Al-Mansur Muhammad
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansur Muhammad was an imam
of the Zaidi
state in Yemen
who ruled in 1475-1504, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate
.
s who claimed the Yemeni imamate after the death of al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
in Dhamar
in 1474. He was a seventh-generation descendant of the imam Yahya bin Muhammad as-Siraji
(d. 1296). He took the honorific title al-Mansur Muhammad. The two other claimants were al-Hadi Izz ad-din
(d. 1495) and an-Nasir Muhammad
(d. 1488). A fourth imam, al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
posed as lord of San'a (Sahib San'a) since 1464. Al-Mansur Muhammad was thus only one of several leaders in the Zaidi lands of highland Yemen. At this time, the Sunni Tahiride
dynasty ruled from Zabid
and Ta'izz
in the lowland and southern highland. The Tahiride sultans did not attempt to expand to the north after 1465, and their relations to the Zaidi imams oscillated between tolerance and enmity. A preserved text outlines the political situation in the Zaidi territory around 1500. Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad ruled San'a and the surrounding districts; the Kawkaban
area stood under the sons of the old imam al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
; and the traditional Zaidi centre Sa'dah
and its districts were divided between al-Mansur Muhammad and two other families.
and San'a in 1496 and 1498. On the latter occasion the imam's forces were completely routed. After the death of al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad bin an-Nasir in 1503, San'a was dominated by a certain Sharib. In the next year, the Tahiride Sultan Amir attacked the city. Al-Mansur Muhammad hastened down to relieve the defenders of San'a, but he fell in the hands of Sultan Amir. The Tahirides entered San'a and a reign of terror ensued. The captured imam was poisoned in prison in San'a three months later. The Tahiride triumph was just temporary. Two years later the Zaidi imamate was continued in the person of al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
, who managed to unite large parts of Yemen under his authority.
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 ruled in 1475-1504, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate
Imamate
The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...
.
Zaidi disunity
Muhammad bin Ali as-Siraji al-Washali was one of the three SayyidSayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s who claimed the Yemeni imamate after the death of al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled between 1436 and 1474, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate.-Rivalry for the imamate:...
in 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...
in 1474. He was a seventh-generation descendant of the imam Yahya bin Muhammad as-Siraji
Yahya bin Muhammad as-Siraji
Yahya bin Muhammad as-Siraji was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who held the imamate in 1261-1262.At this time, most of Yemen was under the control of the Rasulid Dynasty which was Sunni Muslim and based in the lowland. In the northern parts of the highland, members of the Zaidi elite tried...
(d. 1296). He took the honorific title al-Mansur Muhammad. The two other claimants were al-Hadi Izz ad-din
Al-Hadi Izz ad-din
Al-Hadi Izz ad-Din was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen, who held the imamate in 1474-1495 in rivalry with other claimants....
(d. 1495) and an-Nasir Muhammad
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Yusuf
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Yusuf was a contender for the Zaidi state in Yemen, whose term as imam is counted from 1474 to 1488....
(d. 1488). A fourth imam, al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
Al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in parts of the Yemeni highland including San'a in 1462-1503.-Repulsing the Tahirides:...
posed as lord of San'a (Sahib San'a) since 1464. Al-Mansur Muhammad was thus only one of several leaders in the Zaidi lands of highland Yemen. At this time, the Sunni Tahiride
Tahiride
The Tahiride was an Arab Muslim dynasty that ruled Yemen and the Hadramawt from 1454 to 1526.The Tahiride Rulers, who took power at the end of a period of anarchy that followed the collapse of the Rasulid dynasty in the mid-15th century, tried to imitate Bani Rasool...
dynasty ruled from Zabid
Zabid
Zabid is a town with an urban population of around 23,000 persons on Yemen's western coastal plain. The town, named after Wadi Zabid, the wadi to its south, is one of the oldest towns in Yemen...
and Ta'izz
Ta'izz
Ta'izz , or Taiz, is a city in the Yemeni Highlands, near the famous Mocha port on the Red Sea, lying at an elevation of about 1,400 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Ta'izz Governorate...
in the lowland and southern highland. The Tahiride sultans did not attempt to expand to the north after 1465, and their relations to the Zaidi imams oscillated between tolerance and enmity. A preserved text outlines the political situation in the Zaidi territory around 1500. Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad ruled San'a and the surrounding districts; the 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...
area stood under the sons of the old imam al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled between 1436 and 1474, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate.-Rivalry for the imamate:...
; and the traditional Zaidi centre 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 :*...
and its districts were divided between al-Mansur Muhammad and two other families.
Defeats against the Tahirides
Al-Mansur Muhammad attacked Tahiride positions between DhamarDhamar, 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...
and San'a in 1496 and 1498. On the latter occasion the imam's forces were completely routed. After the death of al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad bin an-Nasir in 1503, San'a was dominated by a certain Sharib. In the next year, the Tahiride Sultan Amir attacked the city. Al-Mansur Muhammad hastened down to relieve the defenders of San'a, but he fell in the hands of Sultan Amir. The Tahirides entered San'a and a reign of terror ensued. The captured imam was poisoned in prison in San'a three months later. The Tahiride triumph was just temporary. Two years later the Zaidi imamate was continued in the person of al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen. His period as imam covered the period 1506-1555, though his political activity ended in about 1547.-Construction of a new Zaidi realm:...
, who managed to unite large parts of Yemen under his authority.