Battle of River
Encyclopedia
According to Arab and Muslim sources, the Battle of River took place in Mesopotamia
(Iraq
) between the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate
and the Persian Empire
. Muslim
s, under Khalid ibn al-Walid
's command, defeated the numerically superior Persian army.
succeeded him as first Caliph
. Abu Bakr's Caliphate lasted for 27 months, during which he crushed the rebellion of the Arab
tribes throughout Arabia in the successful campaign against apostasy
and restore the authority of Madinah over Arabia. Once the rebellions had been put down, Abu Bakr began a war of conquest. He launched campaigns against the Sassanid Empire
and the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and thus set in motion a historical trajectory that in just a few short decades would lead to one of the largest empires in history.
After the Ridda Wars
, a Muslim tribal chief raided the Persian frontier towns in Iraq. After the success of these raids Abu Bakr planned to expand his empire. He started with Iraq, a rich Persian province. After centuries of Persian power and glory, it was important for Abu Bakr's expedition to not to suffer a defeat, for that would confirm and strengthen the fear for the Persian military strength. To overcome these concerns he decided that the army that would invade Persia would consist entirely of volunteers. He put in command of the army his best general Khalid ibn al-Walid
. Muslims invaded the Sassanid Persian Empire in April of 633 A.D. and defeated the Sassanid army in the Battle of Chains
, where the Marzbān (provincial governor) Hormuz was killed by Khalid ibn al-Walid in a duel.
When Khalid ibn al-Walid arrived, he saw ships at the edge of the river, and immediately understood that the Persian Army was still scared and would retreat from the battle.
. The first Muslim invasion of Iraq was completed within four months. Abu Bakr didn't direct Khalid to move deeper into the Sassanid territory, and after nine months he sent him to command the invasion of Byzantine Empire on the Syrian front.
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
(Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
) between the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate
Rashidun Caliphate
The Rashidun Caliphate , comprising the first four caliphs in Islam's history, was founded after Muhammad's death in 632, Year 10 A.H.. At its height, the Caliphate extended from the Arabian Peninsula, to the Levant, Caucasus and North Africa in the west, to the Iranian highlands and Central Asia...
and the Persian Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
. Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, under Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar...
's command, defeated the numerically superior Persian army.
Prelude
The Prophet Mohammad died on 8 June 632, and Abu BakrAbu Bakr
Abu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
succeeded him as first Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
. Abu Bakr's Caliphate lasted for 27 months, during which he crushed the rebellion of the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
tribes throughout Arabia in the successful campaign against apostasy
Apostasy
Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...
and restore the authority of Madinah over Arabia. Once the rebellions had been put down, Abu Bakr began a war of conquest. He launched campaigns against the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
and the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and thus set in motion a historical trajectory that in just a few short decades would lead to one of the largest empires in history.
After the Ridda Wars
Ridda wars
The Ridda wars , also known as the Wars of Apostasy, were a series of military campaigns against the rebellion of several Arabian tribes launched by the Caliph Abu Bakr during 632 and 633 AD, after prophet Muhammad died....
, a Muslim tribal chief raided the Persian frontier towns in Iraq. After the success of these raids Abu Bakr planned to expand his empire. He started with Iraq, a rich Persian province. After centuries of Persian power and glory, it was important for Abu Bakr's expedition to not to suffer a defeat, for that would confirm and strengthen the fear for the Persian military strength. To overcome these concerns he decided that the army that would invade Persia would consist entirely of volunteers. He put in command of the army his best general Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar...
. Muslims invaded the Sassanid Persian Empire in April of 633 A.D. and defeated the Sassanid army in the Battle of Chains
Battle of Chains
The Battle of Sallasil or the Battle of Chains was the first battle fought between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sassanid Persian Empire. The battle was fought soon after the Ridda Wars were over and Arabia was united under the authority of Caliph Abu Bakr...
, where the Marzbān (provincial governor) Hormuz was killed by Khalid ibn al-Walid in a duel.
Background
Before the Battle of Chains, the Marzbān Hormuz wrote to the emperor about the threat from Arabia and concentrated an army for the battle, consisting of a large number of Christian Arab auxiliaries, and before the battle the emperor sent a big army led by a Top-ranking general by the name of Qarin Bin Qaruyanas, his role was to protect Uballa which was an important port of the Persian Empire in case the Muslims defeated Marzbān Hormuz.Persian preparation
After the Battle of Chains the small force of the Persian army led by the officers commanding the wings Qubaz and Anushjan joined to Karinz's army, survivors were scared from the Battle of Chains, they told Karinz about the power of Rashidun Army. Karinz panicked and chose to fight out of Uballa in a place called al Madhar. Karinz chose this place because it was near the Euphrates River. A thousand ships were prepared to retreat from the battle in case the Muslims overpowerd them.Muslim preparation
Khalid ibn al-Walid knew that the Persians organised their army in al madhar, so he led the army, and sent a small detachment led by Muthana ibn Haris. They arrived to the battlefield earlier than the Persian army thought.When Khalid ibn al-Walid arrived, he saw ships at the edge of the river, and immediately understood that the Persian Army was still scared and would retreat from the battle.
The battle
Khalid faced the Persians with about 17,000 men; even the Persian army was stronger he was scared, before the battle, Qarin challenged Khalid bin Walid to a duel, Khalid accepted the challenge but when he moved to face Qarin, Another men called Maakal ibn el acha reached Qarin before Khalid, Maakal was an experienced swordsmen and he killed Qarin, As the Persian commander went down before the sword of Maqal, the other two Persian generals, Qubaz and Anushjan, came forward and gave the challenge for single combat. The challenge was accepted by the commanders of the Muslim wings, Asim and Adi. Asim killed Anushjan. Adi killed Qubaz. As these Persian generals fell, Khalid gave the order for a general attack, and the Muslims rushed forward to assault the massed Persian army,the death of the Persian Commanders was a psychological victory for the Muslims, and Khalid ordered a general attack, According to Tabari, 30,000 Persians were killed in this battle.Aftermath
After the Battle of River, Khalid defeated the Persian armies in three more battles (Walaja – Ullais – Hira) and captured his objective: Al-HirahAl-Hirah
Al Hīra was an ancient city located south of al-Kufah in south-central Iraq.- Middle Ages:Al Hīra was a significant city in pre-Islamic Arab history. Originally a military encampment, in the 5th and 6th centuries CE it became the capital of the Lakhmids.The Arabs were migrating into the Near East...
. The first Muslim invasion of Iraq was completed within four months. Abu Bakr didn't direct Khalid to move deeper into the Sassanid territory, and after nine months he sent him to command the invasion of Byzantine Empire on the Syrian front.