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The Crisis of the 7th Century
"Although Yarmouk is little known today, it is one of the most decisive battles in human history ..... Had Heraclius' forces prevailed, the modern world would be so changed as to be unrecognizable"
-George F. Nafziger


Prologue:

In 610, an Arabic trader named Muhammad claimed to have been visited by Angel Gabriel a messenger of God. Commanded by God, Muhammad began to preach Islam to the people of Arabia. Under Muhammad’s leadership, Islam gained many followers and began to obtain political authority in Arabia. 22 Years later when Muhammad died, the faith of Islam had united the entire Arabian Peninsula under the authority of the Caliphate. Muhammad’s successor Abu Bakr began a rapid series of conquests into the Roman and Persian empires, who had been weakened by centuries of war. The General who spearheaded these attacks was Khalid Ibn al-Walid. Persian Mesopotamia fell with relative ease in 633 to Muslim conquerors. The next Year, Muslim armies invaded the southern half of the Roman Levant, capturing its entirety except for Jerusalem and Caesarea, and defeating a Roman Army at Ajnadayn. Abu Bakr would not live to see his planned conquests elsewhere realized, and left this burden on his successor Umar. In 635, the Romans and Persians, former enemies, signed an alliance to drive out the Muslims from their lands. As a Result of this combined threat against them, the Muslims began a withdrawal and concentration into more easily held border regions. In May of 636, the Romans under General Vahan began their offensive into lost lands, and were stopped by the Muslim Armies on the plain of the River Yarmouk[1] . Emperor Heraclius had ordered Vahan to wait to engage the Muslims until October, when the Persian offensive had begun. However, when Muslim reinforcement’s began to arrive, Vahan feared his advisory would grow too strong, and decided to attack Khalid Ibn Al-Wadid’s forces. Both sides organized their soldiers in a broad line, with cavalry in reserve[2] . On August 15, 636, the Battle of Yarmouk would begin, with the fate of the Near East at stake.




[1] Location of the Battle of Yarmouk


[2] Deployment of Soldiers before the battle had begun
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