Chapter 10: The Battle of the Masts
The Battle of the Masts:
In the year 35 AH, another major naval battle took place at Phoenix, on the coast of Lycia.
The Byzantine emperor himself was present and this battle became known as the ‘Battle of the Masts’.
It began when Emperor Constance II planned a naval attack to stop the Muslims expanding into north Africa.
The Byzantines had already suffered heavy defeats in north Africa, and their Mediterranean coastline from Rhodes to Burqa was also under Muslim control.
Constance II assembled a large navy, consisting of a thousand ships, and an unprecedented number of soldiers since the rise of Islam.
Uthman ibn Affan, who was the Caliph at the time, authorised the Muslims to confront them.
Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan appointed Busr ibn Abi Artat as commander of the Syrian fleet, and put Abdullah ibn Sa’d ibn Abi as-Sarh in charge of the Egyptian ships.
The Muslims had about two hundred ships and the army consisted of experienced soldiers, who had already defeated the Byzantines in several battles.
The two sides met near the western approaches to Alexandria. At first, the wind was against the Muslims but both sides agreed to a truce for the night and the Muslims returned to their camp, spending the night in prayer and reciting the Quran.
The next morning, fierce fighting broke out and the Byzantines were decisively defeated.
Most of the Byzantine troops were killed, their emperor was wounded and he ran away.
The Battle of the Masts was a major victory for Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan and the Muslims, as it ended the Byzantine naval supremacy at that time.