The History of al-Ṭabarī Vol. 19

The Caliphate of Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah A.D. 680-683/A.H. 60-64

I. K. A. Howard

• Publisher: SUNY Press
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780791400418, 9780791400401
• eBook ISBN: 9781438407142
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

This volume deals with the caliphate of Yaz?d. Yaz?d was not accepted as a legitimate caliph by many of the leading Muslims of the time, and, therefore, al-?abar? has concentrated his account of Yaz?d's caliphate almost entirely on the opposition to him. This opposition had its leadership in two of the leading Islamic figures of the time, al-?usayn, the son of the caliph ?Al?, and Ibn al-Zubayr, a leading Muslim who felt that he had had some claims to the caliphate himself. The first revolt was led by al-?usayn. This revolt, although ineffectual in military terms, is very important for the history of Islam, as al-?usayn came to be regarded by Shi'ite Muslims as the martyred imam; his martyrdom is still commemorated every year by them.

In his account al-?abar? has preserved for us some of the earliest historical writing on the subject. The amount of space he devotes to this event shows the importance it had already assumed by his own time. The second revolt, that of Ibn al-Zubayr, was much more serious in immediate terms. The revolt or civil war can be divided into two stages. This volume covers the first stage, ending with the timely death of Yaz?d, which saved Ibn al-Zubayr from defeat.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• The History of al-Tabari: Editorial Board
• The History of al-Tabari: Vol. XIX
• Copyright
• Preface
• Table of Contents
• Translator's Foreword
• The Events of the Year 60 (cont’d) (April 22 - September 30, 680)
• The Events of the Year 61 (October 1, 680 - September 19, 681)
• The Events of the Year 62 (September 20, 68I - September 9, 682)
• The Events of the Year 63 (September 10, 682 - August 29, 683)
• The Events of the Year 64 (August 30, 683 - August 17, 684)
• Bibliography of Cited Works
• Index
• Back Cover