Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli

Quick Facts: Who was Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli?

Subject:

Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli

Known for:

Rebel leader of the Qays tribe in Jazira during the Abbasid civil wars.

Born:

701

Died:

801

Century / Era:

701s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli (fl. 811–825) was the leader of a rebellion of the Qays tribe in the Jazira against the central Abbasid government during the civil war of the Fourth Fitna. Nasr appears in 811/812, when Caliph al-Amin (r. 809–813) sent his general, Abd al-Malik ibn Salih, to Syria to recruit troops for the civil war against his brother, al-Ma'mun (r. The Syrians heeded Abd al-Malik's call and assembled at Raqqa, but soon a fierce and bloody conflict broke out between the Abbasid regular troops, the abnaʾ, and a group known in the sources by the term Zawaqil, probably Qaysi brigands, when a soldier of the abnaʾ discovered one of the Zawaqil riding his own stolen horse.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The bulk of the Syrian levies left Raqqa, but Nasr led an attack by the Zawaqil against the Abbasid army, which was defeated with heavy losses for the Zawaqil. As the civil war continued, the Abbasid government's hold on the region of Syria, the Jazira and other provinces collapsed, with local magnates taking hold of the cities and districts as autonomous rulers. Nasr was able to gather enough support from the Zawaqil to secure control over much of the Jazira, frequently co-operating with another Zawaqil leader, Abbas ibn Zufar al-Hilali of Cyrrhus, and the Qaysi tribal leader Uthman ibn Thumama in northern Syria. Nasr and his followers did not oppose the Abbasids or Caliph al-Ma'mun outright, but rather sought to defend the traditional position of the Arab tribes against what they saw as the increasing domination of the Abbasid government by the mostly Iranian supporters (derisively called ʿajam by the Arabs) of al-Ma'mun. Nasr was heavily involved in the power struggles of the region.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Thus when the tribe of Tanukh tried to take the city of Aleppo from the Salih family, a branch of the Abbasids, Nasr and his ally Abbas came to the aid of the latter, defeating and dispersing the Tanukh. In 812, he assaulted Harran, threatening to destroy its great Christian church, and left only after receiving a payment of 5,000 dirhams in ransom. In 814, al-Ma'mun appointed Tahir ibn Husayn to subdue Nasr and his followers. Tahir at first made Harran his base, but the unruliness of his troops forced him to flee at night and encamp at Raqqa, which became his base of operations. Despite his ability, Tahir failed to make any progress against Nasr and the Arab tribesmen, who continued to raid and terrorize the region for a further decade.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 701: Birth of Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli — Rebel leader of the Qays tribe in Jazira during the Abbasid civil wars.
2. 801: Passing & Historical Legacy — Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli passed away on 801, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli

True or False: “Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli's rebellion was solely focused on opposing the Abbasid Caliphate itself.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): His primary goal was to defend the traditional position of the Arab tribes against what he perceived as the increasing domination by non-Arab supporters of the ruling caliph.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Emperor Shōmu — Contemporary (Born in 701) (701): Emperor who oversaw major Buddhist construction, establishing provincial temples across Japan.
• Al-Kindi — Contemporary (Born in 801) (801): Pioneering Arab polymath, philosopher, and physician of the Islamic Golden Age.
• Constantine II of Scotland — Contemporary (Born in 801) (801): Early King of Alba, whose reign saw the transformation of Pictland into the Kingdom of Alba.
• Huang Chao — Contemporary (Born in 801) (801): Rebel leader who instigated the Huang Chao Rebellion, severely weakening the Tang dynasty.
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath — Contemporary figure (Born in 700) (700): Umayyad nobleman, general, and rebel who led a major anti-Umayyad uprising in Iraq.
• Daṇḍin — Contemporary figure (Died in 700) (700): Master Sanskrit grammarian and author of influential Indian prose romances.
• Ja'far al-Sadiq — Contemporary figure (Born in 702) (702): Pioneering Shia scholar, jurist, and founder of the Ja'fari school of law.
• Abu Hanifa — Contemporary figure (Born in 699) (699): Founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence, a pivotal scholar of early Islam.
• Wang Wei — Contemporary figure (Born in 699) (699): Master poet, painter, and statesman of the Tang Dynasty.
• 701 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 701
• 801 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 801

Frequently Asked Questions about Nasr ibn Shabath al-Uqayli