Battle of Marj-al-Rahit
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mari-al-Rahit was a minor conflict fought between the Ghassanid Arab allies of Byzantine Empire
and Rashidun army
under the command of Khalid bin Walid. After the Battle of Hawwareen, Khalid the very next morning moved to wards Damascus with his 9000 army, 20 miles from Damascus
there lies a pass, over the top of this pass which is about 2000 feet above the surrounding land. The ridge is part of the range known as Jabal-ush-Sharq, which is an off-shoot of the Anti-Lebanon Range and runs in a north-easterly direction to Tadmur. The pass itself, not a formidable one, is quite long. Khalid stopped at the highest part of it, and here he planted his standard. As a result of this action the pass became known as Saniyyat-ul-Uqab, i.e. the Pass of the Eagle
, after the name of Khalid's standard. From the Pass of the Eagle, Khalid moved to Marj Rahit, a large Ghassanid town near the present Azra on the road to Damascus. The Muslims arrived in time to participate in a joyous festival of the Ghassanids
whose participation took the form of a violent raid.
Arab
s turned into a violent battle. Large number of refugees from the region over which Khalid had recently operated had gathered at Marj-al-Rahit, and these refugees mingled with the crowds celebrating the festival. The Ghassanids
were not unmindful of the danger which Khalid's entry into Syria
posed for them. They had positioned a strong screen of warriors on the route from Tadmur, below the pass; but this screen was scattered in a few minutes by a swift charge of the Muslim
cavalry. Although some Ghassanid resistance continued as the Muslim
s advanced, it ceased once the main body of Muslim
s army reached and attacked the town. The Muslim
s raided the town of Marj Rahit. After a little while, having collected a large amount of booty and a certain number of captives, Khalid pulled out of the town and camped outside. The battle itself was not a major battle but it had some tactical importance to clean up the Muslim
’s army rear so that the siege of larger cities could be laid in ease.
with the task of raiding the Ghuta. Then, having sent a messenger to Abu Ubaidah with instructions to report to him at Busra, Khalid himself set off for Busra with the main body of the army, by-passing Damascus
. The mounted column sent to Damascus reached the neighborhood of the city, picked up more booty and captives, and rejoined Khalid while he was still on the march. The minor operations following Khalid's entry into Syria
were now over. Khalid ibn Walid moved to Busra city and conquered it.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Rashidun army
Rashidun army
The Rashidun Caliphate Army or Rashidun army was the primary military body of the Rashidun Caliphate's armed forces during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century, serving alongside the Rashidun Navy...
under the command of Khalid bin Walid. After the Battle of Hawwareen, Khalid the very next morning moved to wards Damascus with his 9000 army, 20 miles from Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
there lies a pass, over the top of this pass which is about 2000 feet above the surrounding land. The ridge is part of the range known as Jabal-ush-Sharq, which is an off-shoot of the Anti-Lebanon Range and runs in a north-easterly direction to Tadmur. The pass itself, not a formidable one, is quite long. Khalid stopped at the highest part of it, and here he planted his standard. As a result of this action the pass became known as Saniyyat-ul-Uqab, i.e. the Pass of the Eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
, after the name of Khalid's standard. From the Pass of the Eagle, Khalid moved to Marj Rahit, a large Ghassanid town near the present Azra on the road to Damascus. The Muslims arrived in time to participate in a joyous festival of the Ghassanids
Ghassanids
The Ghassanids were a group of South Arabian Christian tribes that emigrated in the early 3rd century from Yemen to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Holy Land....
whose participation took the form of a violent raid.
The battle
The joyous festival of the Ghassanid ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s turned into a violent battle. Large number of refugees from the region over which Khalid had recently operated had gathered at Marj-al-Rahit, and these refugees mingled with the crowds celebrating the festival. The Ghassanids
Ghassanids
The Ghassanids were a group of South Arabian Christian tribes that emigrated in the early 3rd century from Yemen to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Holy Land....
were not unmindful of the danger which Khalid's entry into Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
posed for them. They had positioned a strong screen of warriors on the route from Tadmur, below the pass; but this screen was scattered in a few minutes by a swift charge of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
cavalry. Although some Ghassanid resistance continued as the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s advanced, it ceased once the main body of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s army reached and attacked the town. The Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s raided the town of Marj Rahit. After a little while, having collected a large amount of booty and a certain number of captives, Khalid pulled out of the town and camped outside. The battle itself was not a major battle but it had some tactical importance to clean up the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
’s army rear so that the siege of larger cities could be laid in ease.
Aftermath
The following morning he sent a strong mounted column towards DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
with the task of raiding the Ghuta. Then, having sent a messenger to Abu Ubaidah with instructions to report to him at Busra, Khalid himself set off for Busra with the main body of the army, by-passing Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. The mounted column sent to Damascus reached the neighborhood of the city, picked up more booty and captives, and rejoined Khalid while he was still on the march. The minor operations following Khalid's entry into Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
were now over. Khalid ibn Walid moved to Busra city and conquered it.