Marwan II

Last Umayyad caliph who made extraordinary efforts to preserve the dynasty during the Abbasid Revolution

Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan, commonly known as Marwan II (688–750), was the fourteenth and final caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate. His reign marked a critical turning point in Islamic history as he fiercely resisted the Abbasid uprising that ultimately toppled the Umayyad dynasty.

What makes Marwan II truly remarkable was his military genius and relentless determination. Despite inheriting an empire plagued by internal strife, he reorganized the Syrian army into a mobile force using light cavalry - a tactical innovation later adopted by European knights. His Jund al-Shami forces became prototype professional standing armies in medieval warfare.

During his six-year reign from 744-750, Marwan II implemented crucial administrative reforms including:

• Centralizing tax collection systems
• Establishing swift communication networks using beacon towers
• Pioneering military espionage networks

His ultimate defeat at the Battle of the Zab (750) ended Umayyad rule, but his grandson later established the Umayyad Emirate in Spain, preserving Islamic culture in Europe. Modern historians like Hugh Kennedy credit Marwan's strategies with influencing medieval European military tactics.