Conquest of Damascus

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Conquest of Damascus Part of Muslim conquest of Syria Byzantine-Arab Wars Damascus city. Date 21th August–19th September, 634 A.D Location Damascus,Syria Result Damascus Captured by Rashidun Caliphate. Belligerents Rashidun Caliphate Byzantine empire. Commanders Khalid ibn al-Walid Thomas Strength 20,000 15,000-16,000 Casualties and losses low heavy

v • d • e Byzantine-Arab Wars Early Conflicts Mutah – Tabouk – Dathin – Firaz Arab Conquest of Roman Syria Qarteen – Bosra – Ajnadayn – Marj-al-Rahit – Fahl – Damascus - Maraj-al-Debaj - Emesa - Yarmouk – Jerusalem - Hazir – Aleppo Arab Conquest of Roman Egypt Heliopolis – Nikiou Umayyad Conquest of North Africa Carthage Arab Invasions of Anatolia and Constantinople Iron Bridge - Kahramanmaraş – Masts – 1st Constantinople – Syllaeum – 2nd Constantinople – Akroinon Arab Campaigns in Southern Italy Later Byzantine Campaigns

v • d • e Campaigns of Khalid ibn al-Walid Conquest of Arabia Uhud – Mu'tah – Mecca – Hunayn – Ta'if Ridda Wars Yamama – Zafar – Daumat-ul-Jandal – Buzakha – Ghamra – Naqra Conquest of the Persian Empire Chains – River – Walaja – Ullais – Hira – Al-Anbar – Ein-ul-tamr – Daumat-ul-Jandal – Muzayyah – Saniyy – Zumail – Firaz Conquest of Roman Syria Firaz – Qarteen – Bosra – Ajnadayn – Marj-al-Rahit – Fahl – Damascus - Maraj-al-Debaj - Emesa - Yarmouk - Jerusalem – Hazir - Aleppo Campaigns in Anatolia Iron Bridge - Kahramanmaraş

Damascus was conquered by the Rashidun army after a siege lasting about one month, from 21 August to 19 September 634 AD. It was the first major city of the Byzantine empire conquered by Muslims during the Muslim conquest of Syria.

[edit] Background

Damascus was known as the paradise of Syria. The main part of the city was enclosed by a massive wall, 11 metres high^[1] The fortified city was c. 1,500 m long and 800 m wide and was entered by six gates:

• The East Gate (Bab al Sharq)
• The Gate of Thomas (Bab al Touma)
• The Jabiya Gate (Bab al Jabiya)
• The Gate of Faradis (Bab al Faradees)
• The Keisan Gate (Bab al Kesan)
• The Small Gate (Bab al Sagher)

Along the north wall ran the River Barada, which, however, was too small to be of military significance.^[2]

At the time of the Syrian campaign, the Byzantine Commander-in-Chief at Damascus was Thomas, son-in-law of Emperor Heraclius. A deeply religious man and a devouted Christian, he was known not only for his courage and skill in the command of troops but also for his intelligence and learning.^[3].

[edit] The siege

Before the siege of Damascus Khalid isolated Damscus from rest of the northern Syria, the Byzantine reinforcement was most likely to be sent from this region. A mounted detachment was left at Fahal, west from Damscus to keep the Byzantine garrison occupied and prevent it to come to aid of Damascus, and to prevent any possible interfering between the muslim forces and Madinah, thus it acted as a rearguard of the muslim forces on Syrian front. Another detachment on the road to Emesa to take up a position near Bait Lihya, about 10 miles from the city,^[4] and instructed its commander to send out scouts to observe and report the arrival of Roman relief columns. If unable to deal with such columns himself, the detachment commander would seek Khalid's help. Having thus arranged a blocking position to isolate Damascus, Khalid ibn Walid launched the Islamic army into the siege of Damascus on August 21, 634 (the 20th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, 13 Hijri). The corps commanders were instructed to throw back any Byzantine attack from the respective gates, and in case of heavy pressure Khalid should be consulted. Zirrar bin al-Azwar was given command of 2000 housemen from the mobile guard to patrol in the empty spaces between the gates at night and to reinforce any corps attacked by the Byzantines.^[5] The following Muslim generals held the siege of the 6 gates of the Damascus, each commander at the gate had 4,000-5,000 forces with him:

• Gate of Thomas: Shurahbil ibn Hassana
• Jabiya Gate: Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah
• Gate of Faradis: Amr ibn al-A'as
• Keisan Gate: Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan
• Small Gate: Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan
• Eastern Gate: Raafe bin Umair

Khalid bin Walid placed the main body of his corps under the command of Raafe bin Umair at eastern gate and him self established a headquarter short distance away from the eastern gate in a monastery which as a result became known as Dair al Khalid i.e monastery of Khalid.^[6]

[edit] Byzantine reinforcement

Emperor Heraclius was at Antioch during this siege. On September 9, 634 Emperor Heraclius sent the reinforcement of 12,000 men to Damascus, which initailly defeated the muslim detachment and was later defeated and driven away at Battle of Saniyyat-ul-Uqab about 20 miles north of Damascus, under by the reinforcement under Khalid's command. The Muslim forces investing the city had been weakened by 9,000 men with the departure of first Raafe's detachment and then the reinforcement of the Mobile Guard under Khalid ibn Walid. In case the Byzantine army should attack in strength against any Muslim corps, there would be a serious danger of their breaking through, keeping in view this danger Khalid therefore hurried to the Damascus and did not follow the routed Byzantine troops.

[edit] First Byzantine attack

After all hopes of the reinforcement from Heraclius were finished, Thomas decided to launch counter offensive to drive the Muslims away.

The following morning, early in the third week of September 634, Thomas drew men from all sectors of the city and formed a strong force to break out through the Gate of Thomas. His opponent here was Shurahbil ibn Hassana with his corps of about 5,000 men. The battle begun with the concentrated shower of arrows against Rashidun army, Byzantine infantry covered by the archers and slingers on the wall, rushed through the gate and fanned out into battle, Thomas himself led the assault^[7]. Thomas was struck in his right eye by an arrow, following this Byzantine army retreated to the fort.^[8] Thomas swore to take thousand eyes in return. He ordered another great sally to be carried out that night.

[edit] Second Byzantine attack

This time the strategy of Thomas was to launch sallies from four gates, the main sector was to be again the Thomas gate, to take full advantage of exhausted Muslim corps there. The sally on rest of gates was to tie down other Muslim corps so that they may not come to aid Shurhabil's corps at Thomas gate. The other gates were to be Jabiya Gate, Small Gate and East Gate.

To the East Gate, Thomas allotted rather more forces than for the others, so that Khalid ibn Walid would be unable to move to Shurahbil's help and take command in that decisive sector. Attacking from several gates also gave more flexibility to the operation. Thus, if success were achieved, in any sector other than the Gate of Thomas, that could be converted into the main sector and the success exploited accordingly. Thomas ordered that Khalid ibn Walid should be taken alive. The attack was launched simultaneously from all selected gates. At the Jabiya Gate, where commander was Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, after some hard fighitng the sally was repulsed and the Byzantine army hastened back to the city.

At the Small Gate, where the commander was Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan, the battle was intense, Yazid had fewer troops than were positioned at the other gates, before the retreat of Rashidun army, Zirrar ibn al Azwar's with his 2,000 mounted warriors of Mobile guard came for aid and attacked the Byzantine army at there flank, the sally was repulsed.

At the East Gate the situation soon became more serious, for a larger Roman force had been assigned to this sector. Raafa ibn Umair was unable to hold the attacks, soon Khalid ibn Walid with his reserve of 400 veterans reached the sector attacking the Byzantine army at its flank, it marked the turning point in the sally at the East Gate. The Byzantine army therefore retreated to the city.

The heaviest fighting was at Thomas gate, where Thomas again commanded the sally in personal, The Muslim commander at the sector was Shurhabil ibn Hassana. After intense fight, Thomas seeing that there was no weakening in the Muslim front, decided that to continue the attack would be fruitless and would lead to even heavier casualties among his men. He ordered a withdrawal, and the Romans moved back at a steady pace, during which they were subjected to concentrated shower of arrows by Muslim army. This was the last attempt by Thomas to break the siege. The attempt had failed.^[9] He had lost thousands of men in these sallies, and could no longer afford to fight outside the walls of the city.

[edit] Khalid ibn Walid's attack

On September 18 (the 19th of Rajab, 13 Hijrah) Jonah, son of Marcus, a Greek man informed Khalid ibn Walid about the celebration of a festival in the city that night, and about the opurtunity to capture the city by surprise attack, in return he was granted amnesty for him self and for his beloved fiance, according to MUslim chronicles, she was still not handed over to him because of the arrival of Muslim army to besiege Damascus, and according to the narrations he reached Khalid for giving this intelligence just to get his beloved wife soon. Jonah also accepted Islam.^[10]

There was no time to make a co-ordinated plan of attack for the whole army; and so Khalid decided that he would storm the fort by the East Gate himself. According to the plan, first Khalid ibn Walid, Qa'qa ibn Amr and Mazur ibn Adi climbed up the wall hand by hand from the side of eastern gate.^[11] As the wall was the strongest, no guard was there on the top, Khalid and other two warriors tied other ropes and droped them so that other selected 100 warriors could climb up the wall. Khalid left a few men to assist the remaining climbers, and with the rest descended into the city, killing the guards at gate Khalid and Qa'qa reached the East gate and the gate was flung open. The Khalid's corps entered the city, intense battle begun between the Muslims and Byzantine army.

Thomas came to know that there is no movement on other gates in Islamic army, he assumed that only Khalid's corps have entered the city and most probably other corps commanders are unawear of this sudden attack. Thomas tried to save Damascus for one last time, he accordingly sent envoys to the Jabiya Gate to talk with Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, the second in command to Khalid, and offer to surrender the fort peacefully and to pay the Jizya.^[12] Abu Ubaidah, who was famous for his peace loving nature accepted the terms and peace was made, thinking that Khalid ibn Walid the commander in chief of army would also accept it. The message was sent to all the corps commanders. After the dawn Abu Ubaidah entered Damascus from Jabiyah gate and other commanders from there respective gates, while Khalid's corps was still conquering the city by force from Eastern side. Abu Ubaidah marching peacefully with his corps, accompanied by Thomas and Harbees and several dignitaries and bishops of Damascus, to wards the center of Damascus. While Khalid and his men marched to wards the center of Damascus finishing all resistance. Both commanders met at Church of Mary in the center of the city.

[edit] Conquest of the city

Muslim commander in chief, Khalid bin Walid urged that he have conquered the city by force and Abu Ubaidah on the other hand told him about the peace agreement, agreed between him and Thomas. All the corps commanders got together and began to discuss the situation. They reached agreement among themselves and conveyed their opinion, to Khalid: suggesting that Let there be peace, because if the Romans in Syria heard that the Muslims had given a guarantee of safety and then slaughtered those whose safety had been guaranteed, no other city would ever surrender to the Muslims, and that would make the task of conquering Syria immeasurably more difficult. Khalid was not happy but agreed.^[13] Agreeing on the terms that no one will be enslaved and no harm would be given to the temples and nothing will be taken as booty, according to the terms of peace. Save passage was given to Thomas, Harbees and every citizen of Damascus who was not willing to live under the Muslim rule,under the terms that the peace will be ended after three days and if Muslim conquered any place at which they are residing, they will not then be under a guarantee of peace.

The following pact was drawn up and signed by Khalid bin Walid:

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is given by Khalid bin Al Waleed to the people of Damascus. When the Muslims enter, they (the people) shall have safety for themselves, their property, their temples and the walls of their city, of which nothing shall be destroyed. They have this guarantee on behalf of Allah, the Messenger of Allah, the Caliph and the Muslims, from whom they shall receive nothing but good so long as they pay the Jizya.^[14]

[edit] Aftermaths

After three days passed, Khalid ibn Walid commanding a cavalry regiment followed the convoy of Byzantine commanders and soldiers along with thousands of people who left the city with them, going to wards Antioch. Khalid's cavalry caught up with the convoy a short distance from Antioch near a sea shore during the heavy downpour. The battle thus fought is known as Battle of Marj-ud-Deebaj ("Battle of Meadow of Brocade") because of plenty of brocade taken as booty in it. Thomas and Harbees were killed personally by Khalid in a duel, and wife of Thomas, the daughter of Heraclius was taken as captive.^[15] According to chronicles, the same Greek man Jonah, guided Khalid to the short cut route to Antioch to get his fiance, but she committed suicide, Khalid, offered Jonah, daughter of Emperor Heraclius, but he refused to take her, she was later released by Khalid ibn Walid. Jonah died in Battle of Yarmouk two years later.^[16] Caliph Abu Bakr died making Umar his successor. Umar removed Khalid ibn Walid from the command of Muslim army making Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, the new commander in chief.^[17] In the later years, following the Battle of Yarmouk the whole Levant was annexed by Rashidun Caliphate followed by conquest of Antioch in 638.

[edit] References