Best-case scenario for the Zanj Rebellion?
- Thread starter Night Gaul
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To be brief, if everything works correctly, the Zanj could capture defeat the Abbasid state near Baghdad, forcing an Abbasid detente. In totality, the Zanj could possibly destroy the Abbasid state and occupy most of Mesopotamia. Though they will be then at war with the Tulunids and Saffarids.
No, there was no reform mentality inside the Zanj rebellion movement. It was as I have described elsewhere Shi'a-Khawarij religious revolt led by a man claiming a form of divinity, who strategically transformed slaves, poorly guarded andmostly unintegrated into Arabo-Islamic society, into the foot soldiers. Rewards for slaves was usually in the form of loot and yes, slaves but slaves taken from the local Arab population. The main change would be the religious leadership and outlook. The Zanj leadership were true radicals in religious terms and would attempt to assert a Shi'a-Khawarij government in the region. However, this will lead to a collapse eventually for the Zanj, as the Shi'a and Khawarij elements will battle for control once free from common enemies. In the capture of Basra, the commander of the Zanj army, had finished the looting, destruction and so forth and made himself the lord over Basra.
However, when he led prayers for the opening day of Zanj leadership, he gave a prayer in the Khawarij mode of the radical Azariqa. In said prayer, he said ' Blessings to the Prophet (SAW), blessings to the prophets, blessings to Abu Bakr, Umar... yet Allah bring your curses upon the corrupt, Uthman, Ali, Mu'awiyyah and Yazid....' This led to a general mutiny as Shi'a elements attacked their Khawarij commanders and overthrew his rule, expelling the Zanj vanguard from the city. In the confusion, the retreated Abbasid force returned and attacked the divided Zanj army and retook the city. It was of little use as according to al-Tabari, the city had been as depopulated as possible in the weeks of carnage.
The ruling dynasty of this new state would operate more like that of the Safavid empire or that of the Fatimid state, than like the Abbasid. The change will shock the Islamic world. Saffarid and Samanid powers may begin to distance themselves from many core Islamic tenants and the center of Sunni Islam will move towards Egypt under the Tulunids.
Now, I do believe that there was a class conflict motive, indeed. However, it was something of a destruction of the existing societal modes and a replacement with those at the bottom. However, such a rebellion did not begin with this the intention, rather it was the strategy for which to induce a different sort of change. Though, you could argue these are more or less the same. However, the main point is, the movement was more interested in imposing slavery and wrath upon the former ruling class and population, rather than abolishing slavery.
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