14. The Zanj Rebellion (869-883)
The Zanj Rebellion was an extraordinary uprising of enslaved Africans in southern Iraq against the mighty Abbasid Caliphate. Spanning fourteen years, the revolt saw the Zanj establish fortified settlements and challenge imperial armies, disrupting the region’s economic foundations. Though eventually suppressed, the rebellion exposed the vulnerabilities of the Abbasid regime and stands as one of the longest and most significant slave revolts in world history. Explore further at Oxford Reference.
