The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Basra, Iraq.
Prior to 16th century
638 CE – Military camp established by Utbah ibn Ghazwan per order of Omar ibn al-Khattab. 646 – Abdallah ibn Amer becomes governor. 658 – Battle of the Camel. 664 – Ziyad ibn Abihi becomes governor. 673 – Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad becomes governor. 683 – Uprising against Umayyads. 684 – The governor Mas'ud ibn Amr is killed by the asāwira under Māh-Afrīdūn 691 – Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in power. 701 – Uprising against the Umayyads. 772 – Ramparts built. 820 – Zott conflict. 868 – Zanj Rebellion. 871 – City sacked during Zanj Rebellion. 923 – Qaramitah conflict. 10th century – Public library active. 1052 – Traveller Nasir Khusraw visits city. 1122 – Imad ad-Din Zengi in power. 1123 – City wall rebuilt. 1258 – City sacked by Mongols. 1327 – Traveller Ibn Battuta visits city. 1411 – Kara Koyunlu in power.
16th-19th centuries 1546 – Ottomans in power. 1547 – Basra Eyalet (administrative region) formed. 1556 – Portuguese attempt to take city. 1596 – Afrasiyab becomes governor. 1604 – Population: 50,000 (approximate); number of houses: 10,000 (approximate). 1645 – English factory in business. 1668 – City was conquered by the Turks. 1694 – Muntafiq tribes in power. 1733 – City becomes part of Baghdad Eyalet (administrative region). 1763 – British East India Company in business. 1773 – Epidemic. 1777 – City besieged by Persian forces led by Sadiq Khan Zand. 1779 – Turks in power. 1823 – Population: 55,000 (approximate). 1840 – Turks in power. 1865 – Baghdad-Basra telegraph begins operating. 1884 – Basra Vilayet (administrative region) formed.
20th century
1901 – Consulate of Russia established. 1910 – Cholera and bubonic plague outbreak. 1911 Consulate of Germany established. Cholera epidemic. 1913 – Reform Society of Basra founded. 1914 – Battle of Basra (1914); British in power. 1915 – April: Turkish forces attempt to take city. 1919 – Baghdad-Basra Railway in operation. 1920 Uprising against British occupation. Population: 40,000 (approximate). 1947 – Population: 101,535. 1964 – University of Basrah established. 1965 – Population: 310,950. 1967 – Basrah Medical College established. 1982 – July: Iranian forces attempt to take city. 1984 – Iranian forces attempt to take city. 1987 January–February: Iranian forces attempt to take city. Population: 406,296. 1991 1 March: Uprising against Saddam Hussein. Marsh Arab population in city expands. 1999 25 January: Bombing by United States forces. Uprising.
21st century
2003 March–April: Battle of Basra (2003); British forces in power. August: Oil strike. 2004 – 21 April 2004 Basra bombings. 2005 – July: Oil strike. 2007 June: Al-Ashrah Al-Mubashra mosque bombed. December: British military occupation ends. Population: 1,912,533 (estimate). 2008 – Battle of Basra (2008). 2011 – 2011 Basra bombings. 2012 – 14 January 2012 Basra bombing.
See also Timelines of other cities in Iraq: Baghdad, Mosul
References
Bibliography in English Published in 19th century
. Also: The Makamah of Basra.
Published in 20th century
. (Includes description of Basra in the 14th century)
Published in 21st century
in other languages
External links