652 Conquest of Armenia.
654 Conquest of Rhodes.
655 Defeat of the emperor Constans by the Mohammedans in naval battle off Mt. Phœnix in Lycia.
656 Murder of Othman by a party in opposition to the growing worldliness of Islam. Ali, of the opposition, and son-in-law of Mohammed, succeeds. Battle of the Camel. Ali victorious over his opponents. Moawiyah, governor of Syria, heads the opponents of Ali, and incites them to revenge.
657 Ali invades northern Syria. Battle of Siffin. The theocratic faction rebels against Ali.
658 Decision of the umpires, Ali and Moawiyah; the latter wins. Peace made with the Byzantine Empire. Egypt conquered for Moawiyah.
660 Truce between Ali and Moawiyah, dividing the caliphate into the East and West divisions.
661 Kharejite conspiracy to murder Ali, Moawiyah, and Amru. The former alone falls. His son Hassan succeeds, but abdicates in favour of Moawiyah.
THE OMAYYAD DYNASTY (661-750 A.D.)
661 Moawiyah at head of the reunited caliphate. The opposition to him is gradually reduced. The capital is removed to Damascus.