Battle·Umayyad
Second Arab Siege of Constantinople
- Date
- 717 CE99 AH1,309 years ago
- Place
- Constantinople
- People
- Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik, Leo III
An Umayyad army under Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik besieged Constantinople from August 717 CE. Byzantine emperor Leo III used Greek fire against the Arab fleet, and the city's walls held. A harsh winter and disease weakened the besiegers. Bulgarian forces attacked the Arab army from the north. The siege ended in August 718 CE, and the Arab army withdrew.
Why it matters
The failure ended Arab hopes of taking Constantinople, and the city remained the Byzantine capital for more than seven centuries.