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Maysar al-Matghari (
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
: ''Maysar Amteghri'' or ''Maysar Amdeghri'', ; sometimes rendered ''Maisar'' or ''Meicer''; in older Arab sources, bitterly called: ''al-Ḥaqir'' ('the ignoble'); died in September/October 740) was a Berber rebel leader and original architect of the Great Berber Revolt that erupted in 739-743 against the Umayyad Muslim empire. However, he was deposed by the rebels, replaced with another Berber leader, and died or possibly was executed by them in 740. The Berber Revolt succeeded 3 years after his death in defeating the Umayyad armies.


Background

Maysara Amteghri takes his surname from the
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
tribe ''Imteghren''. The exact biographical details of Maysara are obscure, and made more complicated by what are likely scurrilous stories circulated by his enemies. Chroniclers have recorded allegations that Maysara was a low-born Berber water-seller in
Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661� ...
or Tangiers, possibly a water-carrier in the caliphal army. Chronicles routinely refer to him by the unflattering label of ''al-Hakir'', 'the Ignoble' or 'the Vile'.
Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732–808 Hijri year, AH) was an Arabs, Arab Islamic scholar, historian, philosopher and sociologist. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages, and cons ...
, however, was probably closer to the truth in proposing that his origins were perhaps not so humble, that Maysara was probably a significant chieftain or ''
sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
'' of the Berber Matghara tribe. Al-Tabari reports that Maysara had even headed a Berber delegation to
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
to present the Berber complaints before the Caliph
Hisham Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (; 6 February 743) was the tenth Umayyad caliph, ruling from 724 until his death in 743. Early life Hisham was born in Damascus, the administrative capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, in AH 72 (691–692 CE). Hi ...
. And the complaints were many. The Berbers had long resented the second-class status accorded to them by the ruling Umayyad-Arab military caste. Berber Muslims were intermittently subjected to extraordinary taxation and slave-tributes, contrary to
Islamic law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...
. As a result, many Berbers grew receptive to puritan
Kharijite The Kharijites (, singular ) were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the conflict with his challeng ...
activists, particularly those of the
Sufri The Sufris ( ''aṣ-Ṣufriyya'') were Khariji Muslims in the seventh and eighth centuries. They established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa, now in Morocco. In Tlemcen, Algeria, the Banu Ifran were Sufri Berbers who opposed rule by the Uma ...
te sect, that had begun arriving in the
Maghreb The Maghreb (; ), also known as the Arab Maghreb () and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb al ...
, preaching a new political order in which all Muslims would treated without regard for ethnicity or tribal status. Maysara's Matghara tribe had been particularly taken up with
Sufri The Sufris ( ''aṣ-Ṣufriyya'') were Khariji Muslims in the seventh and eighth centuries. They established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa, now in Morocco. In Tlemcen, Algeria, the Banu Ifran were Sufri Berbers who opposed rule by the Uma ...
te influence.


The Revolt

In the late 730s, the new Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn al-Habhab of
Ifriqiya Ifriqiya ( '), also known as al-Maghrib al-Adna (), was a medieval historical region comprising today's Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and Tripolitania (roughly western Libya). It included all of what had previously been the Byzantine province of ...
ratcheted up his fiscal exactions. His regional deputies, notably Omar ibn al-Moradi, governor of Tangiers, implemented some inventive and highly oppressive schemes to extract more revenues from the Berbers. By 739 or so, the main Berber tribes under Omar's jurisdiction in western Morocco - principally the Ghomaras, Berghwata and
Miknasa The Miknasa (Berber: ''Imeknasen'') was a Zenata Berber tribe of the Maghreb. History The Miknasa Berbers historically populated the Aurès and are part of the Dharisa tribe belonging to Botr who descended from Madghis, coming from the Aures m ...
—decided they had enough and prepared for rebellion. They formed an alliance and elected the Matghara chieftain Maysara to lead them. It was not a spontaneous uprising. Maysara and the Berber commanders seemed to have been careful enough to wait until the bulk of the Ifriqiyan army had left North Africa on an expedition to
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
before springing into action. In early 740, the Ifriqiyan army safely gone, the Great Berber Revolt finally began. Maysara assembled his coalition of Berber armies, heads shaven in the Kharajite fashion,
Qur'an The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
s hanging from their spears, and led them bearing down on Tangiers. The city quickly fell into their hands and the hated governor Omar al-Moradi was put to death. Maysara placed the Berber garrison in Tangiers under the command of a converted Christian, Abd al-Allah al-Hodeij al-Ifriqi, then proceed to sweep down western Morocco, overwhelming Umayyad garrisons clear down to the
Sous The Sous region (also spelt Sus, Suss, Souss or Sousse) (, ) is a historical, cultural and geographical region of Morocco, which constitutes part of the region administration of Souss-Massa and Guelmim-Oued Noun. The region is known for the en ...
valley. In a very short time, the whole length of western Morocco, from the
Straits of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa. The two continents are separated by 7.7 nautical miles (14.2 kilometers, 8.9 miles) at its narrowest point. Fe ...
to the Anti-Atlas, were in the hands of Maysara's rebels.


The Berber Caliph

After his victory at Tangiers (or perhaps a little earlier), it is said that Maysara took up the title of ''
Amir al-mu'minin () or Commander of the Faithful is a Muslims, Muslim title designating the supreme leader of an Ummah, Islamic community. Name Although etymology, etymologically () is equivalent to English "commander", the wide variety of its historical an ...
'' ('Commander of the Faithful', or '
Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
'). This was probably the first time that a non-Arab laid claim to the supreme Muslim title. Indeed, it might have been the first time anyone not connected by blood to the
Prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
's Quraish tribe, had dared lay such a claim. To orthodox Muslims of the time, the idea of a 'Berber caliph' must have seemed like an absurdity. The rumor that Maysara was a lowly 'water-carrier' probably got started around this, if only to make the caliphal pretension seem even more self-aggrandizingly ridiculous, and consequently the entire rebellion misguided. Because this step seemed to open the rebels to mockery, some have wondered whether the story of Maysara taking up the caliphal title was not fabricated, from start to finish, by Umayyad propagandists. However, one needs to remember that this rebellion was fired up and led by
Sufri The Sufris ( ''aṣ-Ṣufriyya'') were Khariji Muslims in the seventh and eighth centuries. They established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa, now in Morocco. In Tlemcen, Algeria, the Banu Ifran were Sufri Berbers who opposed rule by the Uma ...
te
Kharijites The Kharijites (, singular ) were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the conflict with his challeng ...
. And one of the central tenets of
Kharijite The Kharijites (, singular ) were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the conflict with his challeng ...
ideology is precisely that the caliphal title is open to any good pious Muslim, regardless of dynastic or tribal qualifications. Moreover, one must keep in mind this was, at least on the ideological plane, a Muslim uprising, open to all true Muslims, and not a Berber liberation movement. Consequently, Maysara, as the commander of the true Muslims, could have no other title but '
caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
'.


The Fall of Maysara

Maysara's star dimmed not long after this. The Umayyad governor Obeid Allah ibn al-Habhab immediately recalled the Ifriqiyan army back from Sicily. While awaiting their return, Obeid Allah assembled and dispatched an Arab column from
Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661� ...
, under Khalid ibn Abi Habib al-Fihri, towards Tangiers, to keep the rebels in check and prevent them from moving east into the middle Maghreb. This column encountered Maysara's Berber armies somewhere south of Tangiers. The Ifriqiyan force was composed largely of the well-equipped and well-trained noble elite of
Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661� ...
and the Berber rebel armies were not much beyond a foot rabble, but the Berbers outnumbered the Arabs several times over, perhaps as much as ten-to-one. Nonetheless, after a brief skirmish, Maysara ordered the Berber armies to fall back and retreat into Tangiers. The Arab column, following their instructions, did not give pursuit, but held a line south of Tangiers, awaiting the reinforcements from the Sicilian expedition. In this interlude, the rebel commanders deposed Maysara and, shortly after, executed him. A Zenata Berber chieftain, Khalid ibn Hamid al-Zanati, was elected to replace him. Most Arab chroniclers (e.g.
Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732–808 Hijri year, AH) was an Arabs, Arab Islamic scholar, historian, philosopher and sociologist. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages, and cons ...
) argue that Maysara was deposed on account of cowardice, for having hastily ordered a retreat after the skirmish with the Arab column. It has also been said that the puritan
Sufri The Sufris ( ''aṣ-Ṣufriyya'') were Khariji Muslims in the seventh and eighth centuries. They established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa, now in Morocco. In Tlemcen, Algeria, the Banu Ifran were Sufri Berbers who opposed rule by the Uma ...
te preachers that accompanied the Beber rebel armies as religious commissars found some flaw in the piety of his character, and declared him unfit to be caliph. But it may also simply be that politics and inter-tribal jealousies played a role. The chieftains of the Zenata tribes of eastern Morocco, who had belatedly begun to adhere to the rebellion, may have felt that the leadership of the Berber rebellion should pass to them. After all, Maysara's original coalition was composed of Ghomara, Berghwata and
Miknasa The Miknasa (Berber: ''Imeknasen'') was a Zenata Berber tribe of the Maghreb. History The Miknasa Berbers historically populated the Aurès and are part of the Dharisa tribe belonging to Botr who descended from Madghis, coming from the Aures m ...
Berbers of western Morocco. That fight had now been won and the frontline had now moved. Any future campaigns against the Arabs were going to be fought in the territories of the
Zenata The Zenata (; ) are a group of Berber tribes, historically one of the largest Berber confederations along with the Sanhaja and Masmuda. Their lifestyle was either nomadic or semi-nomadic. Society The 14th-century historiographer Ibn Khaldun repo ...
tribes of the east. And if war is to be conducted in Zenata lands, then armies should be led by Zenata chieftains. All this, of course, is speculative. But inter-tribal rivalry was rife among the
Berbers Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arab migrations to the Maghreb, Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connec ...
in 8th-century
Maghreb The Maghreb (; ), also known as the Arab Maghreb () and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb al ...
. And it certainly seems that after Maysara's fall, the leadership of the Berber rebellion gravitated rather quickly and firmly into the hands of the eastern Zenata chieftains and their
Sufri The Sufris ( ''aṣ-Ṣufriyya'') were Khariji Muslims in the seventh and eighth centuries. They established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa, now in Morocco. In Tlemcen, Algeria, the Banu Ifran were Sufri Berbers who opposed rule by the Uma ...
te preachers. This is not to say that accusations of cowardice and impiety weren't enough to depose Maysara, but perhaps those accusations had some political calculation behind them. The Zenata chieftains indeed delivered two great and notable victories over the Arabs - at the Battle of the Nobles in late 740 and again at Battle of Bagdoura in late 741. And that certainly gave them a claim of dominance over the alliance.Julien, 1931 That the original coalition partners - e.g. the Berghwata - were the first to break away from Berber rebel alliance seems an indicator that the post-Maysara state of affairs was not to their liking. As such, Maysara seems to play something of a tragic role in the
Berber Revolt The Berber Revolt or the Kharijite Revolt of 740–743 AD (122–125 AH in the Islamic calendar) took place during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik and marked the first successful secession from the Arab caliphate (ruled ...
, but a familiar role that has been played out in so many other revolutions - the Desmoullins that rallies the masses and storms the first citadels, but is gotten rid of once the
Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; ; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman, widely recognised as one of the most influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. Robespierre fer ...
s take over.


See also

*
Berber Revolt The Berber Revolt or the Kharijite Revolt of 740–743 AD (122–125 AH in the Islamic calendar) took place during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik and marked the first successful secession from the Arab caliphate (ruled ...


References


Sources

*Blankinship, Khalid Yahya (1994). ''The End of the Jihad State: The Reign of Hisham Ibn 'Abd Al-Malik and the Collapse of the Umayyads.'' SUNY Press. *Ibn Khaldun (1852 transl.) ''Histoire des Berbères et des dynasties musulmanes de l'Afrique'', Algiers. *Julien, Charles-André, ''Histoire de l'Afrique du Nord, des origines à 1830'', édition originale 1931, réédition Payot, Paris, 1961 *Taha, Abd al-Wahid Dhannun (1989) ''The Muslim conquest and settlement of North Africa and Spain'', London, Routledge. {{DEFAULTSORT:Maysara Al-Matghari 8th-century Berber people Berber rebels Berber Revolt People from Tangier Self-proclaimed caliphs