August 19th, 634 - The Battle of Marj Al-Saffar

Conflict: Arab-Byzantine War

Combatants: Byzantines vs. Rashidun Arabs

Location: Syria

Outcome: Rashidun victory

In this early period of Islamic military expansion, the Moslem General Khalid ibn al-Walid marched from his conquests in Mesopotamia to confront Byzantine counter offensives in Syria and Palestine. Khalid defeated the Byzantines first between Gaza and Jerusalem in July of 634 and then confronted the Byzantine General Baanes outside of Damascus. Khalid defeated Baanes and invested the city.

Khālid_ibn al-Walīd by an unknown artist

Points of Interest:

• Khalid ibn al-Walid abandoned Damascus in 636, retreating before a Byzantine army led by Theodore, the brother of the emperor.

• Khalid ibn al-Walid returned to defeat the Byzantines and retake Damascus late in 636.

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Sources:

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.