While true Constantine has to return with an army to the capital because if the userper comes with one and he doesn't it's obvious what is going to happen

He built up a army in the region before the usurper comes

I did even a distraction attack is wierd nother Syria ok but not Damascus also I left other reasons as to why it would not happened based on political context

I will leave them here

Also there is the political context
He was a refomer and hated his guts
So even if the defeat is not a disaster
The political backlash would
Since his enemies would jump at this
And use the defeat his "unpopular " reforms and some the iconoclastic controversy to start more civil unrest

In our timeline this was avoided because he won almost every encounter
Here he lost his first
This is why he first only attacked frointier populations
And kept doing so his goal was to depopulate the east by moving the population of the town he captured to make a no man zone not a reconquest of the whole Anatolian penisnula ( but I believe this is not the case here in your timeline)

Why it was way to risky like the attack on Damascus
In our tinetime he did do a distraction attack on Syria but it was norther Syria
Here he goes for damascus ( no offense ) for no reason
If he wanted a distraction why not go for nother Syria, Alepo would have been a more believable target

Ok ok, now i get it, but you have to think that still have a campaign in Anatolia :rolleyes: (My Brain: "It's time to play around with byzantine politics")
 
You just helped me giving me by free, like, stuff to work on the rest of this whole part of the story

Thanks it's a great factor speacially in 8th to 10th century Byzantine politics that any small failure of the emperor could snowball this only was avoided or stopped of the emepror was very competent like Constantine V

This problem almost went away with the Macedonian Dynasty

But later returned
 
Prologue: Chapter 17
Muslim World

Aljabhat Algharbia! When Uqba crossed Gibraltar

October 4, 743 - Qurṭuba
Uqba was on another normal day under his rule in Al-Andalus, just sorting out the paperwork and periodically going out to check on the townspeople, until while sitting at his desk, a messenger without speaking puts a letter on his desk and get out, Uqba strange that action, picks up the letter, and reads.

"A revolt has begun, well, i have started a revolt, i hope this letter will reach you before the Caliph's one, but well, i invite you to join in my mission to end the umayyad oppression of the lands and peoples of Islam."

After the text of the letter, the terms of a possible adhesion to Uqba's revolt, the same after reading it stops a while to think, and next day take to the streets and declare Al-Andalus secession from the Umayyad Caliphate and the adherence to Sulayman (and Abassid) revolt. Local arab lords flee the peninsula only after the declaration. Since the entire strength of the complex lord system on the peninsula was destroyed with the Uqba campaigns to ensure strict control of the peninsula, after the statement, Uqba sends a formal request to Al-Faransa governor Al-Waddi to join the revolt as well, he so does that, "giving to the rioters" all the european territories of the Caliphate. Uqba's loyal army soon meets him at Al-Jazīra [Algeciras]. And enter the ships to cross the Strait of Gibraltar and disembark at Sabtah [Ceuta].

Upon disembarking, the locals wonder what is going on until Uqba goes to the town square and declares his mission in Al-Ifriqiya to free the people from the umayyad oppression. And let's face it, the local berbers buy a lot of this idea, leading the revolt to almost the entire region of North Africa, Morocco in a few weeks is liberated by berber forces. And the same revolt rages throughout Al-Ifriqiya with the news spreading, Ubayd Allah ibn al-Habhab clearly responds by attacking the berber-backed Uqba troops at Qusanṭīnah [Constantine], but ultimately results in a decisive victory of the forces of Uqba. As a result, Uqba spends the rest of the year securing control over Al-Ifriqiya, being welcomed into the natives' graces upon arriving in Ṭarābulus [Tripoli] on December 21st.
-----------------------
The Byzantine Offensive: Siege of Afiun

September 24, 743 - Afiun
Afiun [Akroinon] was well prepared for a byzantine attack, being the border city and exactly the main defense for the muslim territories in Anatolia, as well having the newest news of the muslim fortresses. But it was far from a period of tranquility in Al-Anadul, the Sulayman revolt in Damascus generated a lot of political problems in the region, especially on which side to end in the strategic issues of Sulayman controlling Damascus, the governor of Al-Anadul, Fridrish Wayt 'uwf Nayait, declares support for the revolt.

But they still had the byzantines to worry about, they are attacking Anquriu [Ankara] in the north, Qunia [Konya] in the south, and from what he received information is also being attacked Ard al-Rum [Erzurum] in Al-Arminiyah, attacks by all the sides, he knows that Afiun is the most exposed of all Arab possessions in the region.

October 6, 743 - Afiun
The byzantines set siege to the city, soon the siege engines begin their work, and the catapults begin shooting at the walls. There was only one problem, a big problem for the byzantines, in a few days of siege, Constantine received reports that the siege towers were failing to settle for the first assault, and that preparations were periodically being seriously affected by large stones being launched by the defenders. Constantine is outraged and goes to the scene to analyze the situation, he finds all the walls in a strange situation, tilted because of a base sloping in front of it, this ends up almost disenabling the siege towers, and many officials find it difficult to assemble a siege ladder because of the angle, this becomes true, with one month already unsuccessful in having the siege engines in place.

After another 2 weeks, the byzantine army in the city was already well demoralized by the non-start of an attack, Constantine then orders a assault with the siege engines glued to the base of the structure and the stairs at an angle, he tried his luck. The soldiers climbing to take advantage of one of the breaches that the catapults had opened are quickly received not with spears, but with rain of stones, unusual, but greatly influenced the troops in their climb, with the towers unable to adequately protect the assailants. The defense on the wall to those who could climb, was relentless, the assault lasted all afternoon, with defenders inflicting heavy casualties on the assailants, that would be the dilemma of four more assaults by the byzantines in the next weeks and months.

With many casualties and unsuccessful assaults, Constantine sees much of his army demoralized, not to mention those who died or were out of action during the siege, he drops the siege after 5 months, after seeing the byzantine army withdrawing, the muslim soldiers went into great celebration, they managed to do their job, prevent the Byzantines from advancing. It also showed Fridrish that his theories were right, that the byzantines would not be able to cope with these changes, this type of construction would be called "Fridrimin" in his honor for centuries. As for Constantine, we can say that he would not be well received at home.

"Over time, Fridrimin would prove to not be unquestionable, especially in the mongol invasions, but it's importance throughout history should not be challenged, the sieges of Afiun and Qunia would be defeats that would be fatal to the romans with the unrest that Constantine would find on returning home without fulfilling his promise to wipe out Al-Anadul from the arabs, with the only major victories being the capture of Anṭākīyyah and advances in Al-Arminiyah, still weighing the defeat in Damascus. The arabs used well the advantage of having several fortifications with a defense that the enemy cannot handle, and not giving the decisive battle that Constantine so wanted to capture Anatolia in one big blow."
- From "The Second Fall of Rome and How It Happened", Wahid Al-Almashia, Nahridam, Sultanate of Aljurzyan, 1201
-----------------------
Sulayman Strikes AGAIN: The Battle of Yarmouk

November 16, 743 - Yarmouk Valley, near today Al-Himmah Al-Ordonyah
Sulayman had begun his campaign establishing his power over Syria north of the Yarmouk River, after which he advanced south, until passing through the Yarmouk Valley, his scouts inform him of the arrival of an umayyad army, the umayyad army also knew of his arrival, so they both made camp for the imminent battle. The Umayyad army was under Abū al-Ward, the former governor of Jund Qinnasrin in Syria, who was forced to flee after the start of the revolt, his army had 60.000 soldiers, more than 2 times Sulayman's army. Sulayman picks up his cavalry units and drives them back into the valley hills, preparing for what in his strategy will be the fatal blow. He leaves the bulk of his troops on the flanks and a relatively weak center to surround the enemy in Hannibal-style.

The battle begins in the next morning, the umayyad attack is fierce, with the arab cavalry attacking the center of the formation causing several casualties among the rebels, as they slowly began to retreat. The revolting position becomes desperate when they fail to secure their positions on the river bank and are forced to retreat hastily to the southernmost hills, the umayyads pursue the retreating troops, and their battle formations begin to break with this persecution, especially after spread news that a rebel had struck an arrow in al-Ward's head and he was dead. Sulayman, seeing the rupture in the umayyad formations, ordered the retreat to stop and led a powerful cavalry charge against the umayyad right flank, with the panic attacking the already confused umayyad troops, and a total massacre after that, who tried to repel the attack of the cavalry were attacked at the same time by the revolting infantry, and thus basically the entire umayyad army is destroyed by the forces of Sulayman. Despite this, al-Ward manages to escape, it is still unknown to where, the news of this Sulayman victory would become a great opportunity for the Abbasid propaganda, and that would not be missed. With abassid-backed riots arising all the way across Persia, and Merv falling to the abassid forces in the first days of December.

After the battle, Sulayman would be able to capture Irbid, Amman, Akkā [Acre], Ḥayfa [Haifa] and Yafah [Netanya], establishing a good position in Palestine by next year. His next target, the sacred city of Jerusalem.
 
Oh, the bases sloping on Afiun is just like that in the picture

One curiosity, the name of this structure IOTL is, Talus :p

800px-Krak_des_chevaliers04(js).jpg
 
oh no

rember what i told you?
"and not giving the decisive battle that Constantine so wanted to capture Anatolia in one big blow.""
Constantine V did not want this at all he wanted to create a no man zone to take border towns move the people to western provinces this was so that the border became a no man lands so that future armies would have to invade from futher south and supplies would be harder to get

there was no serious attempt to retain control of the captured cities



iam glad that you acknowlege the mongols these guys broke everything that was not a castle with masonry
also the rest is good i like your story
 
iam glad that you acknowlege the mongols these guys broke everything that was not a castle with masonry

Also the famous people responsible for the Black Death in Europe

Constantine V did not want this at all he wanted to create a no man zone to take border towns move the people to western provinces this was so that the border became a no man lands so that future armies would have to invade from futher south and supplies would be harder to get

This part is an interpretation of the events, a stretch of a book, not what exactly happened or really what he had thought or wanted

also the rest is good i like your story

And thanks!
 
Prologue: Chapter 18
Muslim World

The Real Threat: The Desertic Three Days' Battle

January 12, 744 - Coast of Cyrenaica, near today Brega
Uqba after capturing Ṭarābulus at the end of last year, moved through the desert with his army of 33.000 men and continued his march along the coast towards Egypt.

At Barqah inlet, shortly after experiencing difficulties crossing the secluded Gulf Coast of Sirte, help from the natives on this crossing was of great importance, especially after a group of Berbers notified Uqba of the arrival of a large arab army in the region supported by the umayyad navy. Uqba then sends emissaries to communicate to the western fleets loyal to him about the umayyad fleet in the region as he prepares for battle.

The battle would begin in an attack by the berber cavalry after spotting an isolated and lost unit of the umayyad army, the attack would succeed, causing the unit to run back to the army, but the rest of the army would be warned of the attack, the arab archers would initiate a combat in the sandstones of the region against Uqba's archers, who respond by targeting mainly at the main army exposed in the sand, that combat would end indecisively to the point that night falls and the bulk of the two armies have not yet met.

On the second day, the berber cavalry would strike again, this time meeting the arab cavalry led by the commander of the entire arab army himself, Tha'laba ibn Salama al-Amili, the berber cavalry would win this fight against the arabs, who retreated back to the main army, this would make Berber cavalry an eternal danger to the left flank (deeper into the desert) of the umayyad army. Archer shooting was also common, but still indecisive, both armies planned to end it soon on the third day of this desert battle, at the end of the day, Uqba's formation made a small strategic advance with units reaching the shores of the lake near the coast, still no contact between the bulk of the two armies. Uqba orders his troops to rest early to begin his plan early tomorrow.

At the beginning of the third day, Uqba moves his troops to advance against the umayyads, Uqba's infantry takes the initiative in an early offensive, surprising Tha'laba's troops. The offensive focuses mainly on the lake shore in the region, completely driving out the umayyads from there. Meanwhile, the archers took care of the umayyad troops retreating into the desert along with the cavalry, inferring the retreat, and with luck may capture Tha'laba. With the attack on the left being successful, Tha'laba orders a further retreat into the desert to perhaps leave the sight of the Uqba army and flee with the army to Barneeq [Benghazi], but the retreat is condemned by the berber archers and cavalry and with this unfortunate surprise, the umayyad troops began to enter in panic.

Tha'laba then tries to use what is left of his cavalry for a desperate attack on the line of berber archers, this attack fails completely and causes Tha'laba to die, with this news not taking long to spread and a encirclement seeming near as Uqba's infantry arrives at the rear of the umayyads, mass defections begin in the umayyad army with many simply running randomly into the desert and others surrendering. At the end of the day from the initial army of 52.000 Arabs, 26.000 were killed, 12.000 were captured and the rest is unknown. After the victory, Uqba's army would see the quick surrender of Barneeq and Barqa. The reaction to the defeat was the immediate sending of another army to prevent Uqba's capture of Ṭubruq [Tobruk], which would leave Miṣr [Egypt] vulnerable for further incursions. This army would be defeated at the Battle of Akramah on the outskirts of Ṭubruq, and would place Egypt in full danger of the forces of Uqba.
-----------------------
The Abbasids Control The West and East: The Battle of Borūjerd

December 28, 743 - Borūjerd
After the start of the pro-abbasid revolts in Persia, the abbasid advance in the east became much easier. With the territories of Central Asia rapidly being taken over and persian revolts in the process of seizing all Persian territories east of the Zagros Mountains, the umayyads still hold tight, and while some revolts succeed in connecting with the Abbasids and strengthening the movement, others are brutally suppressed by the umayyad forces, but this is far from significantly improving the situation, so Ma'n ibn Za'ida al-Shaybani, leader of the umayyad forces in the region, makes an ambitious plan to deliver a decisive defeat against the abbasids in the valleys of the Zargos Mountatins, knowing that a future abbasid foray there is inevitable.

The abbasids under Abu Muslim begin their mountain range crossing from Qom, before leaving, Abu Muslim made sure to know the situation of all abbasid forces in Persia. It has 42.000 men, while the other 2 focuses of Abbasid armies have smaller numbers, one in the south with 27.000 under Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta'i based in Šīrāz, and another in Al-Sindh with 34.000 troops, under Al-Hasan ibn Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta'i, based on Zaidān. The latter would be having less work, with Al-Sindh just being pacified and Qahtaba ibn Shabib himself saying that in a few months his action in the region will not be necessary.

The two armies meet near Borūjerd village and camp there, Abu Muslim organizes his army, he leaves the famous persian archers in the rear behind the infantry, divided into 2 smaller groups on the flanks and 1 in the center to support the infantry, the persian Aswārān cavalry on the left flank, with infantry strengthening the left flank and center. On the right flank, turkish archer cavalry is placed to withstand the attacks, being the most exotic component of the battle. On the other side, Ma'n ibn Za'ida focuses forces in the center, with the arab cavalry on the right flank and the arab archers next to the infantry line in direct combat with the enemy infantry, a cavalry reserve is also left in the rear.

The day begins and Ma'n ibn Za'ida takes the initiative, the infantry advance in the center can almost breakthrough Abu Muslim's light infantry, but are forced to retreat due to the large casualties provided by the archers as soon as they managed to retreat the enemy infantry. But on the left, the light umayyad infantry meets the turkish cavalrymen, something that Ma'n did not expect to be in enemy hands, the battle is quite unfair, with the turks slaughtering the umayyad infantry, on the left flank the persian cavalry defeats the arab cavalry in their engagement, and soon after counterattacks. The weakened Arab cavalry is reinforced by the rear troops and balances the game, preventing the persian cavalry from going further. With this, Ma'n orders the cavalry to advance on the flank, this advance succeeds and the arab cavalry manages to reach the abbasid rear, but when they arrive there they are greeted by a rain of arrows from the persian archers who put most of their fire in them, as the umayyad infantry was retreating. But Ma'n, seeing this as an opportunity to have the decisive victory he so wanted, orders a full infantry attack on the abbasid troops.

This total attack is initially furiously successful, but Abu Muslim is not an idiot and orders his troops to retreat, and the total attack ends up gaining more ground than abbasid dead for the umayyads. Abu Muslim then orders the Turkish cavalry that was free on its right flank to advance against the unprotected Umayyad rearguard, the turkish cavalry quickly sweeps the arab archers with their mobility advantage and are able to reach the rear of the umayyad infantry. At the same time, the persian archers united with the abbasid infantry manage to repel the arab cavalry, and soon after that, make a counterattack against the umayyad infantry, with the loss of the archers and the turkish cavalry already making confusion in the umayyad rear, the troops are soon decimated, and what was left of the army (basically the cavalry) fled after the destruction of the infantry, along with the cavalry, fled Ma'n.

Ma'n would lose his job after reporting the overwhelming defeat suffered for Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi, the governor of Iraq. While Abu Muslim would secure all territories east of the Zagros Mountains for the abbasids, with an abbasid invasion of Iraq already being seen by the abbasids.
-----------------------
An Raid That Changed Everything: The Caliph is Dead!

January 23, 744 - al-ʾIskandariyya
The umayyad situation was not the best, only Iraq, al-Arabīyah and Miṣr they had in their hands, the court being in al-ʾIskandariyya [Alexandria], which was already threatened after the capture of Barqah [Tripolitania] by Uqba forces, and with still a chance of being isolated by the capture of al-Quds [Jerusalem] by the forces of Sulayman.

Walid ibn Yazid, the umayyad Caliph decides to get together an army of 11.000 troops and take a drastic action, abandon al-ʾIskandariyya and Miṣr, cross the Negev Desert and head toward Madinah, reestablishing the court there. This decision is agreed upon by all court members and they leave al-ʾIskandariyya and begin their "pilgrimage". On the way they suffer from some coptic and native rebellions but nothing too radical.

January 30, 744 - Negev Desert, near Shitim
Crossing the desert, the trip was monotonous, with nothing to be impressed, just a normal day in the desert.

Until late afternoon, an unpleasant surprise comes to them, riding camels and moving swiftly. They are cavalrymen of Sulayman, it shocks the whole court in the desert.

They were going to secure the port of Ayla [Current Aqaba] in the Red Sea, a very bad luck blow to the umayyads. Walid orders his soldiers to protect the court and make a square defense of it, to repel the enemy.

The cavalry then makes a very strange charge. They throw their knives at a point in the square, weakening the troops there. Soon after that, they make a full attack at that same point and can break the square with this prank, so by breaking the square, the infantry becomes useless, since the cavalry had the entire umayyad court ahead of them, the umayyads are soon brutally murdered. All at once, after seeing the court's death, the umayyad troops surrender to the cavalrymen and their leader, whose name would be recognized by more than one continent, Nudyia Harthi Al-Jizar, once a poor boy living in the suburbs of Damascus, now the one who killed the umayyads. The news would spread quickly after the forces arrived in Ayla, and would change the whole scenario of Third Fitna, but it would not end it yet.
 
I would also like to ask what you prefer:
- Chapters focusing on only one subject, but more frequently published (Like those of the beginning)
- Chapters focusing on more than one subject, but less frequently published (As the last ones have been)

I'm asking this because my winter break is ending (like, today) and i will not have so much time to keep this pace in the history. Answer right here, because i don't think it's worth spending the thread poll on this
 
I would also like to ask what you prefer:
- Chapters focusing on only one subject, but more frequently published (Like those of the beginning)
- Chapters focusing on more than one subject, but less frequently published (As the last ones have been)

I'm asking this because my winter break is ending (like, today) and i will not have so much time to keep this pace in the history. Answer right here, because i don't think it's worth spending the thread poll on this
w
why not both in one chapter you can talk about many things but concentrate on one main theme while saying something that can come back as a another chapter so it makes sense on a narrative perspective
 
Prologue: Chapter 19
Muslim World

Crazy Things in Byzantium: How a Campaign Led to Civil War

March 2, 744 - Konstantinoúpoli
After the failed campaign in Anatolia, Constantine would return to Constantinople disappointed, but he didn't expect what was to come.

Upon your arrival, the court began to murmur, which, well, was not very unusual for when you return from an unsuccessful campaign. But he would soon see the news come as lightning.

Voedos, Stratēgos of the Thracian Theme revolts against Constantine, and making a direct attack on Constantinople, shortly after word spread through the roman courts, Constantine was brutally murdered while coordinating the city's defenses, the killer was probably one of several Constantine's enemies at the court. Soon after, Voedos enters Constantinople and is crowned emperor, being supported by the regent of Constantine and the Patriarch, being Voedos I the Thracian.

April 9, 744 - Athína
Peace would not last long, after fleeing Constantinople after the revolt, Constantine's brother (and soon heir by right of the throne) Kosmos gathered loyalist troops and made a deal with the Stratēgos of Hellas, Nicopolis and of the Peloponnese, and began his revolt, and at the same time, a civil war that neither side would predict the outcome, and yes, it would be horrible.
-----------------------
The Abbasids Conquer Iraq! The Battle of Fawzeala'arabji​

February 14, 744 - Left-Bank of the Tigris, near Nahrawan
The abbasids under Abu Muslim crossed the Zagros Mountains in late January, and for a time, without much military opposition, until they met an umayyad army led by the governor of Iraq himself, Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi. It was expected by neither commander, and soon Yusuf orders his numerically superior troops to advance all over the abbasids.

The attack goes like a horde towards the Abbasids, but Abu Muslim remains calm, he orders his infantry to position themselves with the spears towards the enemy troops, creating a total line of defense. And at the same time, it leaves the cavalry and archers in the rear to take care of anything that crosses the line.

The massive advance of the umayyad actually forces weakness at some points along the line, but the umayyads fail to capitalize on the breaches by Yusuf's military inexperience, who had never faced anything but small rebellions. And the few times that they capitalized, the forces weren't concentrated enough to survive the line of archers and cavalry right behind.

The umayyad army eventually committed suicide in this attack, and as more soldiers died in the attack, more and more desertions began, until Yusuf realized that almost all of his army had entered the enemy side. Yusuf would not have time to reflect this, he would be killed shortly thereafter, and, along with him, the umayyad domain in Iraq and possibly the war also.
-----------------------
Sidelines: The Loss of Miṣr and Khalīfah Yazid ibn Walid

(The Sidelines are sections less focused of the story, but that i still need to quote to make sense, with everything explained, let's go to them)

February 3, 744: Uqba marches on al-ʾIskandariyya and spends the next few weeks consolidating his power in Miṣr, he would be very well received by the local population, especially by the copts.

February 19, 744: Sulayman and Uqba meet in El'Arish on the Sinai mediterranean coast. And they begin the joint campaign in al-Ḥijāz, taking advantage of the umayyad anarchy after the murder of the court, capturing Tabūk in the northwest of the peninsula in early march.

February 24, 744: Yazid ibn Walid is declared Khalīfah in Makkah, becoming Yazid III. He does not have much hope of reclaiming the lost territories, and accepted the title and role more for the sake of insistence of his brother Ibrahim. Yazid, however, would prove to be the most competent umayyad commander in the war. Ibrahim, however, would go as discreetly as possible to Al-Faransa on a mission to forment an Arab rebellion while Uqba is far away to react.
 
"The mission of Ibrahim in Al-Faransa would be a lie and truth at the same time. The rebellion would not begin until the war was over, but Ibrahim would soon leave a mark on Al-Faransa's politics for almost 400 years. Ibrahimism, and with it, the Ibrahimite Rebellions, which would be a favor of Ibrahim and his descendants for the instability in the region. From the first rebellion - The Eighty-Seven of Al-Hafar - until the last - The Faranish Revolution - would be 400 years of political instability in the northernmost region of the Caliphate."
- From "The Ibrahimite Rebellions and Their Legacy", Karlus ibn Haya'tyiba, Awrlyanz, Caliphate of Faransa, 1178
 
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