ibn ibn arabic greek sources prince prominent arab generals early decades 8th century leading campaigns byzantine_empire achieved great fame especially leading second arab siege byzantine capital constantinople strengthening muslim presence founder early life career son ibn reigned half brother excluded line succession mother slave mentioned leading nephew ibn annual summer campaign byzantine_empire major expedition campaign byzantine city southeastern launched retaliation defeat death distinguished general year siege lasted winter arab army faced great arabs defeated byzantine relief force spring city surrendered months later summer led expedition defeated byzantine army near raided region year appointed military governor armenia succeeding uncle added post governor northern syria held governorship documented early arabic posts historian claims likely patron possibly responsible construction works command provinces effectively gave complete control entire northwestern border position launched campaigns byzantines devastating taking establish presence north leading commencement direct conflict second arab war marched army gate gates arabic took destroyed expedition siege constantinople leading general plans brother conquer byzantine capital constantinople ill lead campaign person led huge army sources report numbered men ships late arab vanguard crossed mountains byzantine territory following spring main army fleet arabs plans aided civil strife plagued byzantines emperor overthrown turn opposed theme hoped use divisions byzantines benefit initiated contacts leo negotiations arab general occupied strategic city intended use winter base result marched west spent winter leo marched constantinople entered march early summer army crossed asia europe dardanelles proceeded constantinople land sea navy soon use greek fire army unable overcome city land defences siege continued winter especially severe year snow covering ground months brought supplies soon ran lost arab accounts leo arab general negotiations handing destroying significant supplies army began suffer hunger disease spring reinforcements arrived shape large fleets egypt large crews christians went byzantines leo navy managed destroy capture arab fleets byzantines defeated arab army marching aid men contend attacks cost men siege clearly failed new ordered retreat august thirteen months siege arabs departed despite failure attempt capture constantinople celebrated later muslim literature surviving accounts semi fictional historical defeat transformed sort victory said departed symbolically entering byzantine capital horse accompanied thirty riders leo received honour led emperor paid homage arab general tales siege influenced similar episodes arabic epic literature appears associated legendary arab hero wars byzantium furthermore byzantine tradition recorded 10th century held siege convinced byzantines build constantinople mosque near city later ottoman tradition ascribed building mosque located outside constantinople proper erroneously dated probably confusing attack arab siege reality mosque near likely erected result arab embassy year governorship iraq failure dispatched iraq quell following death accession brother tasked suppression revolt ibn defeated killed august fell favour resented feared power governor interfering succession favoured brother son soon recalled post ostensibly failed deliver provinces tax haul damascus replaced ibn disappears sources emerges shortly death accession sent replace ibn initially active byzantine war delegated ibn winter led expedition culminated sack january capture major successes arab arms byzantines months later led northern summer expedition byzantine territory attention diverted attacks reached deep able drive recover control pass campaign difficult bloody troops reportedly engaged thirty days constant fighting miserable weather claimed victory battle expedition achieve results came close defeated certainly little stop attacks south resumed removed office year replaced recorded byzantine chronicler having responsible sack fortress late arab sources credit ibn act situation quickly deteriorated departure campaigned north swung attacked main base relieve city defeated killed army practically annihilated battle outside city december faced crisis appointed new governor armenia meantime veteran general ibn managed recover situation defeat army allegedly jealousy successes imprisoned ordered release large army disposal cleared provinces south advanced mountains couple settlements defeating pitched battle recovered strategic fortress occupied poisoning water supply reorganized military colony soldiers tenure evidently judged successful replaced march retired public life possibly extensive estates northern syria died december
Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik