (1990). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXI: The Victory of the Marwānids, A.D. 685–693/A.H. 66–73. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0221-4.
- ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
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