The Sharif was charged with protecting the cities and their environs and ensuring the safety of pilgrims performing the Hajj. The title is sometimes spelled Sheriff or Sherif, with the latter variant used, for example, by T. E. Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
The office of the Sharif of Mecca dates back to the late Abbasid era. Until 1200, the Sharifate was held by a member of the Hashim clan,[1] not to be confused with the larger clan of Banu Hashim from which all Sharifs claim descent. Descendants of the Banu Hashim continued to hold the position until the 20th century on behalf of various Muslim powers including the Ayyubids and the Mamluks. In 1517, the Sharif acknowledged the supremacy of the OttomanCaliph, but maintained a great degree of local autonomy. During the Ottoman era, the Sharifate expanded its authority northwards to include Medina, hitherto a sharifate of its own, and southwards to the frontiers of 'Asir, and regularly raided Nejd.
The Sharifate came to an end shortly after the reign of Hussein bin Ali, who ruled from 1908, who rebelled against the Ottoman rule during the Arab Revolt of 1916. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and its subsequent dissolution in 1923, Hussein formed the independent Kingdom of Hejaz and then declared himself Caliph. The British granted control over the newly formed states of Iraq and Transjordan to his sons Faisal and Abdullah. In 1924, however, in the face of increasing attacks by Ibn Saud, Hussein abdicated his political titles to his eldest son, Ali bin Hussein, who was to become the last Grand Sharif. At the end of 1925, Ibn Saud conquered the Hejaz and expelled the Hashemites. The House of Saud has ruled Mecca and Medina and overseen the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca) since that time.[2]
Captured Mecca with an army provided by al-Nasir Yusuf, the Ayyubid ruler of Syria, to whom he had promised the khutbah. However, he reneged and continued the khutbah in the name of al-Muzaffar Yusuf, the Rasulid sultan of Yemen. Deposed by Rajih ibn Qatadah.
Co-rulers. Khutbah in the name of al-Ashraf Musa, the titular Ayyubid sultan of Egypt, and his atabeg al-Mu'izz Aybak. Deposed by the Yemeni emir Ibn Birtas.
Co-reigned with his uncle for most of his reign. In 667 AH he instituted the khutbah in the name of the Mamluk sultan al-Zahir Baybars. Deposed by Idris.
Restored as co-ruler and pledged obedience to the Mamluk sultan. Co-reigned with his nephew until Rabi I 669 AH, then reigned independently for 40 days. Beheaded by Abu Numayy on the battlefield at Khulays.
Emir of Medina. Captured Mecca with an army provided by the Mamluk sultan al-Mansur Qalawun, but afterwards struck coins and had the khutbah pronounced in his own name. Returned to Medina after he was poisoned.
Muhammed bin Abd al-Muin, Sharif of Mecca 1827–1851, as pictured in the 1848 book by William Francis Lynch
Emir
Reign
Notes
Barakat II bin Muhammed
1473–1525
Co-reigned with his son Abu Numayy II for the last thirteen years of his rule; first Ottoman Sharif; Hejaz became an Ottoman state after the fall of Cairo to Sultan Selim I.
Co-reigned with his father Barakat II for the first thirteen years of his rule, and with his son Hassan for the last thirty-one years of his rule; rebuilt the walls of Jeddah in 1525 following the victory over the Portuguese in the Red Sea.
Hassan bin Abu Numayy II
1553–1601
Co-reigned with his father for the first thirty-one years of his rule.
