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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Caliphate of Ali 656-661

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• No breathing space many problems. Opposed by Quraysh who felt their position threatened by identification with Ansar. Ali and army faced Al-Zubayr near Basra – Battle of the Camel – 656 – Ali won and first civil war – Pandora’s Box – impossible to close.

• Had sought support from Kufa who had no wish to see Quraysh regime – set to work to remove Uthman;s appointees from positions of power to reward supporters for their services. Ali dependent on Kufans – support from men implicated in Uthman’s death – Mu’awiya refused to acknowledge Ali’s claim to caliph until punished his predecessor’s murderers.

• Ali moved to Iraq from Medina – dodgy grain and no place to coordinate battle – Ali had to persuade Kufans to march on Syria to coerce Mu’awiya into accepting his authority.

• 657 – battle but quick ceasefire as Uthman still problems Byzantines – arbitration agreement weakened leadership and coalition began to disintegrate

• Kawarijj split from Ali and into small republic terrorise non-believers – reject urban life of Kufa and returned to Bedouin ways – fierce protest by small groups who believed only true Nuslims on world where Islam was too easy

• Mu’awiya lets Amr go for governorship of Egypt and dents Ali as own man does not get it. Ali’s coalition disintegrated ad assassinated by a Khawarij in 661 – Mu’awaiya able to occupy country without serious resistance – victory for Mu’awiya over Ali also victory for Quraysh and Syrian followers over Iraqis – conflicts not over.

• Rashidun period great achievement – vast Muslim conquests no means complete – north-eatsern Iran and Sind in eats, North Africa and Spain in West not occupied until Umayadd period – one vast empire destroyed another severely weakened. Local populations unwilling or unable to take advantage of internal dispute – maintenance of unity of Muslims in face of regionalist tendencies. Almost all Muslims believed believed should be governed by single caliph and despite vast geographical dispersal – kept common religion and common culture.

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