Tag Archives: Khalid

Syria: Damascus, 635 and Yarmouk, 636

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Ruth

Caliph Umar confirmed the previous appointments of commanders and pushed for more action. He intended to lead fighters in the field, and probably did sometimes, but I didn’t see much detail about that. The main campaigns during his Caliphate were … 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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Khalid Takes the Euphrates River, 633

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Ruth

Simultaneous invasions began in 633, with armies heading west into Syria and north into Persia (modern Iraq). The western campaigns had little to note until after Khalid’s eastern army joined them, so we’ll start with Khalid. He was in northern … Continue reading →

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The Ridda Wars of Apostasy, 632

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Ruth

After Fatimah died, Ali finally chose to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr as the Successor, or Caliph. It must have been very bitter, but time had passed and it was the new reality. To disrupt the new status quo and … 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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