James Baquet

Last time, we saw that the First Crusade took place from 1095-1099, when Pope Urban II put out the call for a military expedition to assist the Byzantine Empire, whose eastern portion had fallen to the Muslim Turks. Byzantium itself is today Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, and the country’s economic, cultural and historic center. That crusade then went on to take the Holy Land back from the Muslims.

But how did it come to be occupied by Muslims in the first place? Part of the answer lies in the Battle of Yarmouk.

Much of the Middle East had been a Roman province, called at one point “Syria Palaestina,” Syria plus Palestine (Judaea). It remained so as the Byzantine Empire succeeded the Roman, until shortly after the death of Muhammad in 632, the second Caliph, Umar (634-644) engaged the Byzantine army along the Yarmouk River, where today Syria borders on Jordan and Israel. This was part of the rapid expansion of Islam throughout the region.

Over six days of fighting in August 636, the Caliphate’s armies ended Byzantine hegemony over Syria. This is considered one of the most decisive battles in military history.

At the head of the Muslim armies was Khalid ibn al-Walid, a general considered one of history’s great tacticians. He had been waging a successful campaign throughout the region, which drew a massive response from Heraclius, the Byzantine Emperor.

As the Muslim army was split up into units, the Byzantines planned to attack each separately. Upon learning of their plan, Khalid ordered a tactical withdrawal, regrouping his troops into a single mass on the Yarmouk Plains. Gaining reinforcements, they engaged and beat the superior numbers of the Byzantines, partly due to internal conflicts between the sections of Heraclius’s army.

As the enemy approached the base of Heraclius in Antioch, he fled toward Constantinople (Byzantium), allegedly proclaiming: “Farewell, a long farewell to Syria, my fair province. Thou art an infidel’s now. Peace be with you, O Syria — what a beautiful land you will be for the enemy.”

Vocabulary:

Which words above mean:

1. aiming at a specific end result

2. joining together again

3. historical area that includes parts of modern Israel, Jordan, and Egypt

4. disagreement between members

5. people good at making plans

6. huge

7. conducting, as a war

8. administrative division of a country or empire

9. belonging to an unbeliever

10. unquestionable, definite