Battle of Ramla (970)

The Battle of Ramla (24 May 970) was fought between the forces of the Fatimid Caliphate and the Ikhshidid dynasty, near the city of Ramla in Palestine. The battle ended in a decisive Fatimid victory, allowing the Fatimids to capture Ramla and continue their conquest of the Levant.

Background

Following the Fatimid conquest of Egypt in 969, the Fatimid commander Jawhar al-Siqilli ordered the expansion of Fatimid rule into the Levant. To lead the campaign, he dispatched the Berber general Ja'far ibn Fallah, a member of the Kutama tribe, at the head of a large army composed mainly of Kutama Berbers.

At the time, Palestine was controlled by the Ikhshidid dynasty, whose governor at Ramla was Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj. The Ikhshidids acknowledged the authority of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Battle

On 24 May 970, Ja'far ibn Fallah defeated the Ikhshidid forces near Ramla. Following the victory, the Fatimid army entered the city, which was plundered for two days. Numerous inhabitants were taken captive, while the Ikhshidid governor, Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj, was captured and sent to Egypt as a prisoner.

Aftermath

The capture of Ramla secured Fatimid control over much of Palestine and opened the way for the continuation of the campaign into northern Palestine. After occupying the city, Ja'far ibn Fallah marched toward Tiberias, which was subsequently brought under Fatimid control.

References

• Daftary, Farhad (2001). Mediaeval Isma'ili History and Thought. Cambridge University Press. p. 35.