The Umayyad Siege of Constantinople (2)
I have outlined the plot of my upcoming article, which will focus on the joint attack on the Byzantine capital by the forces of the Syrian army and the caliphate fleet. The Arab siege of Constantinople lasted approximately 13 months, from July 717 to August 718. The article will be divided into the following sections: A: The Umayyad Caliphate B: Pre-war Byzantine C: Preparations D: The Grand Invasion E: Negotiations F: Leo the Gambler G: The siege H: The Bitter Winter I: Reinforcements J: Lifting the siege K: The Aftermath The first two parts will describe the Umayyad Caliphate and Byzantium on the brink of war. The next two sections will discuss the Arab preparations for the invasion and the beginning of military activities. Sections five and six will focus on the negotiations between the main characters: General Maslama of the Syrian army and his Byzantine counterpart, General Leo the Isaurian, who later ascended the throne as Leo III. Sections seven a...