Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta'i facts for kids
Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta'i (Arabic: قحطبة بن شبيب الطائي) was an important military leader. He lived a long time ago and died on August 27, 749. Qahtaba was a strong supporter of the Abbasids. He came from a region called Khurasan. He played a big part in the Abbasid Revolution. This was a major event where the Abbasids fought against the Umayyad Caliphate to take control.
Who Was Qahtaba?
Qahtaba was an Arab from Khurasan. He belonged to the Tayy tribe. This was a powerful group of people. He traveled to Mecca, a very important city. There, a leader named Ibrahim ibn Muhammad chose him. Ibrahim was the head of a group called the Hashimiyya. He picked Qahtaba to be the main military leader. Qahtaba's job was to lead the upcoming fight against the Umayyads in Khurasan.
Leading the Abbasid Army
The main Abbasid leader, Abu Muslim, agreed with this choice. In February 748, the city of Merv fell to the Abbasids. After this, Qahtaba was put in charge of the Abbasid army. His mission was to chase the last Umayyad governor of Khurasan, Nasr ibn Sayyar.
Key Victories
Qahtaba's army was very successful.
- They captured Nishapur, where Nasr had tried to hide.
- In August, they defeated a large Umayyad army near Gurgan. This army had about 10,000 soldiers.
- After that, Qahtaba's forces took control of Rayy. He stayed there for the winter.
- In March 749, he won another big battle. He defeated an even larger Umayyad army near Isfahan. This army was led by Amir ibn Dubara and was said to have 50,000 soldiers.
March to Iraq
After these victories, the city of Nihavand fell quickly to the Abbasids. Qahtaba's army then started moving towards Iraq. Their goal was to capture the important city of Kufa.
However, the Umayyad governor, Yazid ibn Hubayra, stood in their way. Qahtaba planned a clever surprise attack at night. He attacked the Umayyad camp. This forced Yazid and his soldiers to run away to Wasit.
Qahtaba's Legacy
Qahtaba himself died during this battle. But his son, al-Hasan ibn Qahtaba, quickly took over command. Al-Hasan successfully captured Kufa on September 2. Both al-Hasan and his brother, Humayd ibn Qahtaba, became important military leaders. They helped the Abbasid government in its early years.
