The Empire Strikes Back- A Mini Timeline

611- Roman emissaries arrive in Mecca to escort Umar back to Jerusalem, but he, together with his followers, the "Muslims" refuse, and continue to spread their Christian heresy amongst the Arab tribes. Patriarch Euphonius, dismayed, writes to the Emperor in Constantinople, requesting an expeditionary force be sent into the deserts, but Theodosius is reluctant.
Meanwhile, in the West, the Saxons suffer a severe defeat near the old Roman town of Ratae. Henceforth, they are confined to the east coast of Britannia, an area that is increasingly becoming known as "Anglia" or "Angle-Land".

612- The Governor of Egypt, Alexander Hypatius, provides 1000 soldiers to arrest the Prophet Umar, whose heresies are now causing severe unrest along the Roman frontier. Desert tribes are beginning to unite under the name of the Islamic Faith, declaring Umar to be their leader. The Emperor remains unconvinced by the threat; he has multiple concerns on other fronts, notably in Persia, where Chosroes III has passed away after an uneventful four year reign. His heir is his brother Artaxerxes III, an altogether more bellicose monarch, who is suspected of having anti- Roman sympathies.

EASTERN ROMAN EMPERORS IN TTL, and relationship to previous Emperor

Arcadius: 395-408 (son of Theodosius The Great)
Theodosius II: 408-450 (son of Arcadius)
Marcian: 450-457 (Brother-in-law of Theodosius II)
Leo I: 457-473 (none)
Leo II: 473-474 (Grandson of Leo I)
Zeno: 474-491 (Father of Leo II, son in law of Leo I)
Anastasius : 491-518 (Chosen by Ariadne, Zeno's widow)
Justin I: 518-527 (Palace guard of Anastasius)
Justinian: 527-550 (Nephew of Justin I)
Justin II Germanus: 550-571 (Nephew of Justinian)
Tiberius II: 571-583 (son of Justin II)
Maurice: 583-591 (Married Honoria, widow of Tiberius II, stepfather to Constantine III and Theodosius III)
Constantine III: 591-593 (son of Tiberius II, stepson of Maurice)
Theodosius III: 593- (brother of Constantine III)
 
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613- The Prophet Umar arrives in Ctesiphon for an audience with the King of Kings, Artaxerxes III. Umar offers an alliance with the Persians in exchange for Artaxerxes converting to Islam. The Great King contemptuously refuses the offer. Umar then travels to Hira, and meets with its Christian King, al-Mundhir VI. The King of Hira immediately sees the opportunity for what it is, and converts to Islam. Immediately, Hira becomes capital of a newly united Arabia, with al-Mundhir as King, but Umar as the effective ruler. Peaceful emisaries are sent to the Romans, whom Umar sees as being closer to the Islamic faith than the pagans and Zoroastrians.

614- The Prophet Umar leads a Lakhmid army against Yemen. In the siege of Sana'a, Himyarite soldiers report seeing angels within the Muslim Lakhmid ranks, and flee is disarray. Umar entes Sana'a in triumph, and declares the Jewish faith practised by inhabitants to be against the will of God. Jews face a choice between conversion and death.
Meanwhile, in the Roman Empire, Theodosius' son Heraclius is named Exarch of Ravenna, and de-facto Emperor of the West. The Emperor himself is growing concerned at the growing Islamic influence on Arabia, despite the Prophet Umar's sincere promises of friendly intentions. He sends emissaries to John I, King of Axum, hoping for an alliance against the growing Arabian threat.
 
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