White Banners

Paul M. Cobb is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame.

"Cobb does an excellent job of situating a series of sophisticated case studies, as well as providing his analysis of the politics of contention within the larger context of the historiography (Syrian and Iraqi; medieval and modern) on late Umayyad and early 'Abbasid history."— James E. Lindsay, Colorado State University

• AcknowledgmentsA Note on Transliteration, Place Names, and DatesAbbreviations1. IntroductionEarly Islamic Syria: An OverviewContentious Syrians 2. Who Will Act Equitably Between the People?: The Dynamic of Provincial Power in Syria Administrative Geography in the "Syrias"The Dynamic of Provincial Power 3. A Good Reputation and Supporting Hands: Provincial Governors and Provincial Rebellion The Limits of Central Control, I: Early 'Abbasid Strategies 'Abbasid KinsmenThe Revolt of 'Abd Allah b. 'AliThe Rise of the Banu SalihThe Khurasaniyya and 'Abbasid Clients The Limits of Central Control, II: Continuities and Changes After the Fourth Civil War Al-'Abbas b. al-Ma'mun and the Accession of al—Mu'tasimSyria and SamarraThe Strange Success of 'Isa b. al-ShaykhThe Last Governors of Early 'Abbasid Syria Conclusion 4. The Swords of Our Forefathers: Umayyads and the Alternatives to 'Abbasid Rule 'Abbasid "Revolution" and Umayyad "Rebellion" Stemming the Ride: Abu al-Ward and Abu Muhammad al-SufyaniOther Umayyad Counterrevolts Umayyad Legitimacy in the 'Abbasid AgeApocalyptic in Action: The Revolt of Abu al-Umaytir Context and OutbreakThe Qaysiyya RespondThe Aftermath of the Revolt Conclusion 5. As One Face, Your Faces Are Marred: 'Asabiyya and the Ashraf of Syria A Short History of Factionalism in Syria The Umayyad BackgroundThe Third Civil WarThe Reign of Marwan II Initial Reactions to the 'Abbasid Revolutions in Syria The Joint Revolt of Habib b. Murra and Ibn Suraqa The Crisis of the AshrafThe Revolt of Abu al-Haydham al-Murri The Revolt EruptsDenouementOther Early Outbreaks of Factionalism The Ashraf of Syria and the Fourth Civil War Syria under the AshrafCentral Authority RestoredThe End of the Ashraf Conclusion 6. Worst Elements: The Impolitics of Unnotables in 'Abbasid Syria Urban Violence and the Lower StrataThe Constraints upon Rural Contention The Revolt of Bundar/TheodoreAbu Harb al-Mubarqa Banditry and the ZawaqilConclusion 7. Conclusion: Standards of Revolt The View from SyriaContextualizing SyriaQuestions Appendix A: Governors of the jund of DimashqAppendix B: Governors of the jund of QinnasrinAppendix C: A Chronology of Contention in Syria NotesWorks CitedGeneral IndexProsopographical Index