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Battle of Marj ar-Rum

Coordinates: 33°30′23″N 38°18′55″E / 33.5064°N 38.3153°E / 33.5064; 38.3153
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Battle of Marj ar-Rum
Part of the Arab–Byzantine Wars and
the campaigns of Khalid ibn al-Walid
Date635 AD
Location
Dhu al-Kala(first battle)
Beqaa Valley(second battle)[1]
Result Rashidun army victory
Belligerents
Rashidun army Byzantine army
Commanders and leaders
  • Shannash al-Rome †
  • Theodore/Theodorus the Patricius †[2][3]
    * Sheodore †
    • Strength
    Unknown Unknown
    Casualties and losses
    Heavy

    The Battle of Marj ar-Rum(Meadow of Rome[4]), or also known as Battle of Marj Dimashq(Meadow of Damascus[4]) was a conflict between Rashidun caliphate against Byzantine Empire occurred shortly after the Battle of Fahl in Byzantine attempt to recapture Damascus. Heraclius sent two separate forces which led by Theodore the Patricius and Shannash al-Rome respectively. The Rashidun army was led by Abu Ubaydah ibn al Jarrah and Khalid ibn al-Walid in order to assist Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan who act as garrison commander of Damascus.

    The battle actually consisted of two different battles in separate areas. But since the second battle was attended immediately by Khalid ibn Walid after he has finished the first battle in short span, early Muslim historians regard this conflicts as single conflict[4][5]

    Rashidun army achieved decisive victory in this battle and all of the Byzantine commander are killed in both battles

    Background

    After Byzantine forces are destroyed in Battle of Fahl by Khalid, Rashidun army split their forces to continue the conquest in separate ways. Amr ibn al-Aas and Shurhabil ibn Hasana moved south to capture Palestine, while Abu Ubaidah and Khalid moved north to capture Northern Syria. While the Abu Ubaydah and Khalid were occupied at Fahl, leaving only Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan in Damascus. Heraclius sensing the opportunity to relieve Damascus and immediately sent an army under General Theodore the Patrician to recapture Damascus. Theodore brough a sizable forces of cavalry in this mission.[5][4] Meanwhile, the caliphate army manage to learn Theodore movements as Abu Ubaydah and Khalid have already defeated the Byzantine in Fahl, they immediately taking a detour to intercept Theodore.[5]

    Theodore then received a reinforcements from Shannash al-Rome who brought almost similar number of cavalry with Theodore forces ash the former on halfway his march.[5] As the opposing forces has meet each others in Dhu al-Kala area, the Rashidun forces stopped.[6] They instead camped to rest while the opposing encampments are facing each others.[4] Khalid encampment facing directly nearby Theodore encampment, while Abu Ubaydah encamp nearby Shannash camp.[4]

    During the night Theodore instead marched with his vice commander, Sheodore, toward Damascus to retake the city, while Abu Ubaydah still occupied by Shanas al-Rumi. However, Khalid’s spy has detected this movement and informed Khalid about Theodore's movement.[5]

    Battle in Dhu al-Kala

    Abu Ubaydah personally slew Shannash in duel during this battle .[7] As they have finished remaining the force of Shannash,[4] Khalid immediately asked permission from Abu Ubaidah, galloped towards Damascus with his mobile guard.[5]

    Battle

    At the outskirt of Damascus, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan immediately engage as Theodore and Sheodore forces has reached the outskirt of Damascus. The Muslim cavalry under Khalid immediately joined the battle and trampling the rear of Theodore's force from behind, while the latter still fighting forces of Yazid from the front. This caused the Byzantine forces now squeezed between Khalid from behind and Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan forces from the front.[8] Theodore and his vice commander, Sheodore, were killed by Khalid in single combat, according to Khalid's own words[7]

    Aftermath

    After the battle, caliphate army immediately has seized weapons, clothes, and mounts from the defeated Byzantine.[4][5] Yazid divided this among his soldiers and Khalid. A week later, Abu Ubaida capture Baalbek (Heliopolis), where the great Temple of Jupiter stood, and sent Khalid straight towards Emesa[9]

    See also

    References

    1. ^ Abu Tabikh & Abu Tabikh 1998.
    2. ^ Tabari 1992, p. 174; Theodore, according to K.Y. Blankinship.
    3. ^ Akram 2006, p. 394; Theodorus according to A.I Akram.
    4. ^ a b c d e f g h Tabari 1992, p. 174.
    5. ^ a b c d e f g Akram 2006, p. 359-417.
    6. ^ Muir 1883, p. 197-198
    7. ^ a b Ridha 2007, p. 172.
    8. ^ Hasan 1997, p. 453.
    9. ^ Allenby 2003.

    Battle of Marj ar-Rum(معركة مرج الروم) Arabic language

    Bibliography

    • Abu Tabikh, Muhsin; Abu Tabikh, Ali (1998). الرحلة المحسنية (digitized ed.). dar al'adwa. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
    • Akram, Agha Ibrahim (2006). The Sword of Allah Khalid Bin Al-Waleed, His Life and Campaigns. Mr. Books. pp. 359–417. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
    • Hasan, Masudul (1997). Hadrat Umar Farooq Allahʻs Blessings be Upon Him. p. 453. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
    • Muir, William (1883). Annals of the Early Caliphate From Original Sources (general history). Smith, Elder & Company. pp. 197–198. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
    • Ridha, Muhammad (2007). AL FAROUK OMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB THE SECOND CALIPH. Dar Al Kotob Al Ilmiyah دار الكتب العلمية. p. 172. ISBN 9782745155610. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
    • Allenby, Viscount (2003), Conquerors of Palestine Through Forty Centuries, Kessinger Publishing, ISBN 0-7661-3984-0
    • Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir (1992). The history of at-Tabari Vol. 12 (Yohanan Friedmann ed.). p. 174. ISBN 9780791407332. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
    • Ibn Taymiyyah, Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī. Islamic Books by Ibn Taymiyyah Maqdisi and Abdullah Azzam. Рипол Классик. p. 367. ISBN 9785872420279. Retrieved 13 October 2021.

    33°30′23″N 38°18′55″E / 33.5064°N 38.3153°E / 33.5064; 38.3153

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