The Ottoman Imamate: Yemen's 16th Century Rebellion of Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya

In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire controlled much of Yemen, but their rule was never secure. This episode tells the story of Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf al-Din, a Zaydi leader who led a rebellion that pushed the Ottomans out of Sanaa and much of the highlands for decades. We explore how al-Mutawakkil united the Zaydi tribes, his alliance with the Portuguese, his brutal execution in 1558, and the long legacy of his revolt which shaped Yemen's resistance to foreign rule. Along the way, we touch on the Ottoman governor Özdemir Pasha, the city of Ta'izz, the fortress of Kawkaban, and the role of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean. This is a story of guerrilla warfare, religious authority, and the limits of imperial power.

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