Umar al-Aqta
Encyclopedia
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Marwan (his first name also is variously rendered as ‘Amr or ‘Omar), surnamed al-Aqta’, "the one-handed", and found as Amer or Ambros in Byzantine
sources, was the Arab
emir
of Malatya
(Melitene) from the 830s until his death in battle in 863. During this time, he was one of the greatest enemies of the Byzantine Empire
on its eastern frontier.
He first appears in the sources during the 830s, when he participated in the Abbasid
campaigns against Byzantium, among them the great Arab victory over the Byzantine emperor Theophilos
(r. 829–842) at Dazimon in July 838. In the 840s he provided shelter to the surviving members of the Paulicians, who were fleeing persecution in Byzantium, and allocated them the area around Tephrike. The Paulician leader Karbeas
turned this into a separate Paulician principality, allied with 'Umar and launching frequent expeditions against Byzantium, either in conjunction with 'Umar or independently. In 844, 'Umar's forces inflicted a heavy defeat upon an army led by the Byzantine chief minister, Theoktistos
, at Mauropotamos
. After this victory, his army raided as far as the Bosporus
, and several prominent Byzantines reportedly went over to him. In the late 840s he was also engaged in warfare against a neighbouring Armenian lord named Skleros
, whom he finally vanquished after a protracted and bloody conflict.
In the 850s, he is recorded as having defeated an expedition led by the Byzantine emperor Michael III
(r. 842–867) against Samosata
, and to have carried out a number of successful raids into Byzantium. One of them swept through the themes of Thrakesion and Opsikion
and came up to the great Byzantine army base of Malagina
in Bithynia
. He was unable however to stop a retaliatory expedition launched in 856 by Petronas the Patrician against Melitene and Tephrike, which raided all the way to Amida
, taking many prisoners before returning home. In 860, along with Karbeas he launched a major raid into Anatolia
which reached the Black Sea
port of Sinope
, returning with over 12,000 heads of captured livestock. Three years later, he was part of a major Abbasid force that invaded Anatolia through the Cilician Gates
. After splitting off from the main force and repulsing a Byzantine army under Michael III at Mardj al-Usquf ("Bishop's Meadow") in Cappadocia
, 'Umar with his men headed north to sack the port city of Amisos. On his return however, he was encircled by the Byzantines and killed at the Battle of Lalakaon on 3 September 863. Only a splinter of his army escaped under his son, but was then defeated and captured by the commander of the Charsianon
district. His death marked the end of Malatya as a military threat to Byzantium, although the emirate would survive as an independent power until its conquest by the Byzantine general John Kourkouas
in 934.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
sources, was the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Malatya
Malatya
Malatya ) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of its eponymous province.-Overview:The city site has been occupied for thousands of years. The Assyrians called the city Meliddu. Following Roman expansion into the east, the city was renamed in Latin as Melitene...
(Melitene) from the 830s until his death in battle in 863. During this time, he was one of the greatest enemies of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
on its eastern frontier.
He first appears in the sources during the 830s, when he participated in the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
campaigns against Byzantium, among them the great Arab victory over the Byzantine emperor Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
(r. 829–842) at Dazimon in July 838. In the 840s he provided shelter to the surviving members of the Paulicians, who were fleeing persecution in Byzantium, and allocated them the area around Tephrike. The Paulician leader Karbeas
Karbeas
Karbeas was a Paulician leader, founder and ruler of the Paulician principality of Tephrike from ca. 843 until his death in 863.He was initially a protomandator at the service of Theodotos Melissenos, the Byzantine strategos of the Anatolic theme...
turned this into a separate Paulician principality, allied with 'Umar and launching frequent expeditions against Byzantium, either in conjunction with 'Umar or independently. In 844, 'Umar's forces inflicted a heavy defeat upon an army led by the Byzantine chief minister, Theoktistos
Theoktistos
Theoktistos was an influential senior Byzantine official during the reigns of Michael II and his son Theophilos, and regent for the underage Michael III...
, at Mauropotamos
Battle of Mauropotamos
The Battle of Mauropotamos was a battle fought in 844 between the armies of the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid Caliphate at Mauropotamos in the theme of Optimaton . The battle followed a period of inconclusive warfare along the Cilician marches and the loss of an entire Arab fleet off Cyprus...
. After this victory, his army raided as far as the Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
, and several prominent Byzantines reportedly went over to him. In the late 840s he was also engaged in warfare against a neighbouring Armenian lord named Skleros
Skleros
The Skleros or Sclerus , feminine form Skleraina/Scleraena , was a noble Byzantine family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries.-Origin and early members:...
, whom he finally vanquished after a protracted and bloody conflict.
In the 850s, he is recorded as having defeated an expedition led by the Byzantine emperor Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
(r. 842–867) against Samosata
Samosata
Samosata was an ancient city on the right bank of the Euphrates whose ruins existed at the modern city of Samsat, Adıyaman Province, Turkey until the site was flooded by the newly-constructed Atatürk Dam....
, and to have carried out a number of successful raids into Byzantium. One of them swept through the themes of Thrakesion and Opsikion
Opsikion
The Opsician Theme or simply Opsikion was a Byzantine theme located in northwestern Asia Minor . Created from the imperial retinue army, the Opsikion was the largest and most prestigious of the early themes, being located closest to Constantinople...
and came up to the great Byzantine army base of Malagina
Malagina
Malagina , in later times Melangeia , was a Byzantine district in the valley of the Sangarius river in northern Bithynia, which served as a major encampment and fortified staging area for the Byzantine army...
in Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
. He was unable however to stop a retaliatory expedition launched in 856 by Petronas the Patrician against Melitene and Tephrike, which raided all the way to Amida
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
, taking many prisoners before returning home. In 860, along with Karbeas he launched a major raid into Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
which reached the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
port of Sinope
Sinop, Turkey
Sinop is a city with a population of 36,734 on İnce Burun , by its Cape Sinop which is situated on the most northern edge of the Turkish side of Black Sea coast, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia, in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope...
, returning with over 12,000 heads of captured livestock. Three years later, he was part of a major Abbasid force that invaded Anatolia through the Cilician Gates
Cilician Gates
The Cilician Gates or Gülek Pass is a pass through the Taurus Mountains connecting the low plains of Cilicia to the Anatolian Plateau, by way of the narrow gorge of the Gökoluk River. Its highest elevation is about 1000m....
. After splitting off from the main force and repulsing a Byzantine army under Michael III at Mardj al-Usquf ("Bishop's Meadow") in Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, 'Umar with his men headed north to sack the port city of Amisos. On his return however, he was encircled by the Byzantines and killed at the Battle of Lalakaon on 3 September 863. Only a splinter of his army escaped under his son, but was then defeated and captured by the commander of the Charsianon
Charsianon
Charsianon was the name of a Byzantine fortress and the corresponding theme in the region of Cappadocia in central Anatolia .-History:...
district. His death marked the end of Malatya as a military threat to Byzantium, although the emirate would survive as an independent power until its conquest by the Byzantine general John Kourkouas
John Kourkouas
John Kourkouas , also transliterated as Kurkuas or Curcuas, was one of the most important generals of the Byzantine Empire. His successes in battle against the Muslim states in the East definitively reversed the course of the centuries-long Byzantine–Arab Wars and began Byzantium's 10th-century...
in 934.