Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Risings of Yazid b. Muhallab
While Umar bin Abdul Aziz was sick, Yazid, son of Muhammad, who had been imprisoned for not paying the one-fifth part of the booty of his last campaign bribed the guard and escaped from Aleppo to Basrah where he raised a serious revolt against his old enemy, the new Caliph, whose wife was a niece to Hajjaj b. Yusuf and whose property had been confiscated by Yazid b. Muhallab. Yazid II took up the cause of the relatives and adherents of Hajjaj sorely pursued by Sulayman. Governors were appointed from the Qaysites. The Yamanites and the Azdis suffered and the family of al-Muhallab was persecuted. Tribal jealousies grew a new and numerous friends and followers particularly Yamanis and Azdis rallied around Ibn Muhallab. He slew the Governor of Basrah and seized the treasury which he used in raising a huge army. The Caliph offered a free pardon but the rebel was determined \o fight to the bitter. He even sent Governors to Ahwaz, Pars and Kirman. The adherents of Hajjaj living in Basrah were put to death. Many escaped to Kufah.
Maslamah at the head of 80,000 strong men was deputed against the rebel. Leaving behind a strong force under his brother at Wasit, Ibn Muhallab took the field against the Syrian force which had taken position on the left bank of the Euphrates. The battle was fought on 25th August 720 near al-’Aqr between Kufah and Wasit. Many Kufans including Tamim and Kalb had joined the rebels. Maslamah set fire to the bridge behind the rebels making their escape difficult. The rebel unable to sustain the Syrian onslaught fled while Yazid b. Muhallab was killed. His brothers retired from Wasit to Kirman where they were put to death. About 300 prisoners were also killed at Kufah at the order of Caliph. Women and children were sold
Syed Ameer All. A Short History of the Saracens, Lahore, 1994, P.132.

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Political and Cultural History of Islam

to slavery. Maslamah was appointed Governor of Khurasan and Iraq.2
The revolt and death of Yazid bin Muhallab had far-reaching consequences in the later history of the Umayyads. The Mudarites and the Himayrites became seriously involved in struggle in Spain, in Africa, and in the East and things in these countries turned from bad to worse. The enemies of Islam triumphed everywhere. The Khawarij who during the last reign had sheathed their swords were now displeased with the man whom they considered an unjust and ungodly tyrant. While the empire was thus passing through crisis, he spent his days with the ladies of the harem.