Anbasa ibn Suhaym Al-Kalbi

Who was Anbasa ibn Suhaym Al-Kalbi?

Anbasa ibn Suhaym al-Kalbi was the Muslim wali of al-Andalus, also known as Moorish Hispania, from 721 to 726 CE.

Immediately after his appointment, Anbasa doubled taxes on the Christians and confiscated Jewish property. However, it is thought that this increase did not affect most of the recently conquered estates and towns, subdued by treaty on very specific conditions, but lands under direct Arab rule and new towns being conquered in Septimania.

Coincidentally, a dynastic struggle arose among Muslims in the Middle East. It was sparked by the death of Caliph Yazid II and the succession of his brother, Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 724. On this account, Anbasa tried to please the demands imposed by the Caliph to further tax exaction on non-Muslims, with attempts being made to enforce it on non-Arab Muslims too - popular rebellion in Egypt in 725 for increase in taxation. On the other hand, this more rigorous approach may have provided legal shelter and security to ownership in al-Andalus.

These actions caused displeasure, scattered acts of disobedience, as well as some open revolts.