Commander · c. 573 to 664
Amr ibn al-As
Conquered Egypt between 640 and 642 and founded Fustat, the camp city that grew into Cairo. Later he sided with Muawiya and represented him at the arbitration after Siffin.
At a glance
- Lived
- c. 573 to 664
- Role
- Commander
- Era
- Abu Bakr and Umar: the great conquests
- Chapter
- 1. The Rightly Guided Caliphs
Battles
- 641Siege of Alexandria
City surrendered by treaty. With Alexandria gone, Egypt and its grain passed to the caliphate.
- 657Battle of Siffin
Ended in arbitration. When Ali's side was gaining, Syrian soldiers raised pages of the Quran on their spears.
Amr ibn al-As's world
644: Abu Bakr and Umar: the great conquests
Within twelve years the Muslims defeated both superpowers of the age. Byzantium lost Syria at Yarmouk and Egypt soon after. Persia lost Iraq at Qadisiyyah and its heartland at Nahavand. Jerusalem surrendered in 637 and Umar came in person to accept it.
People of the same era
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