Battle of the Zab
750 CE · Iraq
The Battle of the Zab was fought in 750 CE in Iraq between Abbasid Revolution vs the Umayyad Caliphate; decisive Abbasid victory that ended the Umayyad Caliphate.
Battle of the Zab: quick facts
- Date
- 750 CE
- Location
- Iraq
- Belligerents
- Abbasid Revolution vs the Umayyad Caliphate
- Commanders
- Abdallah ibn Ali vs Marwan II
- Result
- decisive Abbasid victory that ended the Umayyad Caliphate.
- Era
- ⚔️ Ottoman & Islamic Empires
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of the Zab?
The Abbasid revolutionary army, marching under black banners, defeated the Umayyad Caliphate's forces under Caliph Marwan II at the Great Zab River in northern Iraq. The Umayyad army collapsed and Marwan fled, only to be hunted down and killed in Egypt. The Abbasids systematically exterminated the Umayyad dynasty and established a new caliphate centered on Baghdad, ushering in the Islamic Golden Age of learning and culture.
Did you know?
The Abbasid revolution used black as their color in contrast to the Umayyad white. The black banners of the Abbasids became so iconic that some Islamic prophecies reference 'armies with black banners from the east.'
Sources and further reading
- Battle of the Zab 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.