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Intending
to attack the Abbasid State, the Byzantine emperor Theophilus,
along with his army, attacked and entered into the Muslim town of
Zibatra (known to the Byzantines as Sozopetra) in 837 CE. This
coastal town was one of the coastal towns from which Muslim armies'
would march in their battles against the Byzantines (Eastern
Romans).
The
Byzantine army killed all the men in the town before they raided
the neighboring town of Melitene and also attacked many fortresses.
The Byzantine army mutilated whoever fell into their hands of the
Muslims, gouged out their eyes, and cut off their ears and noses.
To make it worth, they captured more than a thousand Muslim women.
Afterward, the Byzantine army returned in a state of delight after
what they had done, and they were splendidly received by their
people.
Thus,
the horrifying news reached Caliph Al-Mu`tasim, who immediately
beat the drums of war and sent reinforcements to the people of
Zibatra under the command of `Ujayf ibn `Anbasah, who managed to
reassure the inhabitants of the city and to return them to their
homes.
Then,
Al-Mu`tasim asked, "What are the most invincible and
well-fortified town of the Romans?" The answer thus came,
"[It is] `Ammuriyah [Amorium]; it has never been attacked by
any Muslim army since the advent of Islam". Moreover, the city
was very dear to Romans.
Thereupon,
Al-Mu`tasim hastened to launch a campaign and prepare the army with
all that it might need, to the extent that it was then claimed,
"No other army has ever been prepared in that way."
Well-equipped, the army marched toward Amorium in Jumada Awwal AH
223 (April 838 CE).
After
some incidents, the armies of Al-Mu`tasim headed for Amorium and
laid strict siege to the city as of Ramadan 6, AH 223 (August 1, AH
838). As the military towers of the Muslim army surrounded the
walls of the city, Theophilus sent an envoy asking for conciliation
and apologizing for what the Byzantine army had done in Zibatra.
Through his envoy, Theophilus also vowed to rebuild the town,
return what his army had pillaged, and free the Muslim captives he
had. However, Al-Mu`tasim rejected such conciliation and even
detained the envoy until he completed the conquest of Amorium.
Then,
the battle started with skirmishes in which throwing of stones and
shooting of arrows was carried out by the two armies. This resulted
in the killing of many people. The siege could have lasted for a
longer time had it not been for an Arab captive who had been
captured by the Romans. He informed Al-Mu`tasim of a vulnerable
point in the walls. Therefore, Al-Mu`tasim ordered the Muslim army
to intensify the attacks at that point.
The
attacks continued until the walls collapsed along with the morale
of the defenders, who then despaired of the usefulness of
resistance. The Byzantine leader of the garrison was forced to
surrender. Thereupon, Al-Mu`tasim and his army entered Amorium in
Ramadan 17, AH 223 (August 12, 838 CE).
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