The Imam of the Mountains: Yahya al-Sharafi's Zaidi Rebellion Against the Ottomans

In the late 16th century, the Ottoman Empire controlled much of Yemen, but one man sparked a rebellion that would define Yemeni resistance for generations. Imam Yahya al-Sharafi, a Zaidi religious leader from the northern highlands, led a guerrilla war from the mountains around Shaharah, using fortress villages and local knowledge to confound Ottoman forces. The rebellion reached its climax at the Siege of Kawkaban, where al-Sharafi's forces held out for months. This episode explores the conflict's roots in Ottoman taxation and interference with Zaidi traditions, the tactics of mountain warfare, and the legacy of al-Sharafi as a symbol of Yemeni defiance. We also examine the Ottoman response, including the appointment of Sinan Pasha, and how the rebellion shaped later struggles against central authority. Along the way, we visit the stone village of Shaharah with its famous bridge, and discuss the role of the qasaba or fortified tower in Zaidi military strategy.

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