Dynasty·Umayyad
Umayyad Caliphate Established
- Date
- 661 CE41 AH1,365 years ago
- Place
- Damascus
- People
- Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, Yazid ibn Muawiya
Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, governor of Syria, was proclaimed caliph in 661 CE (41 AH). He made Damascus the capital of the caliphate. The Umayyad dynasty ruled until 750. Muawiya made the caliphate hereditary by naming his son Yazid as his successor. Under the Umayyads, the Islamic state expanded from Spain to Central Asia.
Why it matters
Damascus became the seat of a dynasty that ruled a large empire, and hereditary succession became the norm.