Muslim conquest of Syria

De **Muslim conquest of Syria** (Arabic: فَتْحُ الشَّام, romanized: *Fatḥ al-šām*; lit. 'Conquest of Syria'), anaa de **Arab conquest of Syria**, be de conquest of Byzantine Syria by de Rashidun Caliphate wey take place between 634&#x2013;638 CE as part of de Arab–Byzantine wars den de wider Muslim conquests.

Clashes between de Muslims den de Byzantines on de southern Levantine borders of de Byzantine Empire occur previously during de lifetime of Muhammad, plus de Battle of Muʿtah insyd 629 CE. However, de actual conquest no begin til 634, two years after Muhammad ein death. De first two Rashidun caliphs wey succeed Muhammad lead: Abu Bakr den Umar ibn al-Khattab. During dis time, Khalid ibn al-Walid be de most important commander of de Rashidun army. Insyd de aftermath of de conquest, dem bring Syria under Arab Muslim rule wey e develop into de provincial region of Bilad al-Sham.

## Background

### Byzantine Syria
Na Syria be under Roman rule for seven centuries prior to de Arab Muslim conquest wey na e be invaded by de Persian Sasanian Empire on a number of occasions during de 3rd, 6th den 7th centuries; e sanso be subject to raids by de Sasanian Empire' Arab allies, de Lakhmids. During de Roman period, beginning after de fall of Jerusalem insyd de year 70, dem rename de entire region (Judea, Samaria, den de Galilee) *Palaestina*, dem subdivide into Diocese I den II. De Romans sanso rename an area of land wey dey include de Negev, Sinai, den de west coast of de Arabian Peninsula as *Palaestina Salutaris*, dem sam times call *Palaestina III* anaa *Palaestina Tertia*. Part of de area be ruled by de Arab vassal state of de Ghassanids dema *symmachos*.

During de last of de Roman-Persian Wars, dey beginn insyd 602, de Persians under Khosrau II succeed in occupying Syria, Palestine den Egypt for over a decade before dem force dem by de victories of Heraclius to conclude de peace of 628. Thus, on de eve of de Muslim conquests de Romans (anaa Byzantines as modern Western historians conventionally refer to Romans of dis period) still be insyd de process of rebuilding dema authority insyd dese territories, wich insyd sam areas e be lost to dem for almost twenty years. Politically, de Syrian region consist of two provinces: Syria proper stretch from Antioch den Aleppo insyd de north to de top of de Dead Sea. To de west den south of de Dead Sea lay de province of Palestine.

### Rise of de Caliphate
Military confrontations plus de Byzantine Empire begin during de lifetime of Muhammad. Dem fight de Battle of Mu'tah insyd September 629 near de village of Mu'tah, east of de Jordan River den Karak insyd Karak Governorate, between de forces of de Islamic prophet Muhammad den de forces of de Byzantine Empire den dema Arab Christian Ghassanid vassals. Insyd Islamic historical sources, de battle usually be described as de Muslims dema attempt to take retribution against de Ghassanids after a Ghassanid official execute Muhammad ein emissary wey be en route to Bosra. During de battle dem route de Muslim army. After dem kill three Muslim leaders, dem give de command to Khalid ibn al-Walid wey he succeed in saving de rest of de forces. De surviving Muslim forces retreat to Medina.

After de Farewell Pilgrimage insyd 632, Muhammad appoint Usama ibn Zayd as de commander of an expeditionary force wich be to invade de region of Balqa insyd de Byzantine Empire. Dem know dis expedition as de Expedition of Usama bin Zayd wey ein stated aim be to avenge de Muslim losses at de Battle of Mu'tah, insyd wich dem kill Usama ein poppie den Muhammad ein former adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah. Usama ein expedition insyd May/June 632 be successful wey ein army be de first Muslim force to successfully invade den raid Byzantine territory.

## References


## External links
* Multimedia History Tutorials by the Applied History Group, *The Islamic World to 1600*, University of Calgary.  The Islamic World to 1600: Tutorial Outline
* Edward Gibbon, ''History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' Chapter 51
* Bishop John Nikiou ''The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu'' Chapters CXVI-CXXI