Abu Yazid

Abû Yazîd , of its complete name Abû Yazîd Mukhallad ibn Kayrâd (rear RTL أبويزيدمخلدبنكيراد)) and called “the man with the ass”, is a Berbère kharijite and the chief of the most important rebellion carried out against the Fatimides in the middle of.

Biography

Youth

Abû Yazîd passes its childhood to Tozeur (Tunisia) where his/her Kayrâd father is a Trans-Saharan merchant. It receives a teaching kharijite tendency sufrite. Abû Yazîd, a lame scholar of theology kharijite, share with Tahert - capital of the Rostémides and principal center kharijite with tendency ibadite - where it begins its teaching.

Seizure of power by Fatimides

In 909, the propagandist ismaélien Abû `Abd Allâh ach-Chî `I, with the head of the tribes kutama which came to end from the Aghlabides, share towards Sijilmassa to meet its Imam finally there, `Ubayd Allâh Al-Mahdî, which it forever considering. In the passing, it destroys the kingdom rostémide Tahert (August 26th 909).

The January 6th 910, `Ubayd Allâh Al-Mahdî arrives triumphantly at Raqqâda vêtu of black Soie while his/her son carries a similar orange silk costume. All notable Arabic or not is there to receive it and lend oath of allegiance to him. The Islamic law is promulgated and all the reinforced interdicts. The January 15th, it takes the title of Caliph and “commander of the believers” in spite of the existence of the Abbasid caliph . It is the first time that two caliphs reign at the same time.

That leads Abû Yazîd to preach the inversion of the fatimide `Ubayd Allâh Al-Mahdî. After the death of Al-Mahdî, Abû Yazîd leaves to shift, with his wife and her four sons, with the head of the tribes Zénètes. He proposes the shape of Gouvernement formed of a council of sheiks to replace the caliphate fatimide. He succeeds in amalgamating all the oppositions to the Chiisme of Fatimides and obtains the support of the sunnites malékites of Kairouan and the indifference of the caliph de Cordoue “Abd Al-Rahman. In 934, it launches its rebellion starting from the Aurès. He seeks then of the assistance near the Omeyyades of Andalusia.

In 942, Abû Yazîd benefits from the absence of the governor of Baghaï to come, with the head of its partisans, to devastate the surroundings of this fortified town. It seizes without blow to férir of Tébessa and Medjana. Mermajenna is taken and Abû Yazîd receives there in present a ass gray of which it makes its mounting. This is why one then indicated it under the nickname of “the man to the ass. ”. It takes then Laribus which it delivers to plundering.

Reign of Al Qa' im

Al-Qâ' im Bi-Amr Allah succeeds her father like Imam ismaélien and caliph fatimide. Abû Yazîd moves then towards Béja which it takes after a short battle against the troops fatimides. The city is burnt, the massacred inhabitants men and children and the women reduced to the Esclavage. This news causes many rallyings with the cause of Abû Yazîd: as much to escape its blows that in the hope to take part in the spoils.

Abû Yazîd takes Tunis with the assistance of the inhabitants and awaits reinforcements at the edge of the Medjerda. It undergoes a first reverse while approaching Sousse, 4000 of its partisans being killed during a battle. It takes nevertheless the direction of Raqqâda which the troops fatimides give up with its approach to take refuge with Kairouan. Khalîl Ben Ishâq which with the responsibility of defend Kairouan tries to treat with Abû Yazîd rather than to fight it. It will make imprudence to go in the camp of its adversary. Abû Yazîd makes it stop and put at death. The private city of chief is not long in going (October 944). As at the practice and in spite of the embassies of notable of the city, this one is put at bag.

The legend wants that the Mahdî had envisaged a revolt inspired by the Kharijisme and that it would come to break on the walls of Mahdia, also Al-Qâ' im waits he the moment when the Prophétie will be carried out. Abû Yazîd puts the seat at Mahdia (944). A rescue party carried out by a chief Sanhadja, Ziri ibn Menad, allowed besieged to hold. In January 945, it is with the site envisaged by prophecy and undertakes the seat city. The Famine settles in the two camps. Abû Yazîd expels nonthe combatants whom its troops massacre. The disparate troops of Abû Yazîd disperse the more so as there is nothing any more to plunder. The enthusiastic crowd of the beginning starts to feel flouée. Al-Qâ' im benefits from the weakening of its adversaries to carry out an exit of the besieged city. In August 945, Abû Yazîd escapes by giving up its troops. Al-Qâ' im quickly takes again Tunis, Sousse and Kairouan while Abû Yazîd reconstitutes its army.

The chiefs of the tribes kutama and sanhadja gather a army to help Fatimides. With the accesses of Béja, they must face Ayûb, one of wire of Abû Yazîd, which takes them by surprised and disperses them. Ayûb, encouraged by this easy victory, moves towards Tunis which it takes again in Fatimides. In January 946, Ayûb leaves to the conquest Sousse. It follows a keen seat. The May 19th, during this seat, the caliph Al-Qâ' im dies. The combat takes with Ismâ `it again Al-Mansûr which succeeds his/her father.

Reign of Al-Mansûr

Ismâ `it Al-Mansûr succeeds his/her father like Imam ismaélien and caliph of the dynasty fatimide then about to be overcome. It starts by holding secret the death of his father to leave the impression that it of changed there nothing. It sends a Flotte to bring support and vivres with the inhabitants of Sousse. These reinforcements make it possible to loosen the seat of the city. Abû Yazîd is folded up on Kairouan where his wives and his/her children are. The inhabitants of the city refuse the entry to him and close the doors with its approach. It is withdrawn then with Sbiba.

The caliph Ismâ `it makes his entry with Kairouan at the end of May 946. He grants a general amnesty to the inhabitants of this city. The women and the children of Abû Yazîd are respected. Ismâ `it makes provide for their needs. Abû Yazîd carries out raids to cut the roads leading of Kairouan to Mahdia and Sousse. Ismâ `it offers to its adversary to return his wives and his/her children against his final departure to him. Abû Yazîd makes mine accept but hardly it found its wives whom it takes again the combat. Ismâ `it thus joins together a many army to finish some with this unfair adversary. A battle begins with the regular army in the center and on the right wing of the troops of Berbère S kutama. Abû Yazîd attacks this right wing and comes to run up against the regular troops more aguerries. It is a rout for the kharidjites: one would have sent to Kairouan 10.000 heads enemies.

Begin a hunting for the man then: Abû Yazîd flees through the mountains and passes to Bellezma. He thinks of being able to resist in the fortified town of Tobna but must still flee. The governor of Me sila puts himself at the service of the caliph in his hunting for the man. He brings a young chief of partisans to him who said Mahdî and whom one had made captive in the Aurès with the head of a band. The caliph ordered to skin it sharp: “Thus it of all those made which it took”. Other prisoners had the cut hands and feet. In August 947, the seat of the mountain where the komme with the ass took refuge finishes: it is captured with half-death of its wounds. The caliph makes it look after to be able the exhiber at the time of his return in triumph but Abû Yazîd dies. Its corpse is empaillé to be paid to Mahdia like proof of the victory of the caliph. It is after this victory that the caliph gave himself the Al-Mansûr nickname (rear RTL منصور) or “the winner” . The movement is completely disorganized but of the hostile tribes zénètes continue to threaten the empire. They will be a little later pushed back the central Maghreb (current Algérie) by Ziri then appointed governor of the province in reward by Fatimides. This event marks the advent of the dynasty of the Zirides on the Maghreb.

In its article, W.K.R. Hallam indicates that the hero Bayajidda of the culture of the Haoussas represents a folk personification of partisans of Abû Yazîd who would have fled the North Africa after their defeat.

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