Overview

A naval and land expedition sent by Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik against Constantinople under Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik. The book states that the land force was about a hundred and twenty thousand and the naval about a thousand ships. ²

Preparation

Preparation began in the days of al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik, and Sulayman continued it after his death in 96 AH. ²

The plan of march

The commanders disagreed about the plan. Musa ibn Nusayr advised taking the cities and fortresses first, without Constantinople. Maslama advised heading straight for it, and the caliph took his advice. ³

The withdrawal

At Sulayman's death Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ordered Maslama to return. The army withdrew after a truce with the Byzantines. ⁴

The reasons for failure in the author's account

The book attributes the failure to what it describes as treachery and incitement, to the severity of the winter of 99 AH, and to Maslama's lack of military experience. ⁵

The book does not give the Gregorian date, which needs an additional source.

Sources

The Umayyad State: Factors of Prosperity and Consequences of Collapse — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi (Part Two, 2005) , pp.47-52

The Umayyad State: Factors of Prosperity and Consequences of Collapse — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi (Part Two, 2005) , p.47

The Umayyad State: Factors of Prosperity and Consequences of Collapse — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi (Part Two, 2005) , p.48

The Umayyad State: Factors of Prosperity and Consequences of Collapse — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi (Part Two, 2005) , p.49

The Umayyad State: Factors of Prosperity and Consequences of Collapse — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi (Part Two, 2005) , pp.50-52

The Sibayn Reclamation and Maslama's Estates

In al-Baladhuri: when breaches burst in al-Hajjaj's days he wrote al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik that he had costed their damming at three million dirhams; al-Walid found it excessive. Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik said 'I will pay, if you grant me the lowlands that still hold water after the three million is spent by your trusted adviser al-Hajjaj.' Granted, Maslama acquired adjoining tasasij lands, dug al-Sibayn, drew peasants and cultivators, brought the lands under tillage and annexed many estates to fortify himself. When the blessed dawla came and Umayyad wealth was seized, all al-Sibayn was granted to Dawud ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn al-Abbas, then bought from his heirs with its rights and bounds — becoming caliphal estates.

Siege of Constantinople under Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik

At a glance

Sides

Umayyad army

Byzantine defenders