Yemen's 1948 Coup and the Free Yemeni Movement

In 1948, a coalition of Yemeni reformers, intellectuals, and tribal leaders attempted to overthrow the centuries-old Zaidi Imamate. The coup, led by the al-Waziri family, briefly succeeded in assassinating Imam Yahya Muhammad Hamid ad-Din, but within weeks, his son Ahmad bin Yahya rallied the loyalist tribes and crushed the uprising. This episode explores the roots of the Free Yemeni Movement, the role of the al-Waziri and Qasimi families, the assassination in the village of Bara'a, and the brutal reprisals that followed. We examine how this failed rebellion foreshadowed the 1962 revolution and the eventual fall of the Imamate, while also discussing the broader struggle between reform and tradition in mid-20th century Yemen. The conversation touches on key figures such as Abdullah al-Wazir, Ahmad bin Yahya, and the tribal confederations of Hashid and Bakil, as well as the ideological currents that inspired the coup — from Egyptian nationalism to early Arab socialism.

#Yemen #1948Coup #FreeYemeniMovement #ImamYahya #AhmadBinYahya #AbdullahAlWazir #AlWaziri #Qasimi #Hashid #Bakil #ZaidiImamate #Baraa #Sanaa #OttomanYemen #ArabNationalism #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEastHistory

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo