2021-02-06 Sat

The tenth ruler of the Umayyad Caliph, Hisham Ibn Abd al-Malik died today on 6th February, 743. He reigned during the final period of prosperity and glory of the Umayyads.

Born in 691, his father named him after his mother. Inheriting the caliphate from his brother Yazid II, Hisham was ruling an empire with many different problems. His long rule was an effective one, and it saw a rebirth of reforms that were originated by Umar bin Abd al-Aziz.

He was a great patron of the arts, and he again encouraged arts in the empire. He also encouraged the growth of education by building more schools, and perhaps most importantly, by overseeing the translation of numerous literary and scientific masterpieces into Arabic.

Hisham sent armies to end the Hindu rebellion in Sindh, and was successful when the Hindu ruler Jai Singh was killed. This allowed the Umayyads to reassert their rule over some portions of their provinces in India. Some invasions of Indian kingdoms were led by the Arab governors of Sindh but they were unsuccessful.

Depicted here is an Umayyad coin issued by Hisham Ibn Abd Al-Malik. It depicts the Kalima in the field.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org