Great Berber Revolt (Battle of the Nobles)
740 CE · From near Tangier to the Sebou River basin (northern modern Morocco) · World · Medieval
Large numbers of Arab noble officers were killed in the "Battle of the Nobles"; in 741 CE the Syrian reinforcements suffered another crushing defeat at Bagdoura, and the western Maghreb broke away from Umayyad control.
Belligerents
Berber rebel army
- Commanders
- Maysara al-Matghari, Khalid ibn Hamid al-Zanati
- Strength
- No reliable record
Umayyad Caliphate
- Commanders
- Khalid ibn Abi Habib, Kulthum ibn Iyad
- Strength
- Syrian reinforcements of about 30,000 in 741 CE (as recorded)
Background
The Umayyad governors treated Berber Muslims as second-class subjects, levying the poll tax on them and seizing women and children to send to Damascus. Kharijite ideas, which held that all Muslims were equal, spread rapidly among the Berbers.
Course of the battle
- Uprising at TangierIn 739–740 CE Maysara led his forces to capture Tangier and kill the Arab governor.
- Battle of the NoblesIn 740 CE the Arab elite troops were routed near the Chelif River, and many Arab nobles were killed, which gave the battle its name.
- Battle of BagdouraIn 741 CE the great Syrian army sent by the caliph was defeated at Bagdoura on the Sebou River, and its commander Kulthum was killed.
- Defense of KairouanIn 742 CE the new governor Hanzala twice defeated the rebels near Kairouan, and the east was preserved.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 740 CE |
|---|---|
| Place | From near Tangier to the Sebou River basin (today's northern Morocco) |
| Result | Large numbers of Arab noble officers were killed in the "Battle of the Nobles"; in 741 CE the Syrian reinforcements suffered another crushing defeat at Bagdoura, and the western Maghreb broke away from Umayyad control. |
| Winner | Berber rebel army |
| Casualties | The Arab side suffered heavy losses; no reliable figures are recorded |
| Territorial change | Kharijite and other independent regimes formed in Morocco and western Algeria; in 742 CE the Arab army drove back the rebels near Kairouan, keeping hold of Ifriqiya. |
Impact
The Great Berber Revolt ended the caliph's direct rule over the western Maghreb, gave rise to local dynasties such as the Idrisids and Rustamids, and also sent the remnants of the Syrian army over to Spain, indirectly contributing to the founding of the Umayyads of Córdoba.
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