Marwan II ibn Muhammad (744–750 CE) was the fourteenth and final caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate in the East. A seasoned military commander and ambitious leader, he attempted to restore unity and authority to a crumbling empire. However, his reign was marked by widespread rebellion, internal fragmentation, and the rise of the Abbasid Revolution, which ultimately led to the fall of the Umayyad dynasty in 750 CE. His death marked the end of Umayyad rule in the East, although the dynasty would later survive in al-Andalus (Spain).
- Full Name: Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan
- Reign: December 744 – January 750 CE
- Dynasty: Umayyad
- Predecessor: Ibrahim ibn al-Walid
- Successor (Abbasid Caliph): Abu al-‘Abbas al-Saffah
- Capital: Harran (after Damascus fell out of control)
- Title: Marwan al-Himar (“the Donkey” – possibly indicating stubbornness or endurance)
🧱 Background and Early Career
- Born into the Umayyad royal family, Marwan was the grandson of Caliph Marwan I.
- Before becoming caliph, he had earned a strong reputation as a military governor of Armenia and Azerbaijan, where he defended the empire’s frontiers against Byzantine and Khazar threats.
- He was seen as one of the most capable generals of the late Umayyad period.
🗡️ Rise to Power
- After the death of Yazid III and the weak rule of Ibrahim ibn al-Walid, Marwan launched a military campaign against the central Umayyad government in Damascus.
- He overthrew Ibrahim in 744 CE and declared himself caliph, shifting the political center to Harran in Upper Mesopotamia.
- His reign began with high hopes of restoring unity, but he inherited a fragmented and exhausted state.
💥 Reign and Struggles
1. Civil Wars and Revolts
- Marwan faced constant internal rebellion from rival Umayyad claimants, tribal leaders, and provincial governors.
- Key revolts included:
- Kharijite uprisings in Iraq and Persia.
- Anti-Umayyad sentiment in Kufa and Khurasan.
- Rival Umayyad princes (e.g., Sulayman ibn Hisham) seeking the caliphate for themselves.
2. The Abbasid Revolution
- The most dangerous challenge came from the Abbasid movement, which had been gathering strength in Khurasan, uniting Persians, disaffected Arabs, and Shi’a Muslims.
- In 747 CE, under the leadership of Abu Muslim, the Abbasid army launched a full-scale rebellion.
- The Umayyad forces suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of the Zab River in 750 CE, near modern-day Iraq.
⚰️ Death and End of the Umayyad Caliphate
- After the defeat at the Zab, Marwan fled south through Syria and Palestine, eventually reaching Egypt.
- He was captured and executed near Fustat (Old Cairo) in January 750 CE.
- With his death, the Umayyad Caliphate in the East officially ended.
- The Abbasids, led by Abu al-‘Abbas al-Saffah, established a new caliphate centered in Iraq.
📉 Legacy
- Marwan II was a capable general but an unfortunate ruler, overwhelmed by internal divisions and the rising tide of revolutionary forces.
- His reign marks the end of the Umayyad dynasty in the East, though one Umayyad prince, Abd al-Rahman I, would escape and establish the Umayyad Emirate (later Caliphate) in Córdoba, Spain in 756 CE.
- Despite his failures, Marwan is remembered for his tenacity and for being the last stand of Umayyad power before the Islamic world shifted to Abbasid rule.
📝 Summary
Marwan II (744–750 CE) was the last Umayyad caliph in the East, a skilled general who tried to salvage a dying empire amidst widespread revolts.
Despite his efforts, the Abbasid Revolution and internal strife overwhelmed him.
His death in Egypt marked the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate and the beginning of a new Abbasid era in Islamic history.
