Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
Encyclopedia
Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din (Feb. 25, 1473-March 27, 1555) 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.
(d. 1436) and was born in north-western Yemen. He spent several years of studies to become a mujtahid (man of Zaidi religious learning), and then proclaimed his da'wa (call for the imamate) in September 1506. At this time there was another imam in the Yemeni highlands, an-Nasir al-Hasan, who was however more a literati than a politician. The Tahiride
Dynasty ruled the lowlands and southern highland from Ta'izz
, and had recently sacked the Zaidi capital San'a. However, the Tahirides were defeated by the Mamluks from Egypt
in 1517 and the sultan Amir was killed. Shortly afterwards, the Mamluk sultanate in Egypt was in turn defeated by the Ottoman
sultan Selim I
. The Mamluk troops in Yemen, as a consequence, had to acknowledge the overlordship of Selim. The weak garrison in San'a had to withdraw, and the important city was taken over by al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din. The imam proceeded to expand the territory of the Zaidi imamate
at the expense of various Tahiride princes who still ruled over scattered domains. Ta'izz was taken in 1534, followed by Khanfar
, Lahij
and Abyan.
. He thus resurrected the Zaidi imamate after a long period of disunity, and much of the southern highlands and northern Tihamah
was appropriated. However, the Ottoman
Turks had a vital interest in securing Yemen, which was described as being "more flourishing than the province of Egypt". At this time the Portuguese
seafarers had become a nuisance in the Indian Ocean
region, threatening to cut off trade between the Red Sea
and the India
n coast. There were therefore good strategical reasons to control south-western Arabia. An Ottoman expedition established a sancakbeylik in Zabid
in 1539, but their little enclave was contained by the imam's forces for eight years. Dissention within the imam's immediate family played the Turks in the hand. His ablest son, al-Mutahhar, even urged the Ottoman commander in Zabid to attack the lands of the imam.
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....
. His period as imam covered the period 1506-1555, though his political activity ended in about 1547.
Construction of a new Zaidi realm
Yahya Sharaf ad-Din bin Shams ad-Din bin Ahmad was a grandson of the imam al-Mahdi Ahmad bin YahyaAl-Mahdi Ahmad bin Yahya
Al-Mahdi Ahmad bin Yahya was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who briefly held the imamate in 1391-1392.Ahmad bin Yahya was a 12th-generation descendant of the Zaidi imam ad-Da'i Yusuf , and was born in either 1363 or 1373. He was very well educated and a prolific writer in various subjects...
(d. 1436) and was born in north-western Yemen. He spent several years of studies to become a mujtahid (man of Zaidi religious learning), and then proclaimed his da'wa (call for the imamate) in September 1506. At this time there was another imam in the Yemeni highlands, an-Nasir al-Hasan, who was however more a literati than a politician. The 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 the lowlands and southern highland from 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...
, and had recently sacked the Zaidi capital San'a. However, the Tahirides were defeated by the Mamluks from 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 1517 and the sultan Amir was killed. Shortly afterwards, the Mamluk sultanate in Egypt was in turn defeated by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
sultan Selim I
Selim I
Selim I, Yavuz Sultân Selim Khan, Hâdim-ül Haramain-ish Sharifain , nicknamed Yavuz "the Stern" or "the Steadfast", but often rendered in English as "the Grim" , was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to...
. The Mamluk troops in Yemen, as a consequence, had to acknowledge the overlordship of Selim. The weak garrison in San'a had to withdraw, and the important city was taken over by al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din. The imam proceeded to expand the territory of the Zaidi 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:...
at the expense of various Tahiride princes who still ruled over scattered domains. Ta'izz was taken in 1534, followed by Khanfar
Khanfar, Abyan
Khanfar is a village that is a southern suburb of Jaʿār in the Abyan Governorate of south-western Yemen. It is said to be inhabited by Yafa peoples.-History:...
, Lahij
Lahij
Lahij or Lahej is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Al-Abdali family who with Al-Sallami, Al-Ramada, Al-Sindi and al-Aqrabi, claims relation to Ahl al-Bayt...
and Abyan.
Ottoman intervention
After three decades of struggles, al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din was able to implement his authority over the most of the Zaidi communities in Yemen, together with several Sunni areas. The imam was assisted by his sons, in particular al-MutahharAl-Mutahhar
Al-Mutahhar was an imam of the Zaidi state of Yemen who ruled from 1547 to 1572. His era marked the temporary end of an autonomous Yemeni polity in the highlands.-The coming of the Ottomans:...
. He thus resurrected the Zaidi imamate after a long period of disunity, and much of the southern highlands and northern Tihamah
Tihamah
Tihamah or Tihama is a narrow coastal region of Arabia on the Red Sea. It is currently divided between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In a broad sense, Tihamah refers to the entire coastline from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb Strait but it more often refers only to its southern half, starting...
was appropriated. However, the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Turks had a vital interest in securing Yemen, which was described as being "more flourishing than the province of Egypt". At this time the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
seafarers had become a nuisance in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
region, threatening to cut off trade between the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n coast. There were therefore good strategical reasons to control south-western Arabia. An Ottoman expedition established a sancakbeylik in 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...
in 1539, but their little enclave was contained by the imam's forces for eight years. Dissention within the imam's immediate family played the Turks in the hand. His ablest son, al-Mutahhar, even urged the Ottoman commander in Zabid to attack the lands of the imam.