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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

The siege of Damascus (634) lasted from 21 August to 19 September 634 before the city fell to the Rashidun Caliphate. Damascus was the first major city of the Eastern Roman Empire to fall in the Muslim conquest of Syria.

The last of the Roman–Persian Wars ended in 628, after Heraclius concluded a successful campaign against the Persians in Mesopotamia. At the same time, Muhammad united the Arabs under the banner of Islam. After his death in 632, Abu Bakr succeeded him as the first Rashidun Caliph. Suppressing several internal revolts, Abu Bakr sought to expand the empire beyond the confines of the Arabian Peninsula.

In April 634, Abu Bakr invaded the Byzantine Empire in the Levant and decisively defeated a Byzantine army at the Battle of Ajnadayn.

Historical Significance

The siege of Damascus (634) lasted from 21 August to 19 September 634 before the city fell to the Rashidun Caliphate.

Events Before

  1. Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk for the release of Chinese prisoners capture

    Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk for the release of Chinese prisoners captured on the northern frontier during the transition from the Sui to Tang dynasty and succeeds in freeing 80,000

  2. Suintila, King of the Visigoths is overthrown after a reign of ten years, by Sisenand, a noble from Septimania

    Suintila, King of the Visigoths is overthrown after a reign of ten years, by Sisenand, a noble from Septimania

  3. Yazdegerd III begins his reign as the last King of Kings of the Iranian Sasanian Empire

    Yazdegerd III begins his reign as the last King of Kings of the Iranian Sasanian Empire

  4. Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbrian defeated and killed by an alliance of Welsh kingdom Gwynedd led by

    Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbrian defeated and killed by an alliance of Welsh kingdom Gwynedd led by Cadwallon ap Cadfan, and Mercia led by Penda

  5. Visigothic King Sisenand convenes Fourth Council of Toledo at the church of Saint Leocadia in Toledo; all bishops of His

    Visigothic King Sisenand convenes Fourth Council of Toledo at the church of Saint Leocadia in Toledo; all bishops of Hispania agree to establish seminaries in cathedral cities and implement educational standards

Events After

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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...

  4. 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

  5. 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.

More from the 630s

Conquest of Mecca: Prophet Muhammad sets out with an army of 10,000 to capture Mecca

The conquest of Mecca was a military campaign undertaken by Muhammad and his companions during the Muslim–Quraysh War.

Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk for the release of Chinese prisoners capture

Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk for the release of Chinese prisoners captured on the northern frontier during the transition from the Sui to Tang dynasty and succeeds in freeing 80,000

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

Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem

Heraclius was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor...

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 19, 634?
The siege of Damascus (634) lasted from 21 August to 19 September 634 before the city fell to the Rashidun Caliphate. Damascus was the first major city of the Eastern Roman Empire to fall in the Muslim conquest of Syria. The last of the Roman–Persian Wars ended in 628, after Heraclius concluded a successful campaign against the Persians in Mesopotamia.
Why is Muslim forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus, 1st major city of ... significant?
The siege of Damascus (634) lasted from 21 August to 19 September 634 before the city fell to the Rashidun Caliphate.

Explore More

September 19 in HistoryYear 634