The 1635 Expulsion of the Ottomans from Yemen and the Restoration of Zaydi Sovereignty

In 1635, Ottoman forces were decisively expelled from Yemen, ending nearly a century of imperial occupation and reestablishing autonomous Zaydi rule over the region. This marked a significant turning point in Yemeni history, as it concluded a prolonged period of resistance against Ottoman authority and led to the consolidation of the Zaydi Imamate as the dominant political power in northern Yemen. The Ottomans had first established a foothold in Yemen in 1538, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, as part of a broader imperial strategy to control Red Sea maritime trade routes and to counter Portuguese influence in the Indian Ocean. Ottoman forces seized key cities, including Taiz, Zabid, and Sana'a, and established the Yemen Eyalet (province) with the intention of integrating the highlands into their administrative and military structure. However, their control was largely limited to urban centers and lowland regions, with significant resistance persisting in the northern highlands. Throughout the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Zaydi Imams—leaders of the Shi'a Zaydi sect rooted in northern Yemen—mounted sustained campaigns to expel the Ottomans. Among the most prominent was Imam al-Mansur al-Qasim (r. 1597–1620), whose leadership catalyzed widespread tribal support and military mobilization. His successor and son, Imam al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad (r. 1620–1644), continued this resistance with increasing success. By 1635, the combined pressures of highland guerrilla warfare, logistical difficulties, and weakening central authority in the Ottoman Empire enabled the Zaydi forces to drive the Ottomans out of their remaining strongholds in Yemen. The withdrawal marked the end of the first Ottoman occupation and the establishment of a unified Zaydi state that controlled most of present-day Yemen. Following the Ottoman expulsion, the Zaydi Imamate experienced a period of relative stability and expansion, maintaining sovereignty over Yemen until the second Ottoman intervention in the mid-19th century. The events of 1635 thus represent a critical assertion of indigenous rule in the face of imperial dominance in early modern Arabia. #MoofLife #MoofLife_Moment #MomentsOfLife