Siege of Jerusalem

Overview

Between 636 and 637/38, during the Muslim conquest of the Levant, the Rashidun Caliphate took Jerusalem from the Byzantine Empire. It began when the Rashidun army, under the command of Abu Ubayda, besieged Jerusalem in November 636. After six months, Patriarch Sophronius agreed to surrender, on condition that he submit only to the caliph. In 637 or 638, Caliph Umar traveled to Jerusalem in person to receive the submission of the city. The patriarch thus surrendered to him.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Siege of Jerusalem was a major episode in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, bringing Rashidun Caliphate forces under commanders including Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, and Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan against the Byzantine-held city defended by Sophronius. The presence of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab among the Rashidun commanders indicates the exceptional religious and political weight attached to the city's acquisition. With a recorded Rashidun force of 20,000, the siege represented a substantial commitment of military resources during the broader campaign to wrest the Levant from Byzantine control following the decisive Battle of Yarmouk in 636.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (7)