Battle of the Bridge
{{Short description|634 battle between Sasanians and Arab Muslims}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of the Bridge
Battle of al-Jisr
| width =
| partof = the Muslim conquest of Persia – Second invasion of Mesopotamia
| image = File:Zalabiya,Euphrat.jpg
| caption = The battle was joined on the banks of the Euphrates
| date = 25 October 634{{Cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/arab-ii|title=ʿARAB ii. Arab conquest of Iran – Encyclopaedia Iranica|last=electricpulp.com|website=www.iranicaonline.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-19|quote=Ambushing Abū ʿObayd from the opposite bank of the Euphrates, the Persians inflicted a disastrous defeat on the Muslim forces at the Battle of the Bridge in Šaʿbān, 13/October, 634.}}{{Disputed inline|talk=Talk:Battle of the Bridge#Variance in date|date=June 2019}}
| place = Marauha at the Euphrates near Kufa, Iraq
| coordinates =
| map_type =
| map_relief =
| latitude =
| longitude =
| map_size =
| map_marksize =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| territory =
| result = Sasanian victory{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EiKxXBc95b8C&q=battle+of+the+bridge+decisive+sasanian+victory&pg=PA107|title=A New Introduction to Islam|last=Brown|first=Daniel W.|date=2011-08-24|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9781444357721|language=en|page=107}}
| status =
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = Rashidun Caliphate
| combatant2 = Sasanian Empire
| commander1 = Abu Ubayd al-Thaqafi{{KIA}}
Al-Hakam al-Thaqafi{{KIA}}{{sfn|Al Biladuri|2011|p=404}}
Jabr ibn Abi Ubayd{{KIA}}{{sfn|Al Biladuri|2011|p=404}}
Al-Muthanna{{WIA}}{{sfn|al-Tabari|1993|p=193}}
| commander2 = Bahman Jadhuyih
Jalinus
| units1 =
| units2 =
| strength1 = 6,000–10,000{{sfn|al-Tabari|1993|p=188}}{{sfn|Nafziger|Walton|2003|p=22}}
| strength2 = 10,000Ancient Persia page 360
| casualties1 = 6,000–7,000 killed
3,000 drowned or escapedAncient Persia page 360 & 361
| casualties2 = Unknown
| notes =
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Muslim Conquest Persia}}
}}
The Battle of the Bridge or the Battle of al-Jisr ({{langx|ar|معركة الجسر}}; {{langx|fa|نبرد پل}}) was fought at the bank of the Euphrates river between Arab Muslims led by Abu Ubaid al-Thaqafi, and the Persian Sasanian forces led by Bahman Jaduya. It is traditionally dated to the year 634, and was the only major Sasanian victory over the Rashidun Caliphate army.
Context
The Muslim forces had already taken Hira and assumed control of the surrounding Arab-inhabited areas of Mesopotamia, on the banks of the Euphrates.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}} The fall of Hira shocked the Persians, as the "youthful Yazdgard, began to take the business of the Arabs more seriously."{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}} Yazdgard sent forces to the Arab border areas, and looked to be gaining the upper hand, as Al-Muthanna had to call for reinforcements from Medina.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}}
The new Caliph, Umar, sent Abu Ubaid to Mesopotamia to take command from Al-Muthanna. He encountered the main Persian force under Bahman Jaduya, near what is the present site of Kufa. The two forces faced each other on opposing banks of the Euphrates. As it was crossed by a bridge, the battle came to be known as the Battle of the Bridge.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}}
Battle
Bahman invited Abu Ubayd to decide who should cross the river.{{sfn|Nafziger|Walton|2003|p=22}} The latter took the initiative, and crossed the river aggressively; this proved to be disastrous for his forces. According to accounts, the sight of the elephants in the Persian army frightened the Arabs' horses. A white elephant apparently tore Abu Ubaid from his horse with its trunk and trampled him underfoot during his misguided attempt to attack its trunk. The death of their commander and the inability of the Arab troops to push back the Persians who had formed a rigid line close to the bridge, led the Arabs to panic and flee.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}}{{sfn|Nafziger|Walton|2003|p=22}} After Abu Ubayd the command was taken by al-Hakam and Jabr, his brother and son, respectively, and eventually Al-Muthanna.{{sfn|Al Biladuri|2011|p=404}} According to tradition, Al-Muthanna remained to fight so that the Arabs could repair the bridge and flee losing 4,000 men, although any accurate estimates of the figures involved in this and other contemporaneous battles are not known.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}} Around 3,000 Arab Muslims were carried away by the river.{{sfn|Crawford|2013|p=134}}
Sources agree that for whatever reason, Bahman Jaduya did not pursue the fleeing Arab army.{{sfn|Frye|1975|p=8-9}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book |title=Ancient Persia |first=Hassan |last=Pirnia | publisher=Parse |year=2020 }}
- {{cite book |title=The Origins of the Islamic State: Being a Translation from the Arabic |first=Ahmad Bin Yahya Bin Jabir |last=Al Biladuri |translator-first=Philip Khuri |translator-last=Hitti |publisher=Cosimo Classics |year=2011 }}
- {{cite book |title=he History of al-Tabari Vol. 11: The Challenge to the Empires A.D. 633-635 |first=Muhammad ibn Yarir |last=al-Tabari |translator-first=Khalid Yahya |translator-last=Blankinship |publisher=State University of New York Press |year=1993 }}
- {{cite book |title=The War of the Three Gods: Romans, Persians and the Rise of Islam |first=Peter |last=Crawford |publisher=Pen & Sword |year=2013 }}
- {{cite book |first=Richard Nelson |last=Frye |title=The Cambridge History of Iran: The period from the Arab invasion to the Saljuqs |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1975 }}
- {{cite book |title=Islam at War: A History |first1=George F. |last1=Nafziger |first2=Mark W. |last2=Walton |publisher=Praeger |year=2003 }}
- {{cite book |first=Parvenah |last=Pourshariati |title=Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire |publisher=I.B.Taurus & Co.Ltd. |year=2011 }}
{{coord missing|Iraq}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge, Battle Of}}
Category:Muslim conquest of Persia
Category:Battles involving the Rashidun Caliphate
Category:Battles involving the Sasanian Empire