{"slug": "bilad-al-sham", "label": "Bilad al-Sham", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilad_al-Sham", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3183526", "qid": "Q3183526", "description": "provincial region of the Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid and Fatimid Islamic caliphates", "entries": 15, "years": 14, "span": [754, 1253], "span_label": ["754 CE", "1253 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 11}, {"title": "Births", "count": 2}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "egypt-in-the-middle-ages", "label": "Egypt in the Middle Ages", "shared": 7}, {"slug": "aleppo", "label": "Aleppo", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "saladin", "label": "Saladin", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "palestine-region", "label": "Palestine (region)", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "arabbyzantine-wars", "label": "Arab–Byzantine wars", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "raqqa", "label": "Raqqa", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "tulunids", "label": "Tulunids", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "hamdanid-dynasty", "label": "Hamdanid dynasty", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "sayf-al-dawla", "label": "Sayf al-Dawla", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "turkey", "label": "Turkey", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "november", "label": "November", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "nusaybin", "label": "Nusaybin", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": 754, "year_label": "754 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "November", "text": "November – Abdallah ibn Ali, governor of Syria and uncle of as-Saffah, launches a claim for the caliphate, but is defeated by forces loyal to al-Mansur, under Abu Muslim, at Nisibis (modern Turkey).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360259946#Abbasid_Caliphate", "title": "754", "revid": 1360259946, "section": "Events › By place › Abbasid Caliphate"}}, {"year": 806, "year_label": "806 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Arab–Byzantine wars: Caliph Harun al-Rashid leads a huge military expedition, assembling men from Syria, Palestine, Persia, and Egypt. The invasion army (reportedly 135,000 men) departs from Raqqa, residence of Harun, and enters Cappadocia through the Cilician Gates, sacking several Byzantine fortresses and cities. Heraclea is captured after a month-long siege (August/September). The city is plundered and razed; its inhabitants are enslaved and deported to the Abbasid Caliphate.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1292643508#Abbasid_Caliphate", "title": "806", "revid": 1292643508, "section": "Events › By place › Abbasid Caliphate"}}, {"year": 885, "year_label": "885 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Tawahin: Muslim forces (4,000 men) of the Abbasid Caliphate, under Al-Mu'tadid, are defeated near Ramlah (modern Israel) by Khumarawayh, ruler of the Tulunid dynasty. This ends the Abbasid attempt to recover Syria from the Tulunids. A large part of the Abbasid army is captured, and transported to Egypt. Khumarawayh aims for reconciliation with the caliphal government, and allows the soldiers who want to return to modern-day Iraq to depart without ransom, while offering the rest the opportunity to settle in Egypt.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366655145#Arabian_Empire", "title": "885", "revid": 1366655145, "section": "Events › By place › Arabian Empire"}}, {"year": 897, "year_label": "897 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Caliph al-Mu'tadid recovers control of the Cilician Thughur (southeastern Anatolia) and of northern Syria, during the turmoil in the Tulunid government (approximate date).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1341130275#Arabian_Empire", "title": "897", "revid": 1341130275, "section": "Events › By place › Arabian Empire"}}, {"year": 935, "year_label": "935 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid is appointed governor and becomes the ruler of Egypt and parts of Syria (or the Levant). He launches a campaign against his rival Ahmad ibn Kayghalagh by land and sea: the naval forces take Tinnis and ibn Kayghalagh is forced to retreat. Ibn Tughj enters Fustat, making it his capital, and founds the Ikhshidid dynasty, marking Egypt's independence as an autonomous state.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364468168#Africa", "title": "935", "revid": 1364468168, "section": "Events › By place › Africa"}}, {"year": 936, "year_label": "936 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, ruler of Egypt and Syria, defeats the Fatimid forces near Alexandria. He drives them out of the city, forcing the Fatimids to retreat from Egypt to their base at Cyrenaica.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1341512077#Africa", "title": "936", "revid": 1341512077, "section": "Events › By place › Africa"}}, {"year": 945, "year_label": "945 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – Sayf al-Dawla is defeated by Muslim forces under Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid near Qinnasrin. He is forced to abandon his Syrian domains and flees to Raqqa. In October the two men come to an agreement, which recognizes Hamdanid rule over northern Syria, founding the Emirate of Aleppo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365595392#Arabian_Empire", "title": "945", "revid": 1365595392, "section": "Events › By place › Arabian Empire"}}, {"year": 962, "year_label": "962 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "December", "text": "December – Arab–Byzantine wars – Sack of Aleppo: A Byzantine expeditionary force under General Nikephoros Phokas invades northern Syria, and sacks Aleppo, capital of the Hamdanid emir Sayf al-Dawla. In late December Aleppo is taken by storm, with the population killed or enslaved; the city is razed. The Byzantine army takes possession of 390,000 silver dinars, 2,000 camels and 1,400 mules.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1341513175#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "962", "revid": 1341513175, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 970, "year_label": "970 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah, Ikhshidid governor of Palestine, is defeated and taken prisoner by General Ja'far ibn Fallah in Syria. Ending the Ikhshidid Dynasty as a ruling power.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365261460#Africa", "title": "970", "revid": 1365261460, "section": "Events › By place › Africa"}}, {"year": 1137, "year_label": "1137 CE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Saladin (the Lion), sultan of Egypt and Syria (d. 1193)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362157430#Births", "title": "1137", "revid": 1362157430, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": 1138, "year_label": "1138 CE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Saladin (the Lion), sultan of Egypt and Syria (d. 1193)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366421724#Births", "title": "1138", "revid": 1366421724, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": 1138, "year_label": "1138 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "April 20", "text": "April 20 – Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos, having led an expeditionary force into Syria, arrives before the walls of Aleppo. The city proves too strong to attack, but the fortresses of Biza'a, Athareb, Ma'arrat Nu'man and Kafartab are taken by assault. While the Byzantines besiege the city of Shaizar, the Crusader allies Prince Raymond of Poitiers of Antioch and Count Joscelin II of Edessa remain in their camp playing dice.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366421724#Middle_East", "title": "1138", "revid": 1366421724, "section": "Events › By place › Middle East"}}, {"year": 1140, "year_label": "1140 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – King Fulk of Jerusalem confronts Imad al-Din Zengi, Seljuk ruler (atabeg) of Mosul, near Dara'a in southern Syria. Turkish forces under Mu'in al-Din (supported by the Crusaders) besiege Banias.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367307539#Levant", "title": "1140", "revid": 1367307539, "section": "Events › By place › Levant"}}, {"year": 1193, "year_label": "1193 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "March 4", "text": "March 4 – Saladin (the Lion), sultan of Egypt and Syria (b. 1137)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367180478#Deaths", "title": "1193", "revid": 1367180478, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 1253, "year_label": "1253 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "April", "text": "April – An-Nasir Yusuf, Ayyubid ruler of Damascus, cedes Palestine, together with Jerusalem, Nablus and the coastline of Al-Sham to Aybak, Mamluk sultan of Egypt.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362664638#Levant", "title": "1253", "revid": 1362664638, "section": "Events › By place › Levant"}}]}