Yazid III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yazid IIIيزيد بن الوليد |
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Dirham of Yazid III
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| 12th Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate | |||||
| Reign | 17 April 744 – 4 October 744 | ||||
| Predecessor | Walid ibn Yazid | ||||
| Successor | Ibrahim ibn al-Walid | ||||
| Born | 701 Damascus, Bilad al-Sham, Umayyad Caliphate |
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| Died | 4 October 744 (aged 43) Damascus, Umayyad Caliphate |
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| House | Marwanid | ||||
| Dynasty | Umayyad | ||||
| Father | Al-Walid I | ||||
| Mother | Shah-i-Afrid | ||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||
Yazid ibn al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik (701 – 3 or 4 October 744), also known as Yazid III, was an important leader. He became the twelfth Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate. He ruled for only a few months in 744 until his death.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Yazid was a member of the powerful Umayyad dynasty. This was a ruling family that led a large Islamic empire. His father was Al-Walid I, who was also a caliph. Yazid's grandfather was the famous Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik.
Yazid's mother was Shah-i Afrid. She was a Persian princess. She became part of Caliph al-Walid I's household. Yazid was proud of his mixed background. He once said that his ancestors included Persian kings, Umayyad leaders, and even a Byzantine emperor. People described Yazid as being tall and handsome.
Taking Power: The Downfall of Al-Walid II
Yazid's cousin, Al-Walid II, was the caliph before him. Yazid did not agree with Walid II's way of ruling. He felt Walid II was unfair to some groups of people. Yazid also gained support from people who believed in human free will.
Yazid secretly went to Damascus, the capital city. There, he led a sudden takeover to remove Walid II from power. After this, Yazid gave money from the government's funds to the people.
Yazid sent a leader named Abd al-Aziz to meet Walid II. Abd al-Aziz offered Walid II a chance to let a tribal assembly decide the future. But Walid II refused and fought back. He lost his life in the fight. Yazid then had Walid II's head shown in Damascus. He also put Walid II's sons in prison. Walid II had planned for them to be his heirs.
Becoming Caliph
When Yazid became caliph, he explained his reasons for taking power. He said he acted to follow the rules of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. He promised to make sure that strong people did not harm weaker ones.
Yazid made several promises to the people. He said he would not waste money on new buildings or on his family. He promised not to move money between provinces without good reason. He also said he would not keep soldiers away from home for too long. He promised not to overtax non-Muslims living in the empire. Instead, he would treat everyone fairly and pay people on time. Yazid even promised to step down if he failed to meet these goals. He believed in the idea of an elected caliph.
Yazid was sometimes called "the Diminisher." This was because he lowered the payments given to soldiers by 10%. His predecessor had promised to raise these payments. Some stories say Yazid would even go to the marketplace himself.
Not everyone accepted Yazid as caliph. The city of Homs refused to support him. There were also other groups who disagreed with his rule. Another cousin, Marwan II, who was a governor, had first supported Walid II. After Walid II's death, Marwan II went to Iraq to get revenge. However, Marwan II eventually decided to support Yazid.
His Short Rule
Yazid made Mansur ibn Jumhur the new governor of Iraq. He replaced Yusuf ibn 'Umar. On May 15, Yazid wrote a letter explaining his actions. In the letter, he supported the Umayyad family, but not Walid II. He explained his side of the story about the events that led to Walid II's death. At the end of the letter, Yazid told the people of Iraq to follow Mansur ibn Jumhur.
Yusuf ibn 'Umar was later put in prison. He was killed by the son of another leader. Mansur tried to remove the governor of Khurasan, Nasr ibn Sayyar. But Nasr refused to leave his post. Facing opposition, Nasr invited al-Harith ibn Surayj to return. Al-Harith had been away for thirteen years. He came back wearing special armor and gained support from many people in Khurasan.
Death
Yazid ruled the Umayyad Caliphate from April 744 to October 744. He ruled for only about six months. Before he died, Yazid named his brother Ibrahim ibn al-Walid as the next caliph. Yazid became sick with a brain tumor. He died on October 3 or 4, 744, at the age of 43. His brother Ibrahim then became the caliph.
See also
- Umar ibn al-Walid, an Umayyad prince and military leader
- Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Walid, an Umayyad prince and military leader
- Al-Abbas ibn al-Walid, an Umayyad prince and military general
- Bishr ibn al-Walid, an Umayyad prince and military general
- Sulayman ibn Hisham, an Umayyad military general and cousin of Yazid III
In Spanish: Yazid III para niños
