Berber Revolt

Berber Revolt
Part of the Fitnas
Date740–743
Location
Result
  • Berber victory in the western and central Maghreb.
  • Arab victory in al-Andalus and Ifriqiya.
Territorial
changes
Establishment of several independent states
Belligerents
Umayyad Caliphate Berber insurgents
Commanders and leaders
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik
Ubayd Allah ibn al-Habhab
Khalid ibn Abi Habib 
Uqba ibn al-Hajjaj
Kulthum ibn Iyad al-Qushayri 
Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib
Handhala ibn Safwan
Balj ibn Bishr al-Qushayri
Habib ibn Abi Ubayda 
Tha'laba ibn Salama
Khalid ibn Hamid
Maysara al-Matghari Executed
Salim Abu Yusuf al-Azdi
Ukkasha ibn Ayyub Executed
Abd al-Wahid ibn Yazid 

The Berber Revolt or the Kharijite Revolt[1] of 740–743 AD (122–125 AH in the Islamic calendar) took place during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik and marked the first successful secession from the Arab caliphate (ruled from Damascus). Fired up by Kharijite puritan preachers, the Berber revolt against their Umayyad Arab rulers began in Tangier in 740, and was led initially by Maysara al-Matghari. The revolt soon spread through the rest of the Maghreb (North Africa) and across the straits to al-Andalus.

Although the Berbers managed to end Umayyad rule in the western Maghreb following the battles of Badgoura and of the Nobles, the Umayyads scrambled and managed to prevent the core of Ifriqiya (Tunisia, eastern Algeria and western Libya) and al-Andalus (Spain and Portugal) from falling into rebel hands, notably securing victory in the decisive battle of al-Asnam. However, the rest of the Maghreb was never brought back under Umayyad rule. After failing to capture the Umayyad provincial capital of Kairouan, the Berber rebel armies dissolved, and the western Maghreb fragmented into a series of small statelets, ruled by tribal chieftains and Kharijite imams.

The Berber revolt was probably the largest military setback in the reign of Caliph Hisham. From it emerged some of the first Muslim states outside the Caliphate.

  1. ^ Meri, Josef W. (2005-10-31). Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 341. ISBN 978-1-135-45596-5.