siege constantinople arab siege constantinople major conflict arab byzantine wars culmination strategy byzantine_empire led emerged ruler muslim arab empire following civil war renewed aggressive warfare byzantium lapse years hoped deliver lethal blow capturing byzantine capital constantinople reported byzantine chronicler arab attack arab fleets secured bases coasts asia minor proceeded install loose blockade constantinople peninsula near city base spend winter returned spring launch attacks city fortifications finally byzantines emperor managed destroy arab navy new invention liquid substance known greek fire arab land army asia minor defeated byzantines forcing arabs lift siege byzantine victory major importance survival byzantine state arab threat time peace treaty signed soon following outbreak muslim civil war byzantines experienced period siege left traces legends nascent muslim world accounts expedition city years previously led future result account questioned recent scholarship places emphasis arabic sources background following disastrous byzantine_empire withdrew bulk remaining forces levant asia minor shielded mountains muslim expansion left field open warriors nascent complete conquest syria egypt falling shortly muslim raids frontier zone deep began early continued leadership governor syria energetic spearheaded development muslim navy years grew sufficiently strong occupy cyprus raid far rhodes crete finally young muslim navy scored crushing victory byzantine counterpart following murder outbreak arab attacks byzantium stopped concluded truce byzantium including payment tribute empire peace lasted end muslim civil war clan emerged victorious establishing year muslim attacks pressure mounting muslim armies began byzantine soil west range disruption caused byzantine economy land expeditions coupled naval raids coasts southern arabs sent aid theme rebelled proclaimed emperor arab troops arrived late assist died falling horse spent winter awaiting reinforcements spring receiving additional troops entered asia minor advanced far asian shore byzantine capital constantinople arab attacks repelled arab army famine disease dispatched army led son future aid accounts followed differ byzantine chronicler reports arabs remained returning syria way captured garrisoned time arabs tried hold captured fortress interior asia minor campaigning season probably meant arabs intended return year use town base byzantines subsequent winter arab sources hand report muslims crossed europe launched unsuccessful attack constantinople returning syria given lack mention assault byzantine sources probable arab taking account presence fact suburb constantinople upgraded attack attack byzantine capital opening moves campaigns campaign clearly demonstrated arabs possibility direct strike constantinople necessity having supply base region found peninsula southern shore raiding fleet began preparing final assault byzantine capital contrast expedition intended coastal route constantinople undertaking followed careful phased approach muslims secure bases coast base constantinople blockaded land sea cut depended food supply accordingly great muslim fleets dispatched secure sea lanes establish bases syria fleet fleet certain fleet joined later according report emperor constantine learning arab fleets approach began fleet war constantine armament included bearing ships intended deployment newly developed substance greek fire arab fleet ibn captured rhodes located midway syria constantinople converted forward supply base centre muslim naval raids garrison men regularly rotated syria small fleet attached defence raiding arabs wheat brought animals island byzantines attempted arab plans naval attack egypt unsuccessful period overland raids asia minor continued arab troops byzantine soil arab attacks related expeditions arab fleet sailed bases eastern entered according account landed shore near april september engaged constant clashes byzantine troops byzantine chronicler reports day military engagement morning evening golden gate thrust counter thrust arabs departed captured converted fortified camp spend winter set pattern continued siege spring arabs crossed assaulted constantinople withdrawing winter fact siege constantinople series engagements city stretched include attack noted byzantine arab record siege lasting seven years instead reconciled including opening campaigns counting years final withdrawal arab troops forward bases details clashes constantinople unclear siege account year arab mention siege merely provide names leaders unspecified expeditions byzantine territory arab sources known raided crete year ibn led raid asia minor arab historians report dispatched reinforcements constantinople record led campaign target unknown time byzantines face slavic attack attacks italy finally autumn early constantine resolved confront arab head engagement fleet equipped greek fire routed arab fleet probable death admiral ibn reported arab related defeat time muslim army command ibn defeated byzantine army generals losing men according defeats forced arabs abandon siege way syria arab fleet annihilated storm essential outline account near contemporary byzantine reference siege celebratory poem unknown earlier believed refer second arab siege poem commemorates decisive naval victory walls city interesting detail arab fleet possessed fire throwing ships makes reference fear returning shadows interpreted confirming recurring arab attacks spring base importance aftermath constantinople nerve centre byzantine state fallen empire remaining provinces unlikely hold easy prey arabs time failure arab attack constantinople event marked culmination campaign attrition pursued steadily immense resources poured undertaking including creation huge fleet failure similarly important repercussions represented major blow prestige conversely byzantine prestige reached new heights especially west constantine received envoys balkan bearing gifts acknowledging byzantine supremacy subsequent peace gave needed respite constant raiding allowed byzantine state recover balance consolidate following changes previous decades failure arabs constantinople coincided increased activity christian group living mountains syria resisted muslim control raided faced new threat immense losses suffered byzantines began negotiations truce exchanged courts drawn giving arabs time raid intended pressure byzantines peace treaty nominal year duration provided pay annual tribute horses slaves arab garrisons withdrawn bases byzantine including rhodes constantine peace proceed mounting menace balkans huge army comprising available forces empire decisively beaten opening way establishment state northeastern balkans muslim world death forces opposition manifested division second muslim civil war allowed byzantium achieve peace position eastern frontier armenia reverted time byzantine control cyprus byzantium peace lasted broke devastating consequences byzantines defeated deposed year period anarchy followed muslim incursions intensified leading second arab attempt conquering constantinople proved unsuccessful cultural impact later arab sources extensively events expedition supposed attack constantinople including mythical anecdotes taken modern scholarship refer events siege important personalities early islam mentioned taking prominent later tradition early companions standard bearer muhammad died illness city walls siege buried according muslim tradition threatened destroy tomb warned christians rule suffer tomb left peace site byzantines prayed times drought tomb rediscovered ordered construction marble tomb mosque adjacent tradition ottoman sword mosque accession today remains muslim istanbul modern events narrative siege accepted modern historians relies largely account arab sources mention siege individual campaigns reached far constantinople capture island named sea recorded unclear refers expedition said reached constantinople disagree placing decisive battle destruction arab fleet greek fire arab expedition coasts constantinople followed landing byzantine forces syria began uprising threatened grip syria result peace agreement based evaluation original sources medieval historians oxford scholar acclaimed book witnesses world crisis historians histories middle_east seventh century rejects traditional interpretation events based favour version asserts siege actually took place based absence eastern sources logistical undertaking duration reported instead believes reference siege later influenced events second arab siege anonymous source according blockade constantinople myth allowed mask real success achieved byzantines decade sea land long aroused deep anxiety arabs conscious merely coated middle_east power
Siege of Constantinople (674–678)