Battle of Balanjar (652)
Battle in 652 AD
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The Battle of Balanjar took place during the First Khazar-Arab War between the armies of the Khazar Khaganate and the Rashidun Caliphate, whose commanding general was Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabi'a.[1]
| Battle of Balanjar | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Arab–Khazar wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Khazar Khaganate | Rashidun Caliphate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Irbis Khagan |
Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabi'a † Salman ibn Rabi'a † Abu Hurayra | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 4,000 killed | ||||||
According to the Arab chroniclers, the Arabs captured Derbent in 642, when Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabi'a secured the surrender of the Persian governor of Derbent, Shahrbaraz.[2] Based at Derbent, Abd al-Rahman led frequent raids against the Khazars over the following years, but these were small-scale affairs, and no event of major note is recorded in the sources.[3]
In 652, despite the orders of Caliph Uthman to avoid risks, Abd al-Rahman led a major invasion north, targeting the city of Balanjar.[4] According to Al-Baladhuri and Al-Ya'qubi, however, it was his brother Salman ibn Rabi'a who led the Arab invasion.[5]
In the subsequent siege, both sides made use of catapults and ballistae.[4] After several days, the Khazar garrison launched a sortie, which coincided with the arrival of a large Khazar relief army. After Abd al-Rahman was killed, the Arabs collapsed, despite the efforts of his brother, Salman, to rally them.[6] 4,000 Arabs were killed, many fled to Derbent with Salman, while others had to conduct a fighting retreat all the way to Gilan and Jurjan.[5][6]
Abd al-Rahman's body was left behind. The Khazars reportedly kept it in a cauldron and venerated it, claiming that it could be used to bring rain or drought, and ensured victory in war.[7][5]