In this same year Yazid ibn al-Walid dismissed Yusuf ibn ʿUmar from the governorship of Iraq because of the rancor he had shown toward the Yemenites—followers of Khalid ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Qasri who had taken part in the killing of al-Walid ibn Yazid. Yusuf had imprisoned most of them in his territories and stationed sentries on the frontiers for fear of the Caliph’s troops. The Commander of the Faithful therefore removed him and appointed Mansur ibn Jumhur in his place, giving him authority as well over Sind, Sijistan, and Khurasan.

Mansur ibn Jumhur was a rough Bedouin Arab and adhered to the Ghailaniyyah Qadariyyah doctrine; nevertheless he had good deeds to his credit and had borne great hardship in the slaying of al-Walid ibn Yazid. Because of this he enjoyed favor with Yazid ibn al-Walid.

It is said that, once the people had rid themselves of al-Walid, Mansur went straight to Iraq, took the oath of allegiance there for Yazid, appointed deputies and officials in the provinces, and then returned to Damascus at the end of Ramadan. For that reason the Caliph invested him with these posts—and Allah knows best.

As for Yusuf ibn ʿUmar, he fled from Iraq to the district of al-Balqaʾ. The Commander of the Faithful sent for him, and he was brought before him. When he stood in Yazid’s presence, the Caliph seized his beard—which was extraordinarily long, sometimes hanging below his navel—and, though he was short of stature, rebuked and chastised him, then imprisoned him and ordered that public funds be recovered from him.

When Mansur ibn Jumhur reached Iraq he read out to the people the Caliph’s letter describing the manner of al-Walid’s death, how Allah had seized him with the grasp of the Mighty, the Omnipotent, and stating that he had appointed Mansur because of his courage and knowledge of war. The people of Iraq thereupon pledged allegiance to Yazid ibn al-Walid, as did the people of Sind and Sijistan.

Nasr ibn Sayyar, the governor of Khurasan, however, refused to heed and obey Mansur ibn Jumhur and would not submit to his commands. Nasr had prepared lavish gifts for al-Walid ibn Yazid, and they were still with him.

In this year Marwan—nicknamed al-Himar—wrote to ʿUmar ibn Yazid, the brother of al-Walid ibn Yazid, urging him to rise and seek vengeance for his brother’s blood. At the time Marwan was governor of Adharbayjan and Armenia. Yazid ibn al-Walid then removed Mansur ibn Jumhur from the governorship of Iraq

and appointed ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz in his stead, saying to him, “The people of Iraq love your father, so I have put you in charge of them.” That was in Shawwal. He also wrote to the Syrian commanders stationed in Iraq, recommending ʿAbd Allah to them lest Mansur refuse to hand the province over, but Mansur obeyed and surrendered it peacefully.

The Caliph wrote to Nasr ibn Sayyar confirming him in the governorship of Khurasan and granting him independent authority there. A man called al-Kirmani—so named because he had been born in Kirman; he was Abu ʿAli Jadiʿ ibn ʿAli ibn Shabib al-Maʿni—then rose against him, and a great multitude followed him, so that he would attend the Friday prayer accompanied by nearly 1,500 men. He would greet Nasr ibn Sayyar yet would not sit with him. Nasr and his commanders were at a loss as to how to deal with him; after much deliberation they decided to imprison him. He was confined for about a month, then released, whereupon a vast host gathered around him and mounted with him. Nasr therefore sent a force against them that fought, killed, subdued, and routed them, while certain groups among the people of Khurasan made light of the matter.