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Emperors 
Capture of Babylon |
year: 64021 December 640 |
| The Arabs captured the key fortress of Babylon in Egypt | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
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enemy: Arabs
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location: In modern Coptic Cairo, in Egypt
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accuracy:
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battle type: Fort Capture |
war: Muslim Conquest of Egypt |
modern country:
Egypt |
| ▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Heraclius) | ▼ The Enemies | |
| Commander: | Theodore | Amr ibn al-As |
| Forces: | ||
| Losses: |
| Background story: |
| Muslim General Amr ibn al-As defeated the Byzantine army at Heliopolis, then besieged the heavily fortified citadel of Babylon, near modern Cairo. The castle was upon the eastern bank of the Nile, at the boundary between Lower and Middle Egypt, where the river boats had to pay tolls when ascending or descending the Nile. The fort was a massive structure 18m high with walls more than 2m thick and studded with numerous towers and bastions. Despite treacherous negotiations between the Arabs and Cyrus, Patriarch of Alexandria, the citadel held out, until the death of Emperor Heraclius ended any hope of relief. |
The Battle: |
 Babylon fortress in 19th cent. Theodore, the Greek military commander of Egypt, and his men managed to slip away to the island of Rauda during the night. After the capture of Babylon, the road to Alexandria was open. |
Aftermath: |
| After Babylon, the road to Alexandria and to the rest of Egypt was open. The remaining Byzantine forces in Egypt were heading to Alexandria struggling, at the same time, to delay the march of the Arabs. |
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