Al-Mansur Ali II
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansur Ali II was an Imam
of Yemen
who reigned in the capital San'a during four brief terms (1835–1837, 1844–1845, 1849–1850, 1851). He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi
imamate
of Yemen from 1597 to 1962.
and an Ethiopian
consort. When his father passed away in November 1835 after a turbulent reign, Ali was able to claim the imamate, under the name al-Mansur Ali. Nevertheless he lacked some of the qualifications for an imam. Two Britons called Cruttenden and Hurton visited San'a in 1836 and related their meeting with the imam. Al-Mansur Ali was described as a young man of dark complexion. On occasions when the two foreigners met the imam, the latter got exceedingly drunk, as did the attending dancing-girls. The visitors also related that San'a was in the grip of a severe famine, since no rain had fallen in four years. Al-Mansur Ali II was deposed by his own troops on 9 February 1837, since their salary was in arrears. They replaced him with an-Nasir Abdallah
, a prominent Zaidi scholar in his own right. The ex-imam and his uncle Sidi Muhammad were imprisoned and stayed in confinement for the next three years.
. Al-Mansur Ali received an allowance but was forbidden to interfere in state affairs. After the death of his uncle in January 1844, al-Mansur Ali was once again raised to the imamate, almost without opposition. In the same year he undertook a military campaign to subdue the lowlands of Yemen, Tihamah
, which had been lost for the Zaidi state since 1832. After having been evacuated by Egypt
ian troops in 1840, the Tihamah was dominated by Sharif al-Husayn bin Ali bin Haidar of Abu Arish (d. 1851). Imam Al-Mansur Ali had some initial successes and issued a proclamation from Qataba where he enjoined various chiefs to submit to Zaidi rule. Some actually did, though by far the most abstained. Al-Mansur Ali's enterprise was interrupted by a revolt by his uncle al-Qasim, and an outbreak of smallpox. Eventually a relative called Muhammad bin Yahya claimed the imamate and appeared before San'a with an army of tribesmen in 1845. The inhabitants declared for the claimant, and al-Mansur Ali was once again deposed. He was given an allowance and permitted to live in one of the palaces of the city. The usurper took the name al-Mutawakkil Muhammad
.
returned to the Tihamah in 1849 and al-Mutawakkil Muhammad was summoned to submit. The imam accompanied a Turkish army to San'a. However, the day after the arrival of the detachment to the city, it was furiously attacked by the locals, supposedly enjoined by the imam. The Turkish commander Tefvik Pasha, who was badly wounded, immediately deposed al-Mutawakkil Muhammad and raised al-Mansur Ali to the imamate for the third time. Soon after, the Turks retreated to Hudaydah in the Tihamah. With the Turks gone, the power struggles continued in the rump Zaidi state. Al-Mansur Ali threw al-Mutawakkil Muhammad in prison and had him beheaded in December 1849. In June 1850 he was deposed for the third time by a rising headed by a distant relative called al-Mu'ayyad Abbas
.
, al-Mansur Ali collected a force of Hashid
and Bakil
tribesmen, surrounded San'a, and forced the rival to flee. Thus he was formally appointed imam for the fourth time (February 1851). However, he was unable to prevail against other claimants. In the same year 1851, while he was out on an expedition to the central plateau, al-Mutawakkil Muhammad's son al-Hadi Ghalib
rose against him. Al-Hadi was appointed imam, and he generously declined to take full vengeance on his father's murderer. Al-Mansur Ali, however, lost his property. He continued to live in the vicinity of San'a, and in 1870 reportedly co-wrote a letter that invited the Porte back to end the chaos of the highlands.
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 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....
who reigned in the capital San'a during four brief terms (1835–1837, 1844–1845, 1849–1850, 1851). He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated 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...
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:...
of Yemen from 1597 to 1962.
First reign
Ali bin Abdallah was the son of Imam al-Mahdi AbdallahAl-Mahdi Abdallah
Al-Mahdi Abdallah was an Imam of Yemen who ruled in 1816-1835. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen from 1597 to 1962.-Return of the Tihamah:...
and an Ethiopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
consort. When his father passed away in November 1835 after a turbulent reign, Ali was able to claim the imamate, under the name al-Mansur Ali. Nevertheless he lacked some of the qualifications for an imam. Two Britons called Cruttenden and Hurton visited San'a in 1836 and related their meeting with the imam. Al-Mansur Ali was described as a young man of dark complexion. On occasions when the two foreigners met the imam, the latter got exceedingly drunk, as did the attending dancing-girls. The visitors also related that San'a was in the grip of a severe famine, since no rain had fallen in four years. Al-Mansur Ali II was deposed by his own troops on 9 February 1837, since their salary was in arrears. They replaced him with an-Nasir Abdallah
An-Nasir Abdallah
An-Nasir Abdallah was an Imam of Yemen who ruled in 1837-1840. He was a member of the Qasimid family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen from 1597 to 1962.-Seizure of power:...
, a prominent Zaidi scholar in his own right. The ex-imam and his uncle Sidi Muhammad were imprisoned and stayed in confinement for the next three years.
Second reign
After the violent death of an-Nasir Abdallah in 1840, al-Mansur Ali and Sidi Muhammad were released, and the latter was made imam, as al-Hadi MuhammadAl-Hadi Muhammad
Al-Hadi Muhammad was an Imam of Yemen who ruled in 1840-1844. He was a member of the Qasimid family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen from 1597 to 1962....
. Al-Mansur Ali received an allowance but was forbidden to interfere in state affairs. After the death of his uncle in January 1844, al-Mansur Ali was once again raised to the imamate, almost without opposition. In the same year he undertook a military campaign to subdue the lowlands of Yemen, 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...
, which had been lost for the Zaidi state since 1832. After having been evacuated by 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...
ian troops in 1840, the Tihamah was dominated by Sharif al-Husayn bin Ali bin Haidar of Abu Arish (d. 1851). Imam Al-Mansur Ali had some initial successes and issued a proclamation from Qataba where he enjoined various chiefs to submit to Zaidi rule. Some actually did, though by far the most abstained. Al-Mansur Ali's enterprise was interrupted by a revolt by his uncle al-Qasim, and an outbreak of smallpox. Eventually a relative called Muhammad bin Yahya claimed the imamate and appeared before San'a with an army of tribesmen in 1845. The inhabitants declared for the claimant, and al-Mansur Ali was once again deposed. He was given an allowance and permitted to live in one of the palaces of the city. The usurper took the name al-Mutawakkil Muhammad
Al-Mutawakkil Muhammad
Al-Mutawakkil Muhammad was an Imam of Yemen who reigned in 1845-1849. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen from 1597 to 1962.-Struggle against Abu Arish:...
.
Third reign
The Ottoman TurksOttoman 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...
returned to the Tihamah in 1849 and al-Mutawakkil Muhammad was summoned to submit. The imam accompanied a Turkish army to San'a. However, the day after the arrival of the detachment to the city, it was furiously attacked by the locals, supposedly enjoined by the imam. The Turkish commander Tefvik Pasha, who was badly wounded, immediately deposed al-Mutawakkil Muhammad and raised al-Mansur Ali to the imamate for the third time. Soon after, the Turks retreated to Hudaydah in the Tihamah. With the Turks gone, the power struggles continued in the rump Zaidi state. Al-Mansur Ali threw al-Mutawakkil Muhammad in prison and had him beheaded in December 1849. In June 1850 he was deposed for the third time by a rising headed by a distant relative called al-Mu'ayyad Abbas
Al-Mu'ayyad Abbas
Al-Mu'ayyad Abbas was an Imam of Yemen who ruled briefly in 1850. He belonged to the Qasimi family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, who dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen between 1597 and 1962.Abbas bin Abd ar-Rahman was a scholar who descended from Imam al-Mutawakkil Isma'il in the sixth...
.
Fourth reign
When al-Mu'ayyad Abbas was imprisoned by yet a rival imam, al-Mansur AhmadAl-Mansur Ahmad
Al-Mansur Ahmad was a Zaydiyya imam who claimed the rulership over Yemen in the years 1849-1853. His strife-ridden career spelt the end of the Zaydi Imamate of Yemen as a coherent force.- Background of the rebellion :...
, al-Mansur Ali collected a force of Hashid
Hashid
The Hashid tribal federation is the second largest tribal federation in Yemen. Member tribes of the Hashid Confederation are found primarily in the mountains in the North and Northwest of the country. It was headed by Sheikh Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar until his death on December 29, 2007 and is...
and Bakil
Bakil
The Bakil federation is the largest tribal federation in Yemen. Imam Yahya's campaign to subject the country, and more specifically the tribes, to his control, led him to undertake massive campaigns against their influence and power; in fact, his efforts succeeded in permanently eliminating all but...
tribesmen, surrounded San'a, and forced the rival to flee. Thus he was formally appointed imam for the fourth time (February 1851). However, he was unable to prevail against other claimants. In the same year 1851, while he was out on an expedition to the central plateau, al-Mutawakkil Muhammad's son al-Hadi Ghalib
Al-Hadi Ghalib
Al-Hadi Ghalib was an Imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1851-1852, and made subsequent periodical claims to the imamate up to the Ottoman intervention in 1872.-Rivalry for the imamate:...
rose against him. Al-Hadi was appointed imam, and he generously declined to take full vengeance on his father's murderer. Al-Mansur Ali, however, lost his property. He continued to live in the vicinity of San'a, and in 1870 reportedly co-wrote a letter that invited the Porte back to end the chaos of the highlands.
See also
- R.B. Serjeant & R. Lewcock, San'a'; An Arabian Islamic City. London 1983.
- Robert W. Stookey, Yemen; The Politics of the Yemen Arab Republic. Boulder 1978.