, until they consumed everything save the very earth itself. Such was their plight until word reached them that Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik had died and ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz had assumed the caliphate; only then did they turn back toward Syria, after having endured the severest hardship (1). Maslama, however, would not depart until he had erected a mosque in the city (2)—a solid, well-fortified structure, spacious in its courtyard and towering toward the sky.

[Al-Wāqidī said: When Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik became caliph he planned to reside in Bayt al-Maqdis and dispatch the armies on to Constantinople. Mūsā ibn Nuṣayr advised him first to seize the surrounding towns, rural districts, and forts all the way to the city, so that he would arrive only after their strongholds had been demolished and their power weakened; once that was done nothing would remain to bar his way, and they would have no choice but to surrender the city to him. Sulaymān then consulted his brother Maslama, who counseled him to ignore the outlying territory and capture the capital itself by force, for once it fell the remainder of the towns and fortresses would inevitably submit.

Sulaymān answered, “That is the sound plan.” He thereupon began outfitting the armies of Syria and al-Jazīrah, equipping one hundred and twenty thousand fighting men for the land campaign and one hundred and twenty thousand for the naval campaign. He distributed stipends, expended vast sums upon them, and informed them that their mission was to march against Constantinople and remain there until it was taken. Sulaymān then travelled from Bayt al-Maqdis to Damascus, where the troops had already assembled, and appointed his brother Maslama as their commander.

He said: “Set out with the blessing of Allah. Fear Allah, be patient, counsel one another sincerely, and treat one another justly.” Sulaymān advanced until he encamped at Marj Dābiq, where further volunteers seeking Allah’s reward joined him, so that an army the like of which had never been seen gathered beneath his banner. He ordered Maslama to march with the troops, taking with him Ilyūn the Greek of Marʿash. They proceeded until they reached Constantinople and laid siege to it. The ordeal became intense, and the inhabitants offered to pay jizya, but Maslama insisted on conquering the city by storm.

They said, “Send Ilyūn to us so that we may consult him,” and he sent him.

They said to Ilyūn, “Drive these armies away from us, and we will enrich you and make you our ruler.”

Ilyūn returned to Maslama and said, “They agree to open the city, but they will not do so until you withdraw from them.”

Maslama replied, “I fear your treachery.” Ilyūn swore that he would hand over the keys of the city and all that it contained. When Maslama withdrew, the Byzantines set about repairing the breaches in their walls and preparing for a prolonged siege, and Ilyūn betrayed the Muslims—may Allah disgrace him.] (3)

Ibn Jarīr (4) said: In this same year Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik took the pledge that his son Ayyūb would succeed him as caliph. This was after the death of his brother Marwān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān, whereupon he set aside his brother Yazīd and nominated his own son instead.