Battle of Kerbala
The Battle of Kerbala take place the October 10th 680 in Iraq. In the Moslem Calendrier they is the 10 of muharram 61 A.H. The commemoration of this battle is the festival Shiite of `Achoura. This festival celebrates all the 10 muharram, i.e. while following the lunar calendar and not the Calendrier Julien.
The battle opposed the powerful army of the Caliph Omeyyade Yazîd I {{er}} against the army of the partisans of the Imam Husayn, grandson of Mahomet, which was reduced to 72 men and children.
First steps
In 680, with died of Driven `âwiya, new the Caliph omeyyade Yazid I {{er}} was seen refusing the oath of allegiance on behalf of four people: Husayn wire of Ali, Abd Allah Ben az-Zubayr, “Abd Allah wire of Umar and “Abd rear-Rahman son of Abu Bakr.Husayn is with Mecque, the inhabitants of Koufa invite it to come to join them, by prudence it sends to it as a scout his cousin plugs Muslim whose father, Aqil, brother of Ali, had rejoined the camp of Omeyyades. The inhabitants of Koufa come of number to make allegiance with Husayn at Muslim Ben Aqil. the inhabitants of Koufa insist that Husayn comes to join them. The caliph intimates the order to `Ubayd Allah Ben Ziyâd to repress agitation Shiite caused by the growing popularity of Husayn with Koufa. `Ubayd Allah which is with Bassora entrusts the city to his/her brother `Uthman and share for Koufa. It stops Muslim Ben Aqil and the fact of decapitating in public.
Husayn is unaware of the events which proceed in Koufa. It leaves Mecque for Koufa. In way it crosses a caravan which transports the taxes of Yemen towards Damas. Husayn seizes some. `Ubayd Allah is prevented departure of Husayn and share to its meeting. Husayn camps close to Al-Qadisiyya, of the inhabitants of Koufa warn it by teaching him the events which have just occurred. Husayn carries on its road until Kerbala
The army led by `Ubayd Allah meets the group carried out by Husayn to Kerbala. `Ubayd Allah requires that Husayn lend Serment of allegiance to Yazîd. Husayn obtains the one day deferment to give its answer. During this day Husayn prepares its weapons for the combat.
Account of the battle
The killed first was Qâsim ten years old wire of Hassan. It was cut into two of a blow of saber. The horse of Husayn fell touched by an arrow. Husayn sat down by ground but the enemy soldiers did not dare to kill it, not wanting to be responsible for dead for a grandson for the Prophet. Abdallah, one of wire of one year old Husayn, cried. Husayn taken in its arms, but an arrow reached the child with the ear and this one was killed on the blow. Weakened by thirst, it desired drinking in the Euphrate, an arrow reached it with the mouth. Seven or eight men were thrown against Husayn alone. One of them transpierced its lance in the back. Another decapitated it when it was with ground. Others removed its clothing and its weapons to him. One plundered the tent of Husayn, one tore clothing of the women, but one made thanks to `Alî Zayn Al-Abidin the son of Husayn which had remained in the tent because it was sick.The cranium of Husayn was sent by `Ubayd Allah to Yazîd. This cranium was preserved a time in an appendix of the mosque of Damas. It was carried with Ascalon at the time of the crusades, then with the Cairo.
Consequences
The battle of Kerbala is the place of the martyr of Husayn and its family. The divorce between the Shiites and Omeyyades is consumed. Certains Omeyyades is not as honni as is Yazid, such as for example Umar Ben Abd Al-Aziz. If they cannot claim to represent religious orthodoxy at that time, to be opposed to their claims, there are yet none the legal universities which do not appear that after the seizure of power by the Abbassides. The faithful ones undergo their dictatorship, it will be reversed in 750 by the Abbasids.Theology Shiite will develop a Martyr completely foreign ology with the sunnism. During the month of Mouharram, a form of mortification will settle in the Shiism which can be close to certain forms of asceticism Catholique: car-scourging, sufferings car-inflicted. See Festival of Mouharram
An original theatrical form, the Tazieh , will also develop around the “massacre” of Kerbala. This theater can be compared with passions which were played on the squares of the churches at the time of Easter to the Moyen-âge.