Battle of Marj Marina (657)
| Battle of Marj Marina (657) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of First Fitna | |||||||
Map of the Jazira region | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
Rashidun Caliphate Partisans of Ali |
Umayyad Syria Uthmaniyya | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Ali ibn Abi Talib Malik al-Ashtar |
Mu'awiya I Al-Dahhak ibn Qays | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 700+ | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Marj Marina was fought in 657 CE during the First Fitna between the Iraqi Arab forces of the fourth Rashidun caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib and the Syrian Arab forces of the rebelling long-time governor of the Levant, Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, for control of the region of Al-Jazira. The dispute escalated into a military confrontation, which resulted in both forces being forced to retreat.
Background
After the assassination of the third Rashidun caliph Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib was chosen in Medina to succeed Uthman as caliph, but Ali's authority was rejected by several supporters of Uthman, including Uthman's Umayyad kinsman and the long-time governor of Greater Syria, Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who also controlled the region of Al-Jazira.[1] After Ali emerged victorious at the Battle of the Camel, Mu'awiya appointed his subordinate Al-Dahhak ibn Qays as his governor of the Jazira, which encompassed the towns of Harran, Circesium, Ruha and Raqqa, where a significant population of Uthmanids had settled.[2] After establishing his capital at Kufa, Ali in turn appointed his own lieutenant Malik al-Ashtar as his own governor of the Jazira. During the civil war, the Uthmanid Simak ibn Makhrama fled to Raqqa along with one hundred men under his command and pledged to offer support to Mu'awiya. Later another seven hundred men of his tribe fled to Raqqa.[3]
Battle
Malik al-Ashtar advanced towards Harran in order to meet this threat, and in response Mu'awiya I sent Al-Dahhak ibn Qays to halt al-Ashtar's advance.[4] The two armies met Marj Marina, located between Raqqa and Harran, and clashed for a day until al-Dahhak's forces were defeated and routed to the fortified town of Harran.[5][6]
Aftermath
After al-Dahhak retreated to Harran, Malik al-Ashtar pursued him and laid siege to Harran. To aid the defenders, Mu'awiya I dispatched Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid, his governor of Homs. Upon hearing about the incoming reinforcements, al-Ashtar retreated by the route of Raqqa and Circesium. The two towns then armed themselves against al-Ashtar, who was routed to Mosul.[7][8][9]
See also
References
- ^ Price, David (1811). Chronological Retrospect, Or Memoirs of the Principal Events of Mahommedan History from the Death of the Arabian Legislator to the Accession of the Emperor Akbar and the Establishment of the Moghul Empire in Hindustaun. From Original Persian Authorities. Booth. pp. 239–240.
- ^ Sezgin (2023-09-25). Abū Mihnaf: Ein Beitrag zur Historiographie der umaiyadischen Zeit (in German). BRILL. p. 168. ISBN 978-90-04-66242-1.
- ^ Jabali, Fu'ad (2003-05-11). The Companions of the Prophet: A Study of Geographical Distribution and Political Alignments. BRILL. p. 172. ISBN 978-90-474-0188-9.
- ^ الکرباسي, محمد صادق محمد (2021-06-30). إنه المؤمن حقاً - الجزء الأول: السيرة الکاملة لفارس الإسلام مالک الأشتر (in Arabic). بيت العلم للنابهين. pp. 233–234. ISBN 978-1-78403-962-2.
- ^ IslamKotob. جمل من انساب الأشراف - 6 (in Arabic). IslamKotob. p. 229.
- ^ Madelung, Wilferd (1997). The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate. Cambridge University Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-521-64696-3.
- ^ Dietrich, A. (1965). "Al-Dahhak ibn Kays al-Fihri". In Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. & Schacht, J. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume II: C–G. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 89–90. OCLC 495469475.
- ^ Sezgin (2023-09-25). Abū Mihnaf: Ein Beitrag zur Historiographie der umaiyadischen Zeit (in German). BRILL. p. 168. ISBN 978-90-04-66242-1.
- ^ البلاذري (2023-01-01). أنساب الأشراف (in Arabic). Rufoof. ISBN 9786395676051.