Who are the Umayyads?

Answer 1

Umayyad (ūmä'yäd), the first Islamic dynasty (661-750). Their reign witnessed the return to leadership roles of the pre-Islamic Arab elite, and the rejuvenation of tribal loyalties. The Banu Ummaya constituted the higher stratum of the pre-Islamic Meccan elite. Having entered into an agreement with Muhammad in 630, they succeeded in preserving their economic influence, and gradually reintegrated into the political power structure. The assassination of othman, the third caliph, and a member of the Ummaya, presented the dynamic Ummayad figure of muawiya the opportunity to challenge the otherwise troubled rulership of ali. With the death of Ali, Muawiya succeeded in establishing himself as the caliph, making Damascus the capital of the Islamic empire. His efforts concentrated on strengthening his rule by entering into a truce with the Byzantines, renewing tribal alliances and securing the succession of his son Yazid. With the death of Muawiya in 680, Yazid faced the opposition of Husayn, the son of Ali. The resistance and subsequent martyrdom of Husayn at Karbala in a battle where the Ummayad forces outnumbered him and his partisans is the focus of the central yearly Shiite observance of Ashura. Yazid also faced further resistance in the Hijaz (today Saudi Arabia), led by Abdallah ibn az-Zubayr. With his death, the caliphate was transfered to the Marwanid branch of the Banu Ummaya. abd al malik succeeded in consolidating Ummayad rule, and proceeded with a series of administrative reforms including the conversion of the bureaucracy from Greek to Arabic, and the minting of new currency. This consolidation set the stage for the renewal of territorial expansion in Asia and Africa under Walid I (705-15), and the increased military pressure against Byzantium under Sulayman (715-17). Sulayman's successor, Umar II (717-20) unsuccessfully attempted to reverse the course of tribal-based politics in an effort to restore the Islamic political ideal of transcending partisanships. His successors, Yazid II (720-24), Hisham (724-43), and Walid (743-44) pursued the tribal-based territorial conquests. The expansion of the Islamic empire led to the emergence of a substantial class of non-tribal Muslims (mawali), who became the base from which anti-Ummayad movements drew their supporters. The most notable of these movements was the Abbasid, which eventually succeeded in toppling the last Ummayad caliph, Marwan II, in 750. A branch of the Ummayad family, led by Abd ar-Rahman ad-Dakhil, was able to reach Cordoba and to reestablish Umayyad rule (780-1031) in Muslim Spain.

Answer 2

Governments did not have "followers" before Facebook.

If the question is asking who the successors were to the Umayyads, it would be the Abbassids in the Middle East in 750 C.E. and the Taifa Kingdoms in Spain in 1038 C.E.

Answer 3

The question as phrased is unclear.

If it is asking which dynasty was the successor to the Umayyad Dynasty, that would be the ABBASSIDS in the Middle East and North Africa in the year 750 C.E. AND the TAIFA KINGDOMS in Spain in 1038 C.E. (The Umayyads retained power in Spain long after they had lost it elsewhere.)

If it is asking about which people behave liked the Umayyads, e.g. followed the Umayyads' example, there is practically nobody who did this. The Umayyads were known for being extremely non-pious Muslims. From the days of Muawiya (the founder of the dynasty), the Kings had large palaces with large harems, drank alcohol, attacked the family of Muhammad to keep them out of power, and some even brutalized Qur'ans. As a result, most Muslims found the Umayyads to be illegitimate rulers in a spiritual sense and took much more spiritual guidance from the local Sufi Saints, who showed far greater adherence to Islamic doctrine and far more internal holiness.

If it is asking about which people came under the Umayyad yoke, e.g. the ethnicities of the Umayyad subjects, these would include: Arabs, Byzantine Greeks, Jews, Persians, Amazigh (Berbers), Black Africans, and Iberians.