Battle·Umayyad
Battle of Marj Rahit Secures Umayyad Syria
- Date
- August 684 CE65 AH1,342 years ago
- Place
- Marj Rahit, near Damascus
- People
- Marwan I, Al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Fihri
The Battle of Marj Rahit took place near Damascus in August 684. Marwan I, backed by the Yemeni Kalb tribes, defeated the Qays forces led by al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Fihri. Al-Dahhak was killed in the fighting. The victory secured Umayyad control of Syria during the Second Fitna, the civil war against Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca.
Why it matters
The victory secured Syria for the Umayyads and set the path for their victory in the civil war against Ibn al-Zubayr.