Battle of the Bridge

Battle of the Bridge
Battle of al-Jisr
Part of the Muslim conquest of Persia – Second invasion of Mesopotamia

The battle was joined on the banks of the Euphrates
Date25 October 634[disputed – discuss]
Location
Marauha at the Euphrates near Kufa, Iraq
Result Sasanian victory
Belligerents
Rashidun Caliphate Sasanian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Abu Ubayd al-Thaqafi †
Al-Hakam al-Thaqafi †
Jabr ibn Abi Ubayd †
Al-Muthanna (WIA)		 Yazdegerd III
Bahman Jadhuyih
Jalinus
Strength
6,000–10,000 80,000
20 war elephants
Casualties and losses
6,000–7,000 killed
3,000 drowned or escaped		 Unknown

The Battle of the Bridge or the Battle of al-Jisr (Arabic: معركة الجسر) was fought at the bank of the Euphrates between Arab Muslims, led by Abu Ubayd al-Thaqafi, and the Persian Sasanians, led by Bahman Jaduya. It is traditionally dated to the year 634 and was the only major Sasanian victory over the invading 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. The fall of Hira shocked the Persians, as the "youthful Yazdgard, began to take the business of the Arabs more seriously." 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.

The new caliph, Umar, sent Abu Ubayd 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.

Battle

Bahman invited Abu Ubayd to decide who should cross the river. The latter took the initiative and crossed the river aggressively, which 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 Ubayd 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. Abu Ubayd's command was taken by al-Hakam and Jabr, his brother and son respectively, and later Al-Muthanna.

According to tradition, Al-Muthanna remained to fight so that the Arabs could repair the bridge and flee, losing 4,000 men, but any accurate estimates of the figures involved in this and other contemporaneous battles are not known. Around 3,000 Arab Muslims were carried away by the river.

Bahman Jaduya did not pursue the fleeing Arab army.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 electricpulp.com. "ʿARAB ii. Arab conquest of Iran – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-07-19. 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.
  2. ↑ Brown, Daniel W. (2011-08-24). A New Introduction to Islam. John Wiley & Sons. p. 107. ISBN 9781444357721.
  3. 1 2 3 Al Biladuri 2011, p. 404.
  4. ↑ al-Tabari 1993, p. 193.
  5. ↑ al-Tabari 1993, p. 188.
  6. 1 2 3 Nafziger & Walton 2003, p. 22.
  7. ↑ Omar, Farouk (2000). الوسيط في تاريخ الخليج العربي في العصر الاسلامي [A Comprehensive Study of the History of the Arabian Gulf in the Islamic Era]. Dar Shorouq. p. 143. و كان الفرس قد نظموا قواتهم و ارسلوا تعزيزات جديدة بقيادة بهمن جاذوية. و تقدر الجيوش الفارسية 80 الف مقاتل و عشرون فيلا [The Persians had organized their forces and dispatched new reinforcements under the command of Bahman Jadhuyih. the Persian army is estimated to have consisted of 80,000 fighters and twenty elephants.]
  8. ↑ Ancient Persia page 360 & 361
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Frye 1975, p. 8-9.
  10. ↑ Crawford 2013, p. 134.

Sources