Battle of the Iron Bridge

Battle of the Iron Bridge

battle

Part of	Muslim conquest of Syria
Ein location	Antioch
Coordinate location	36°14′54″N 36°21′11″E
Point for tym insyd	October 637

Dem fight de Battle of the Iron Bridge between de Muslim Rashidun army den de Byzantine army insyd 637 AD. De battle, wich de Muslims win, take ein name from a nearby nine-arch stone bridge over de Orontes River (dem sanso know as Jisr al-Hadid), wich get gates dem trim plus iron blades. E be one of de last battles dem fight between de Byzantines den Rashidun Caliphate insyd de province of Syria. Insyd de aftermath of de battle, de province ein capital, Antioch, fall, dey mark de near-complete annexation of de province into de Rashidun Caliphate.

Background

De Rashidun army decisively win de Battle of Yarmouk, after wich dem manage to gain control of de Levant. Dem conquer Jerusalem shortly afterwards. Rashidun forces then march north, wey dem conquer oda portions of de Levant. Dem penetrate into northern Syria near ein borders plus Anatolia intending to capture Antioch, den to secure de conquered lands from any threat from de north. After de conquest of Aleppo, Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah send a column under Malik al-Ashtar to take Azaz insyd Northern Syria, east of de Taurus Mountains. De capture den clearance of Azaz be needed to ensure say no large Byzantine forces remain north of Aleppo, from wer dem fi strike at de flank den rear of de Rashidun army during de operation against Antioch. As soon as Malik rejoin de army, Abu Ubaidah march west to capture Antioch, wey Khalid ibn Walid dey lead de advance guard plus ein Mobile guard. De army march westward directly from Aleppo via Harim wey dem approach Antioch from de east.

Battle

Twenty kilometers (12 mi) from de city, near modern-day Mahruba, a bridge of iron span de River Orontes. Na e be hie wey dem fight de battle between de Rashidun army den de Byzantine garrison wey dey defend Antioch. Dem fight a major battle, de details of wich no be recorded. E be possible say, similar to oda Arab battles near rivers, dem draw de Romans away from de bridge wey dem then hit insyd de flanks by de Arabs. Khalid ibn Walid play a prominent role plus ein Mobile guard, as he do during de Battle of Yarmouk. De Byzantine forces suffer heavy losses wey dem be defeated. De Byzantine casualties insyd dis battle be de third highest insyd de Muslim conquest of Syria, only exceeded by de battles of Ajnadayn den Yarmouk. De remnants of de defeated Byzantine force retreat to Antioch. De Rashidun army later move up den lay siege to Antioch, dey focus on de Bridge den de Eastern gate (sanso be Beroea gate). De city surrender on 30 October, 637. According to de treaty dem allow de citizens to depart in peace anaa dem force to pay a tax.