639 Invasion of Egypt by Amru.
641 Battle of Nehavend, and great victory of the Mohammedans over the Persians. Most of the Persian nobility come to terms with the Mohammedans. Yezdegerd the king flees to a remote corner of the realm, where he holds a vestige of power until 651 or 652. Alexandria captured.
644 Death of Omar, succeeded by Othman, a weak ruler, who allows the power to fall into the hands of the Koreish nobility.
647 Invasion of Africa by Abdallah. Arabian victories, expelling the Romans.
649 Invasion of Cyprus.
650 Conquest of Aradus.
652 Conquest of Armenia.
654 Conquest of Rhodes.
655 Defeat of the emperor Constans by the Mohammedans in naval battle off Mt. Phœnix in Lycia.
656 Murder of Othman by a party in opposition to the growing worldliness of Islam. Ali, of the opposition, and son-in-law of Mohammed, succeeds. Battle of the Camel. Ali victorious over his opponents. Moawiyah, governor of Syria, heads the opponents of Ali, and incites them to revenge.
657 Ali invades northern Syria. Battle of Siffin. The theocratic faction rebels against Ali.
658 Decision of the umpires, Ali and Moawiyah; the latter wins. Peace made with the Byzantine Empire. Egypt conquered for Moawiyah.
660 Truce between Ali and Moawiyah, dividing the caliphate into the East and West divisions.
661 Kharejite conspiracy to murder Ali, Moawiyah, and Amru. The former alone falls. His son Hassan succeeds, but abdicates in favour of Moawiyah.
THE OMAYYAD DYNASTY (661-750 A.D.)
661 Moawiyah at head of the reunited caliphate. The opposition to him is gradually reduced. The capital is removed to Damascus.
662-663 Great invasion of Asia Minor. Death of Amru.
668 Mohammedans advance to Chalcedon and hold Amorium for a short time.
669 Great invasion of Sicily.
670 Foundation of Kairwan.
673-677 The Mohammedans besiege Constantinople, and are finally driven off by means of Greek fire.
676 Yazid, son of Moawiyah, is appointed heir-apparent. Hereditary nomination becomes a precedent.
678 Thirty years’ peace made with Constantine IV of Constantinople.
680 Death of Moawiyah. Yazid I succeeds. The Ali faction refuse recognition. Hosein, son of Ali, and his company slain.
681 Abdallah ben Zobair proclaims himself caliph.
683 Rebellion and sack of Medina. The cause of Ibn Zobair grows. He maintains a rival court at Mecca, and rebuilds the Kaaba.
684 Death of Yazid. His weak son, Moawiyah II, reigns but a few months. Merwan elected to succeed.
685 Death of Merwan. His son, Abdul-Malik, succeeds. Peace with the emperor Justinian II.
685-687 Rebellion of Mukhtar. He is defeated and slain.
689 Abdul-Malik has Amru put to death.
692 Death of Ibn Zobair. The Omayyad rule is recognised without dispute.
692-693 The Mohammedans ravage Asia Minor and Armenia, but are compelled to accept peace.
695 The peace is broken. Arabic coinage first substituted for that of the Byzantine Empire.
697-698 Hassan’s invasion of Africa. Carthage taken. The last remnants of the Roman Empire disappear from the southern shore of the Mediterranean.
705 Death of Abdul-Malik and succession of his brother, Walid I, already designated as heir to the caliphate. His reign marks the culminating glory of the Omayyads. Schools founded, and public works of all kinds promoted.
709 Conquest of Tyana by the Mohammedans.
711 Invasion of Spain at instigation of Julian, governor of Ceuta. Battle of Xerxes. Tarik destroys the Visigothic kingdom.
712 The Mohammedans take Antioch in Pisidia. In these years great success of the generals Kotaiba and Muhammed b. Kasim in Asia.
715 Death of Walid and accession of Suleiman, the predesignated heir.
716 The Mohammedans invade Asia Minor. Siege of Amorium. The town is relieved by Leo the Isaurian.
717 Siege of Pergamus. Siege of Constantinople. Death of Suleiman. The appointed heir Omar II, grandson of Merwan I, succeeds.
718 Repulse of the Mohammedans from Constantinople. In revenge the caliph excludes all Christians from service in the state. Omar’s reign is not distinguished by any important warlike events. It marks the beginning of the Abbasid movement in favour of the descendants of Abbas, uncle of the prophet, acquiring the caliphate.
720 Death of Omar. Yazid II, son of Abdul-Malik, succeeds. Yazid b. Muhallab, who has been in disgrace for some years, collects a small army and takes Basra (Bassora).
721 Death of Ibn Muhallab in battle. The Mohammedans cross the Pyrenees and capture Narbonne, but, defeated at Toulouse, they retire under Abd ar-Rahman.
724 Death of Yazid. His son Hisham, the appointed heir, succeeds. He is a severe and pious ruler.
725 Abbasid revolt at Balkh. Abbasid troubles continue.
726 The Mohammedans invade Cappadocia.
734 Mohammedan invasion of Asia Minor.
737 Peace restored in the Abbasid faction.
739 Great Moslem defeat by the Byzantines at Acroinon. Death of Sid (Said) al-Battal. The Saracen power ceases to be formidable to the empire.
743 Death of Hisham. His nephew, Walid II, succeeds. Walid’s debaucheries and irreligion make him hated. Yazid, son of Walid I, assumes title of caliph, and is received at Damascus, in absence of Walid.
744 Death of Walid in battle with his rival. Yazid III succeeds. Signs of disintegration become marked. Abd ar-Rahman b. Muhammed declares himself independent in Africa. Revolt of Emesa over Walid’s death, and defeat of rebels at Eagle’s Pass. Merwan, Yazid’s grandfather, attempts to obtain caliphate. Yazid makes him governor of Mesopotamia. Death of Yazid, after reign of six months. His brother, Ibrahim, succeeds. Merwan marches against Damascus. Ibrahim flees, after reign of two months, and Merwan II is acknowledged caliph.
746 Mohammedan invasion of Cyprus.
750 As a result of the ferment in the eastern part of the empire, the Abbasid Abul-Abbas assumes title of caliph. War between Omayyads and Abbasids. Battle of the Zab. Defeat of Merwan, and downfall of the Omayyad dynasty.
THE ABBASID DYNASTY (750-1258 A.D.)
750 Abul-Abbas established in the caliphate. He has all the Omayyad princes (except Abd ar-Rahman b. Moawiyah, who escapes to Africa) put to death. Revolts break out, owing to his cruelty, but they are suppressed. Abul-Abbas fixes his residence at Anbar.
754 Death of Abul-Abbas. He has designated Abu Jafar (Al-Mansur), his cousin, as his successor. Abdallah b. Ali revolts, but is defeated at Nisibis. Several risings are suppressed. Revolt in Africa, which hereafter only nominally belongs to the caliphs.
755 The Mohammedans in Spain elect Abd ar-Rahman b. Moawiyah caliph. Spain lost to the Abbasids.
756 Foundation of the western Omayyad caliphate.
756-757 Invasion of Asia Minor. Capture of Malatiya. Defeat of the Byzantines in Cilicia. Seven years’ truce with the emperor.
762 Baghdad made the capital of the caliphate.
763 Muhammed Mahdi falls in battle, after having caused himself to be proclaimed caliph. His brother, Ibrahim, also revolts, and is killed in battle.
775 Death of Mansur. His son, Muhammed (Al-Mahdi), succeeds. He busies himself at once with improving internal conditions and restoring peace. Revolt of Hakim in Khorasan. Continued invasion of Asia Minor.
780 Capture of Semaluos by Harun ar-Rashid.
782 Renewal of war between Moslems and Byzantines. Victory for the latter in Cilicia. Harun ar-Rashid takes command. He marches to the Bosporus, and compels the empress Irene to pay large yearly tribute.
785 Rebellion of Mahdi’s eldest son, Musa, because Harun is preferred as heir. Death of Mahdi on his way to crush the rebellion. Musa, who takes the title Hadi, succeeds. Rising of Hosein b. Ali suppressed.