Husayn ibn Numayr al-Sakuni

Al-Ḥuṣayn ibn Numayr al-Sakūnī (died 5/6 August 686) was a leading general of the early Umayyad Caliphate, from the Sakun subtribe of the Kinda.^[1]

Husayn ibn Numayr al-Sakuni
Governor of Jund Hims
In office 680–683
Monarch	Yazid I
Succeeded by	Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari
Personal details
Died	5/6 August 686
Relations	Mu'awiya ibn Yazid (grandson)
Children	Yazid ibn Husayn
Parent	Numayr
Military service
Allegiance	Mu'awiya I (657–c. 661) Umayyad Caliphate (661–death)
Battles/wars	Battle of Siffin (657) Raids on Asia Minor (678 and 681/682) Battle of al-Harra (683) Siege of Mecca (683) Battle of Ayn al-Warda (685) Battle of Khazir † (686)

Biography

A man of his name is recorded as being responsible for the pacification of Hadhramaut in 632, during the Ridda Wars, but most scholars reject that this man aas the Umayyad general.^[1][2] Husayn is first securely attested at the Battle of Siffin in 657, where he fought for the Umayyads.^[1] He is also mentioned as the leader of summer raids into Byzantine Asia Minor in 678 and 681/682.^[2]

Under Yazid I (r.  680–683) he became governor of the Jund Hims (military district of Homs), and in this capacity served in the expedition sent against the rebellion in Medina and Mecca in 683, under the command of Muslim ibn Uqba. After Muslim's death, he succeeded him in command of the campaign and laid siege to Ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca for two months. It was during this siege that the Kaaba burned down. Husayn maintained the siege for two months, until news reached him of Yazid's death. He then offered to recognize Ibn al-Zubayr as Caliph, provided that he would come to Syria, but when the latter refused, Husayn turned his army back.^[1][2]

The Kharijite Najdat faction and Najda bin Amir al-Hanafi excommunicated Husayn bin Numayr, fighting against them in the Battle of Jabal al-Haruriyya. In this battle, 8000 Ummayed soldiers were killed, while Husayn bin Numayr managed to escape.^[3]

Back in Syria, he played an important role in securing the Umayyad family's nomination of the experienced, though elderly, Marwan ibn al-Hakam as Caliph, instead of Yazid's young son Khalid.^[1][2] The leading Umayyad commander, Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, then sent him to the Jazira, where, on 6 January 685, he defeated the Shi'a sect of the Penitents at the Battle of Ayn al-Warda.^[1][2] Husayn also participated in the attempted reconquest of Iraq under Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, and like him, fell at the Battle of Khazir on 5 or 6 August 686.^[1][2]

His son, Yazid ibn Husayn, also fought for the Umayyads in the Second Civil War and served as governor of Hims for Umar II (r.  717–720), while his grandson Mu'awiya also served as governor of Hims for Yazid III (r.  743–744), but went over to Marwan II (r.  744–750) during the Third Civil War.^[2]