Battle of Heliopolis
Early battles Mu'tah - Tabouk - Dathin - Firaz - Arab conquest of the Levant - Qarteen - Bosra - Ajnadayn - Marj al - Rahit - Fahl - Damascus - Maraj -al- DEBAJ - Emesa - Yarmouk - Jerusalem - Hazir - Aleppo - Arab conquest of Egypt - Heliopolis - Alexandria - Nikiou - Umayyad conquest of North Africa - Sufetula - Vescera - Carthage - Umayyadidische invasion of Anatolia and Constantinople - Iron Bridge - Germanikeia - 1 Konstantin Opel - Sebastopolis - Tyana - 2nd Konstantin Opel - Nicaea - Akroinon - Arab- Byzantine frontier war - Kamacha - Kopidnadon - Krasos - Anzen and Amorion - Mauropotamos - Lalakaon - Bathys Ryax - Sicily and Southern Italy - 1 Syracuse - Syracuse 2 - campaigns of Maniakes - Byzantine counter-attack - Marash - Raban - Andrassos - Campaigns of Nikephoros Phokas - campaigns of John Tzimiskes - Orontes - campaigns of Basil II - Azaz - naval operations - Phoinix - Muslim conquest of Crete - Thasos - Damietta - Thessalonike - Byzantine reconquest of Crete
The Battle of Heliopolis was a decisive battle between the Arab troops under ʿ Amr ibn al - ʿ AS and the Eastern Roman Empire, in the course of Islamic expansion. As a result of this defeat of the Romans and Byzantines succeeded the Arabs to bring all of Egypt permanently under their control. The exact date of the battle is - like that of most events this year - disputed; most likely it took place in July 640 or 641.
Prehistory
The Arab attack on Africa came as a surprise to the East Romans; Emperor Heraclius was apparently assumed that the Arab armies were claimed by the fighting against the Sassanid Empire. Either 639 or 640 but marched a small Muslim army of about 4,000 men tions Aegyptus. As this army had conquered some cities such as Pelusium, Bilbeis and Babylon and the Nile crossed towards Fayyum, she met a maximum of 20,000 -strong Byzantine army at Heliopolis. The imperial troops had set up a camp near the city, waiting for unknown reasons, with the attack on the, now grown by reinforcements to 15,000 man army of ' Amr ibn al -' As.
The Battle
After the Romans / Byzantines had opened the battle, 'Amr ibn al -' As divided his forces into three parts. A division of cavalry under his trusted commander Kharjia hid behind nearby hills and was not discovered by the Byzantines. This department should be the weakest side of the Byzantines, either the edge or the back attack. Another division of cavalry was sent to the south to pursue possibly dropping troops faster. 'Amr ibn al -' As marched with his main force directly on the attacking Eastern Romans. After the ranks of both armies had met on the battlefield, Kharjia attacked with his cavalry the Byzantines in their back-to. Surprised by the sudden appearance of the enemy's cavalry was upset the order of battle of the imperial army, and many of the fleeing units were asked from the established to the south troops 'Amr ibn al -' As. The Eastern Roman commander Theodorus succeeded with a few followers to flee.
Effects
After the defeat of the heartland of Egypt was handed over to the Arabs defenseless. The population of Egypt was among the majority of Monophysitism and was critical set against monotheletism, which was set by the national government as a new dogma. Egypt, which had previously been occupied for years by the Sassanids was also only 630/31 came back under imperial control; loyalty to Constantine Opel was so weak. Above all bowed their new rulers, even if only for a short period, the extremely high taxes. Whether the Arab conquerors were greeted mostly by the local population or even supported, but is very controversial in recent research.
After further battles and skirmishes, succeeded the Arabs finally 641, Alexandria, and thus to conquer the whole of Egypt. With the victory at Alexandria also ended the Roman supremacy over the Mediterranean. The loss of the rich in Egypt, the granary of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the naval supremacy was preceded, however, the decisive defeat at Heliopolis.