Tag Archives: Amr

Mu’awiya’s Tricky Triumph, 659

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Ruth

Back at the negotiating table, Mu’awiya sent Amr, the conqueror of Egypt, to represent him. Ali could have sent an equally astute general, his cousin al-Ashtar, but the fighting men insisted on Abu Musa, who had been Ali’s appointed governor … Continue reading →

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The Umayyad Challenge to Ali

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Ruth

After the Battle of the Camel, Ali settled matters in Basra, paying those who had fought for him out of the official treasury. With Basra secured, he rode north to Kufa and stayed there. To some extent, the future of … Continue reading →

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Egypt’s Revolt, 644-6

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Ruth

During Uthman’s rule, it became obvious that if the Islamic State was going to maintain its place among the nations, it needed to create a navy. East and South Arabians had always been sea-going, but their cultural ways were not … Continue reading →

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First Muslim Cities of Egypt

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Ruth

The two great modern cities of Egypt are the same ones that became great under Muslim rule. Ancient Egypt had had Thebes, which never got its primary status back, and other cities had come and gone. Alexandria is still great, … Continue reading →

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Conquest of Egypt, 636-42

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ruth

We need a wide range of dates to cover the conquest of Egypt because histories conflict so much as to when things happened and in what order. General Amr ibn al-As, who had led his army to Gaza in the … Continue reading →

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The First Muslim Conquest in Syria, 634

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Ruth

The Arabs were much more familiar with Syria than with Mesopotamia. They had interacted a great deal with the Ghassanids, whose capital city was in the Golan Mountains. They stopped often at cities like Bos(t)ra. Some of the men of … Continue reading →

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Muhammad and Syria

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Ruth

During the Prophet’s life, the region that is now Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Syria was generally referred to as Syria (Arabic “Shams”). Its main cities had changed hands rapidly during the long war between Byzantines and Persians. In 627, Emperor … Continue reading →

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