Muhammad ibn Marwan
Encyclopedia
Muḥammad ibn Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam (died 719/720) was an Umayyad
prince and one of the most important generals of the Caliphate
in the period 690–710, completing the Arab conquest of Armenia
. He defeated the Byzantines and conquered their Armenian territories, crushed an Armenian rebellion in 704–705 and made the country into an Umayyad province.
(r. 684–685) by a slave girl, and hence half-brother to the Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705).
When Marwan assumed the throne, he was sent to northern Mesopotamia
to secure Armenia. In 691, he commanded his brother's advance guard in the battle of Dayr al-Jathalik against the rebellious governor Musab Ibn al-Zubair. In 692/693, he defeated a Byzantine
army in the Battle of Sebastopolis, when he persuaded the large Slavic contingent of the imperial army to defect to him. In the next year, he invaded Byzantine Asia Minor
with the assistance of the selfsame Slavs, and scored a success against a Byzantine army near Germanikeia, while in 695, he raided the province of Fourth Armenia.
In 699–701, along with his nephew, Abdallah ibn Abd al-Malik
, he was dispatched to Iraq
to assist the governor Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in the suppression of the Kharijite rebellion of 'Abdu r-Rahmān ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath. In 701 Muhammad campaigned against the Byzantine-controlled Armenian territory east of the Euphrates
, and forced its population and the local governor, Baanes, to submit to the Caliphate. Soon after his departure however the Armenians rebelled and called for Byzantine aid. Repeated campaigns in 703 and 704 by Muhammad and Abdallah ibn 'Abd al-Malik however crushed the revolt. Muhammad further secured Muslim control by organizing a large-scale massacre of the nakharar
families in 705.
When al-Walid I acceded to the throne in 705, Muhammad began to be eclipsed by his nephew Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik
, who like him was also born to a slave-girl. Maslamah assumed the leadership of the campaigns against Byzantium, and finally replaced Muhammad completely in his capacity as governor of Mesopotamia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 709/710. Muhammad died in 719/720.
He was the father of the last Umayyad Caliph, Marwan II
(r. 744–750) through an unnamed woman, most likely of non-Arab origin (a Kurd according to some accounts). Some sources report that Muhammad took her captive during the suppression of Ibn al-Zubair's revolt, and a few even claim that she was already pregnant at the time.
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
prince and one of the most important generals of the Caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
in the period 690–710, completing the Arab conquest of Armenia
Arab conquest of Armenia
The Arab conquest of Armenia was a part of the Muslim conquests after the death of Muhammad in AD 632.Persian Armenia had fallen to the Byzantine Empire shortly before, in AD 629, and was conquered in the Rashidun Caliphate by AD 645.-Islamic expansion:...
. He defeated the Byzantines and conquered their Armenian territories, crushed an Armenian rebellion in 704–705 and made the country into an Umayyad province.
Life
He was the son of Caliph Marwan IMarwan I
Marwan ibn al-Hakam was the fourth Umayyad Caliph, who took over the dynasty after Muawiya II abdicated in 684. Marwan's ascension pointed to a shift in the lineage of the Umayyad dynasty from descendants of Abu Sufyan to those of Hakam, both of whom were grandsons of Umayya...
(r. 684–685) by a slave girl, and hence half-brother to the Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705).
When Marwan assumed the throne, he was sent to northern Mesopotamia
Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia
Upper Mesopotamia is the name used for the uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey which is known by the traditional Arabic name of Al-Jazira , variously transliterated into Roman script as Djazirah, Djezirah and Jazirah...
to secure Armenia. In 691, he commanded his brother's advance guard in the battle of Dayr al-Jathalik against the rebellious governor Musab Ibn al-Zubair. In 692/693, he defeated a Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
army in the Battle of Sebastopolis, when he persuaded the large Slavic contingent of the imperial army to defect to him. In the next year, he invaded Byzantine Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
with the assistance of the selfsame Slavs, and scored a success against a Byzantine army near Germanikeia, while in 695, he raided the province of Fourth Armenia.
In 699–701, along with his nephew, Abdallah ibn Abd al-Malik
Abdallah ibn Abd al-Malik
‘Abdallah ibn ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan was an Umayyad prince, the son of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan , a general and governor of Egypt....
, he was dispatched to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to assist the governor Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in the suppression of the Kharijite rebellion of 'Abdu r-Rahmān ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath. In 701 Muhammad campaigned against the Byzantine-controlled Armenian territory east of the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
, and forced its population and the local governor, Baanes, to submit to the Caliphate. Soon after his departure however the Armenians rebelled and called for Byzantine aid. Repeated campaigns in 703 and 704 by Muhammad and Abdallah ibn 'Abd al-Malik however crushed the revolt. Muhammad further secured Muslim control by organizing a large-scale massacre of the nakharar
Nakharar
Nakharar was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility.-Nakharar system:Medieval Armenia was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet...
families in 705.
When al-Walid I acceded to the throne in 705, Muhammad began to be eclipsed by his nephew Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik
Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik
Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik was an Umayyad prince and one of the most prominent Arab generals of the early decades of the 8th century, leading several campaigns against the Byzantine Empire and the Khazar Khaganate...
, who like him was also born to a slave-girl. Maslamah assumed the leadership of the campaigns against Byzantium, and finally replaced Muhammad completely in his capacity as governor of Mesopotamia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 709/710. Muhammad died in 719/720.
He was the father of the last Umayyad Caliph, Marwan II
Marwan II
Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan or Marwan II was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 744 until 750 when he was killed. He was the last Umayyad ruler to rule from Damascus.In A.H. 114 Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In A.H...
(r. 744–750) through an unnamed woman, most likely of non-Arab origin (a Kurd according to some accounts). Some sources report that Muhammad took her captive during the suppression of Ibn al-Zubair's revolt, and a few even claim that she was already pregnant at the time.