On This Day

Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge

The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD.

The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD. The battle which ended in Muslim victory took its name from a nearby nine-arch stone bridge (also known as Jisr al-Hadid) spanning the Orontes River which had gates trimmed with iron. It was one of the last battles fought between the Byzantines and Rashidun Caliphate in the province of Syria. The aftermath of the battle marked the nearly complete annexation of the province into the Rashidun Caliphate with the fall of its capital, Antioch.

Historical Significance

The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD.

Events Before

  1. Muslim forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus, 1st major city of Eastern Roman Empire taken by the Rashidun

    Muslim forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus, 1st major city of Eastern Roman Empire taken by the Rashidun Caliphate

  2. Chintila becomes the Visigothic king of Hispania upon the death of King Sisenand

    Chintila becomes the Visigothic king of Hispania upon the death of King Sisenand

  3. Fifth Council of Toledo, of 22 bishops, convened by Visigothic King Chintila to help shore up his reign

    Fifth Council of Toledo, of 22 bishops, convened by Visigothic King Chintila to help shore up his reign

  4. Arabs gain control of most of the Region of Palestine from the Byzantine Empire

    The region of Palestine is part of the Levant, a land bridge between Africa and Eurasia that has traditionally served as the "crossroads of Western Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Northeast...

  5. Beginning of the five-day decisive Battle at Yarmuk: Muslim forces defeat the Byzantine army to take control of Syria fo

    Beginning of the five-day decisive Battle at Yarmuk: Muslim forces defeat the Byzantine army to take control of Syria for the first time

Events After

  1. Honorius I ends his reign as Catholic Pope; Pope Severinus elected

    Pope Severinus (died 2 August 640) was the bishop of Rome elected in October 638. He was caught up in a power struggle with Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, who pressured him to accept Monothelitism.

  2. Severinus begins his reign as Catholic Pope (elected in 638)

    Severinus begins his reign as Catholic Pope (elected in 638)

  3. Arab Muslim army sent by Caliph Omar begins siege of Heliopolis, city succumbs mid to late July, paving way for Muslim c

    Arab Muslim army sent by Caliph Omar begins siege of Heliopolis, city succumbs mid to late July, paving way for Muslim conquest of Byzantine Egypt

  4. John IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope

    John IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope

  5. Eligius (Saint Eloy) becomes bishop of Doornik-Noyon

    Eligius (Saint Eloy) becomes bishop of Doornik-Noyon

More from the 630s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 30, 637?
The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD. The battle which ended in Muslim victory took its name from a nearby nine-arch stone bridge (also known as Jisr al-Hadid) spanning the Orontes River which had gates trimmed with iron. It was one of the last battles fought between the Byzantines and Rashidun Caliphate in the province of Syria.
Why is Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Ba... significant?
The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD.

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