THE OMAYYAD DYNASTY (661-750 A.D.)

6161 =Moawiyah= at head of the reunited caliphate. The opposition to him is gradually reduced. The capital is removed to Damascus.

2662-663 Great invasion of Asia Minor. Death of Amru.

3668 Mohammedans advance to Chalcedon and hold Amorium for a short time.

4669 Great invasion of Sicily.

5670 Foundation of Kairwan.

6673-677 The Mohammedans besiege Constantinople, and are finally driven off by means of Greek fire.

7676 Yazid, son of Moawiyah, is appointed heir-apparent. Hereditary nomination becomes a precedent.

8678 Thirty years’ peace made with Constantine IV of Constantinople.

9680 Death of Moawiyah. =Yazid I= succeeds. The Ali faction refuse recognition. Hosein, son of Ali, and his company slain.

10681 Abdallah ben Zobair proclaims himself caliph.

11683 Rebellion and sack of Medina. The cause of Ibn Zobair grows. He maintains a rival court at Mecca, and rebuilds the Kaaba.

12684 Death of Yazid. His weak son, =Moawiyah II=, reigns but a few months. =Merwan= elected to succeed.

13685 Death of Merwan. His son, =Abdul-Malik=, succeeds. Peace with the emperor Justinian II.

14685-687 Rebellion of Mukhtar. He is defeated and slain.

15689 Abdul-Malik has Amru put to death.

16692 Death of Ibn Zobair. The Omayyad rule is recognised without dispute.

17692-693 The Mohammedans ravage Asia Minor and Armenia, but are compelled to accept peace.

18695 The peace is broken. Arabic coinage first substituted for that of the Byzantine Empire.

19697-698 Hassan’s invasion of Africa. Carthage taken. The last remnants of the Roman Empire disappear from the southern shore of the Mediterranean.

20705 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.

21709 Conquest of Tyana by the Mohammedans.

22711 Invasion of Spain at instigation of Julian, governor of Ceuta. Battle of Xerxes. Tarik destroys the Visigothic kingdom.

23712 The Mohammedans take Antioch in Pisidia. In these years great success of the generals Kotaiba and Muhammed b. Kasim in Asia.

24715 Death of Walid and accession of =Suleiman=, the predesignated heir.

25716 The Mohammedans invade Asia Minor. Siege of Amorium. The town is relieved by Leo the Isaurian.

26717 Siege of Pergamus. Siege of Constantinople. Death of Suleiman. The appointed heir =Omar II=, grandson of Merwan I, succeeds.

27718 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.

28720 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).

29721 Death of Ibn Muhallab in battle. The Mohammedans cross the Pyrenees and capture Narbonne, but, defeated at Toulouse, they retire under Abd ar-Rahman.

30724 Death of Yazid. His son =Hisham=, the appointed heir, succeeds. He is a severe and pious ruler.

31725 Abbasid revolt at Balkh. Abbasid troubles continue.

32726 The Mohammedans invade Cappadocia.

33734 Mohammedan invasion of Asia Minor.

34737 Peace restored in the Abbasid faction.

35739 Great Moslem defeat by the Byzantines at Acroinon. Death of Sid (Said) al-Battal. The Saracen power ceases to be formidable to the empire.

36743 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.

37744 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.

38746 Mohammedan invasion of Cyprus.

39750 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.