Al-Mansur al-Husayn III
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansur al-Husayn III was a claimant to the dignity of imam
of Yemen
in 1859-1863, wielding power in intense rivalry with other self-proclaimed imams.
Al-Husayn bin Muhammad bin al-Hadi, known by the title al-Mansur, emerged at a time when the Zaidi
imamate of Yemen was suffering a period of political chaos. The Tihamah
lowland was ruled by the Ottoman
Turks, while the highland was contested between several imams, such as al-Hadi Ghalib
, al-Mansur Muhammad bin Abdallah
and al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
. After 1852, the capital city San'a was governed by the shaykh Ahmad al-Haymi, who was not a scholarly figure. Al-Haymi was considered a vicious personality, and in 1859 the population of San'a had enough and planned to assassinate the governor. Al-Haymi managed to slip away, intending to reach the Turks in the coastland, but was captured by Yemeni tribesmen. These delivered him into the hands of the newly proclaimed imam al-Mansur al-Husayn III who was based at at-Tawilah west of Kawkaban
. The imam entered San'a with his captive. Al-Haymi was imprisoned, but he managed to spread propaganda among the common townsfolk, who destroyed the imam's house in Harat al-Filayhi. Thus al-Mansur al-Husayn was expelled from San'a in 1860. Later in the same year, the population appointed Muhsin Mu'id (d. 1881) as governor, while al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
was formally acknowledged as imam. Al-Mutawakkil defeated his rival decisively in 1863, and again in either 1865 or 1867. Al-Mansur al-Husayn III appears to have been among the old imams who welcomed the Ottoman
governor Ahmad Mukhtar Pasha to San'a in April 1872. 16 years later he died in San'a.
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....
in 1859-1863, wielding power in intense rivalry with other self-proclaimed imams.
Al-Husayn bin Muhammad bin al-Hadi, known by the title al-Mansur, emerged at a time when 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 of Yemen was suffering a period of political chaos. The 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...
lowland was ruled by the Ottoman
Ottoman 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...
Turks, while the highland was contested between several imams, such as 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:...
, al-Mansur Muhammad bin Abdallah
Al-Mansur Muhammad bin Abdallah
Al-Mansur Muhammad bin Abdallah was an imam of the Zaydiyya sect in Yemen who claimed the imam title in the period 1853-1890, and ruled briefly in the capital San'a in 1853....
and al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
Al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
Al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin was an Imam who claimed the Zaidi state of Yemen in 1855-1878, in rivalry with several other contenders and with the invading Turks...
. After 1852, the capital city San'a was governed by the shaykh Ahmad al-Haymi, who was not a scholarly figure. Al-Haymi was considered a vicious personality, and in 1859 the population of San'a had enough and planned to assassinate the governor. Al-Haymi managed to slip away, intending to reach the Turks in the coastland, but was captured by Yemeni tribesmen. These delivered him into the hands of the newly proclaimed imam al-Mansur al-Husayn III who was based at at-Tawilah west of Kawkaban
Kawkaban
Kawkaban is a town midway between Sana'a and Al-Mahweet. It is of particular historical importance for the Zaidiyyah, having been a stronghold for Yemeni kings due to its advantageous position. It is situated atop a plateau at 2750m above sea level. The sole entrance to the town is via a single...
. The imam entered San'a with his captive. Al-Haymi was imprisoned, but he managed to spread propaganda among the common townsfolk, who destroyed the imam's house in Harat al-Filayhi. Thus al-Mansur al-Husayn was expelled from San'a in 1860. Later in the same year, the population appointed Muhsin Mu'id (d. 1881) as governor, while al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
Al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin
Al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin was an Imam who claimed the Zaidi state of Yemen in 1855-1878, in rivalry with several other contenders and with the invading Turks...
was formally acknowledged as imam. Al-Mutawakkil defeated his rival decisively in 1863, and again in either 1865 or 1867. Al-Mansur al-Husayn III appears to have been among the old imams who welcomed the Ottoman
Ottoman 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...
governor Ahmad Mukhtar Pasha to San'a in April 1872. 16 years later he died in San'a.