Battle of Karbala
680 CE · Iraq
The Battle of Karbala was fought in 680 CE in Iraq between Umayyad Caliphate vs Husayn ibn Ali and his followers; Umayyad victory; Husayn and his companions were killed, an event commemorated every year at Ashura.
Battle of Karbala: quick facts
- Date
- 680 CE
- Location
- Iraq
- Belligerents
- Umayyad Caliphate vs Husayn ibn Ali and his followers
- Commanders
- Umar ibn Sa'd vs Husayn ibn Ali
- Result
- Umayyad victory; Husayn and his companions were killed, an event commemorated every year at Ashura.
- Era
- ⚔️ Ottoman & Islamic Empires
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Karbala?
Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and a small band of around 72 followers were surrounded and killed by thousands of Umayyad troops under Yazid I's orders on the plains of Karbala. The Umayyads had cut off Husayn's party from the Euphrates River, denying them water for days. Husayn's martyrdom became the foundational event of Shia Islam and created the deepest sectarian divide in the Muslim world, commemorated annually during Ashura.
Did you know?
The Battle of Karbala lasted only a few hours, but its impact on Islamic civilization has endured for over 1,300 years, creating the fundamental divide between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Karbala on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.