Zutt Rebellion was a rebellion by the Zutt (Jats) between 810 and 835 in Iraq during the reign of al-Mu'tasim and continued to the era of al-Ma'mun.

Background

The Rebellion began from the Zutt tribe of Jats, who had migrated into Mesopotamia several centuries ago. They supplied mercenary soldiers for the Ummayyad and Abbasid Caliphate. These soldiers would settle in nowadays Iraq and marry amongst local Arab women. Thus forming the Az-Zutt tribe also known as Banu Zutt.

Rebellion

During circa. 810, Yusuf ibn Zutt began a rebellion against the Abbasid Caliphate which created semi-independent state in the Marshlands of Southern Iraq (Mesopotamian Marshes). Isa ibn Yazid al-Juludi would be sent by caliph Al Ma'mun to crush the rebellion, but would fail to do so.

Under the tribal leader, Muhammad Ibn Uthman, rebellion continued when Kufa, Basra, Wasit, Al-Jazira and surrounding places of Baghdad came under his control. This caused a major disruption of resources and food to Baghdad, putting the Abbasids in danger.

End of Rebellion

After the passing of al-Ma'mun, al-Mu'tasim becomes Caliph of the Abbasids. With a reformed military, he took charge of the dire situation of the rebellion, sending Ujayf ibn Anbasa to successfully crush the rebellion in 835. He then dispersed the Zutt population to different parts of the Caliphate to prevent another rebellion. Muhammad Ibn Uthman still retained the position of tribal leader after rebellion, however with a weaker force.

External sources

• Houtsma, M. Th. (1993). E. J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913–1936, Volume 4. Brill Page 901 & 1030.
• Kennedy, H. (2004). The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century (2nd Edition). Routledge.
• Lewis, B. (1991). The Political Language of Islam. University of Chicago Press.
• Marozzi, J. (2004). The Way of Herodotus: Travels with the Man who Invented History. Da Capo Press.
• The History of Al-Tabari Vol. 33, Page 7
• Outlines of Islamic History From the Rise of Islam to the Fall of Baghdād By Mafizullah Kabir. Page 14, Page 218
• A Short History of Iraq(2014) By Thabit Abdullah
• Warfare in the Dark Ages By Kelly DeVries
• The [European] Other in Medieval Arabic Literature and Culture Ninth-Twelfth Century AD(2012) By Nizar F. Hermes
• Arab-Byzantine Relations in Early Islamic Times(2004) Page 172
• Al-Tabari's "History of the Prophets and Kings"
• Al-Masudi's "The Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems"
• Ibn Khaldun's "The Muqaddimah

References