In this accessible study, Stephen Humphreys introduces the most elusive of the early caliphs, Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan (602-680). Notoriously guarded about his thoughts, motives and emotions, Mu’awiya was universally known as a figure of immense political acumen. Beyond this, opinions are deeply divided. Throughout history, some have accused him of being the first caliph to diverge from Muhammed’s model of ideal Muslim leadership whilst others credit him with uniting an empire in disarray and transforming the Caliphate into a practicable form of government. In light of this, Humphreys critically analyses his sources, and seeks to get as close as possible to a historical account of the great man.
Stephen Humphries is professor of History and Islamic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is author of Islamic History: A Framework for Inquiry.
Preface and Acknowledgments 1 THE PROBLEM OF MU‘AWIYAMu‘awiya in the eyes of later MuslimsHow do we know what we claim to know: the sources for Mu‘awiya’s lifeMu‘awiya’s career: a chronological sketch 2 THE FIRST THREE DECADES (600–632)The Meccan milieuThe politics of genealogy: why Mu‘awiya’s ancestry is importantThe lineage of Mu‘awiyaThe Banu UmayyaThe descendants of ‘Abd Manaf: the clans of ‘Abd Shams and Hashim 3 LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF POWER: MU‘AWIYA AS MASTER OF SYRIA (632–656)Mu‘awiya and the conquest of SyriaMu‘awiya becomes GovernorThe war against ByzantiumThe war at sea: creating the Muslim navyThe war in Anatolia and ArmeniaMu‘awiya and the Arab tribes in Syria 4 THE FIRST CIVIL WAR AND MU‘AWIYA’S RISE TO POWER (656–661)The revolt against ‘UthmanThe aftermath: who can claim the right to rule?The confrontation between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiya 5 COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL (661–680)The war against Byzantium renewed 6 THE PRINCE OF OUR DISORDER: MU‘AWIYA AS A SYMBOL OF CULTURAL TENSION BibliographyIndex
