Key Facts
- Date
- March–October 692
- Duration
- 6–7 months
- Besieging commander
- Hajjaj ibn Yusuf
- Outcome for Ibn al-Zubayr
- Killed in October 692
- Ka'ba status
- Damaged by bombardment, subsequently rebuilt
Strategic Narrative Overview
Abd al-Malik systematically reduced opposition in Syria and Iraq before dispatching his general Hajjaj ibn Yusuf to deal with Ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca. Ordered to avoid direct bloodshed in the sanctuary, Hajjaj besieged the city from March 692, employing catapults to bombard it and cutting off supplies. The sustained blockade caused mass desertion among Ibn al-Zubayr's followers, progressively weakening his ability to resist.
01 / The Origins
Following the death of Umayyad Caliph Yazid in 683, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr claimed the caliphate and was recognized across most Islamic provinces, while the Umayyads retained only Syria. The pro-Umayyad Syrian tribes elected Marwan ibn al-Hakam as a rival caliph in 684. Upon Marwan's death in 685, his son Abd al-Malik inherited the task of reasserting Umayyad authority over the fractured caliphate, fueling the final phase of the Second Fitna.
03 / The Outcome
Ibn al-Zubayr was killed in October 692 alongside his few remaining supporters, ending a civil war that had lasted roughly a decade. The Caliphate was reunited under Abd al-Malik. The Ka'ba, damaged during the bombardment, was rebuilt according to its original plan associated with the Prophet Muhammad, restoring the sanctity of Islam's holiest site.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.