The Conquest of Antioch

فتح أنطاكية

c. 637 CE · c. 16 AH

In al-Baladhuri: Abu Ubayda went from Aleppo to Antioch, where a body of the people of the Qinnasrin jund had fortified themselves; at Haruba — near two farsakhs from the city — an enemy gathering met him and he scattered them back into the city, besieging it at all its gates, the bulk of the army at Bab Faris and the gate called Bab al-Bahr; they then compounded for jizya and evacuation, some departing and some staying, and he secured them setting on each adult a dinar and a jarib; when they broke the covenant he sent Iyad ibn Ghanm and Habib ibn Maslama, who retook it on the first treaty — others say they broke it after he returned to Filastin and Amr ibn al-As (may God be pleased with him) was sent from Iliya' to take it; Umar wrote to Abu Ubayda to station at Antioch a company of Muslims of right intent and scruple as murabita, withholding no mounts from them, and Mu'awiya received the same when in office while Uthman ordered him to settle men there and grant land — which he did; Mu'awiya transferred to Antioch in year 42 companies of Persians and people of Ba'labakk, Hims and the two Misrs, and al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik granted troops land at Saluqiyya by the coast rating the filthir at a dinar and two mudds of wheat — they cultivated it and he built Hisn Saluqiyya; among the transferees was Muslim ibn Abdullah — grandfather of Abdullah ibn Habib ibn al-Nu'man al-Antaki — whom a Byzantine killed with a stone on the wall, a gate of Antioch being named Bab Muslim after him.

Overview

al-Baladhuri relates that Abu Ubayda marched from Aleppo to Antioch, defeated a host that met him at Bahuraha, and besieged its people from all its gates, until they made peace with him for the jizya and for leaving. It is part of the conquest of Syria. ¹

The siege and the treaty

At Bahuraha, about two parasangs from the city, a host of the enemy met him, and he dispersed it and drove it back into the city. Most of the army was at the Persian Gate and the Sea Gate. Some of its people left and some stayed, and a dinar and a jarib (of land) were imposed on each adult male as jizya. ¹

Breach of the covenant

Its people broke the covenant, and Abu Ubayda sent Iyad ibn Ghanm and Habib ibn Maslama, who conquered it on the first treaty. It is also said that they broke it after his return to Palestine, and that Amr ibn al-As came from Iliya and conquered it. ¹

After the conquest

Umar wrote to Abu Ubayda to have a group of men of good intention stationed there on garrison duty. Mu'awiya moved to it in 42 AH a group of Persians and the people of Ba'labakk and Homs. ¹

The Battle of Fihl

In al-Baladhuri: the battle of Fihl of al-Urdunn fell two nights remaining of Dhu al-Qa'da, five months after Umar ibn al-Khattab's accession, the people's commander being Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah — Umar having written to him investing him with Syria and the commanders concurring, together with Amir ibn Abi Waqqas, Sa'd's brother; some say Abu Ubayda's command reached him while the people were besieging Damascus and he concealed it from Khalid for days since Khalid commanded in war, telling him when asked 'I disliked to break you and weaken your standing while you were upon heights'; the battle's cause was Heraclius, come to Antioch, summoning the Romans and the people of the Jazira and setting over them a man of his intimates and trusted men, who met the Muslims at Fihl and fought them hardest until God gave them victory, their patrician and near ten thousand with him falling, the rest scattering through Syria's towns or joining Heraclius; Fihl's people fortified themselves and the Muslims besieged them until they asked safety on paying jizya for their heads and kharaj for their land, securing themselves and their wealth with their walls not to be demolished — Abu Ubayda concluding the compact, some say Shurahbil ibn Hasana.

The Conquest of Antioch

At a glance

In time

In space

Overview

The siege and the treaty

Breach of the covenant

After the conquest

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

The Battle of Fihl