Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il (c. 1610 – 15 August 1676) was an Imam of Yemen who ruled the country in the years 1644-1676. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. His rule saw the greatest territorial extension of the Yemeni state.
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Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il was the son of the founder of the Qasimid imamate, al-Mansur al-Qasim. In 1644 his elder brother al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad died. A fraternal strife broke out, as several brothers competed for the imamate. In the end, the other brothers submitted to Isma'il. In Zaidi sources, his reign is portrayed in exceedingly positive terms: Yemen was restored to prosperity, as the farmers enjoyed excellent harvests. His rule was considered just and incorruptible. Nevertheless, a dispute arose between the imam and the various ulema in 1648 over taxation policy. As Isms'il managed to uphold public order in the deeply localized and fractionalized Yemeni society, merchants ventured to visit Yemen from other countries.[1] The coffee trade that went via Mocha had been going on for some time, and gave the imam's government increased revenues.
The authority of al-Mutawakkil Isma'il expanded eastwards along the South Arabian coast. Aden had been conquered by Yemeni forces in 1644.[2] A throne struggle in the Kathiri area gave the imam an excuse to send a sizeable army into the Hadramaut, in 1654. The Yafa tribesmen submitted, as did the Kathiri sultan. A further expedition in 1658 renewed the suzerainty of the imam in an area as far east as Dhofar. However, the conquest of Hadramaut resulted in a military confrontation with Sultan bin Saif, the sultan of Oman. Being in command of the seas in these waters, the Omanis were able to raid Yemen. Insecurity at sea led to a decrease of import goods to the Yemeni seaports.[3]
Yemen in the 17th century was not a very outward-looking society, but its role as the virtually sole coffee producer of the world made it a vital link in the Indian Ocean trading system.[4] Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il's reign saw a number of diplomatic ties with other powers of the Indian Ocean world. An Ethiopian embassy visited the imam in 1646, and a Yemeni return visit took place in the following year. With Mughal India there were likewise friendly contacts. Surat on the Indian west coast was the principal trading partner of Yemen at this time. The Ottoman Empire, which had given up its power in Yemen in 1635, planned a renewed attack in 1674; however, this was abandoned for fear of Portuguese power.[5]
Although he was the most resourceful of the Qasimid line, al-Mutawakkil Isma'il had to contend with the deep localism persisting in the Yemeni society, in particular among the highland tribes. Some tribes were not taxed, but on the contrary received stipends to keep quiet. This was a practice that prevailed until the 20th century. The imam himself is reputed to have lived a life of Spartan simplicity; he sew and sold caps for his subsistence, and his household consisted of one single wife and a female slave.[6] Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il died in 1676, and a dispute arose between two of his nephews. Of these, al-Mahdi Ahmad finally succeeded in the imamate.[7]
| Preceded by al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad |
Imam of Yemen 1644–1676 |
Succeeded by al-Mahdi Ahmad |