Islamic Navy From Age to Age: How Muslims Build Strong Navy?

Source: Historynet.Com

674 AD....

Muslims Navy under Yazid Ibn Muawiya entered Constantinople with many warships and they ready besieged Constantinople from sea and terrain. An Greek Poet, Theodosius Grammaticus write that Muslims Navy completed by with fire launcher ship. Though Muslims Navy defeated by Byzantine Firegun, this event was embed fear at heart of Byzantines.

Ok, today, i will discuss about Islamic Navy. How Muslim build strong navy and can became sea ruler at his age? Lets read this article, and subscribe my blog for more information about Islamic History.

Islamic s business to navy, because threat from Byzantine Empire as maritime giant at 7 TH Century. Muslims, at era of Rashidun Caliphate, make Coastal Of Syria and Egypt as Navy s center. And, at 655, according Greek Cronichle that written by Theopanes, Muslims Navy under Muawiyya Ibn Abi Sufyan, plan to attack Constantinople, Capital Of Byzantine Empire and they faced Byzantine Navy at Phoenix, Lycia. Battle broke and Byzantine Navy destroyed. This event, at Islamic Sources, called Battle Of Masts / Dhat Al-Sawari. Byzantine Emperor escaped from Muslims Army. Unfortunately, Muawiya doesnt use this chance to occupied Constantinople. At 674 AD,  at era of Umayyad Dynasty, according notes of Theodosius, Muslims Army under Yazid Ibn Muawiya attack Constantinople with fire launcher ships and fast warships. But, they defeated because Byzantine Empire us Greekfire for burn Muslim s ships.  At 716-717 AD, Muslims Army under Maslama Ibn Abdul Malik, and also completed with big navy, attack Constantinople. According Chronichle Of Theopanes. King Leo III , Byzantine Emperor can burn Muslims Ships with his burner ships. And, Muslims Army forced retreat from Constantinople.

This event, not make Muslim Weakened for build maritime s power.   But, at era of Abbasid Dynasty, marytime s spirit small weakened. They next their struggle build maritime power for protect their territories. Abbasid Dynasty, Umayyad Dynasty  s successor more focus to build terrain army for prevent Byzantine s attack to Syria from terrain way. At era of Fathimid Dynasty that at his golden age, his territories stretches from North Africa to Palestine, marytime s spirit back.  Caliph Al-Qaim from Fathimid Dynasty  ( 934-946 AD) can build strong navy. At his era, Fathimid Dynasty held invasion to Noth Coastal Of France and occupied City Of Genova at Italia and all Coastal Of Calabria.  At Sicilia, Italia, also appear Islamic Maritime State, Caliphate Of Aghlabid that  10 TH Century, do maritime expeditions to Terrain Of Italia and became scourge of European.

At 12 TH Century, Prime Port-Cities at Palestine and Syria that ruled by Fathimid Dynasty fall into hands of Crusaders who came to Middle East for captured Palestine from Muslims Goverment. Maritime s spirit outages at this era, resistances that launched by Muslim Goverment such as Zengid Dynasty more use terrain attack.  Beetwen 1187-1191 AD, Ayyubid Dynasty cause maritime s spirit by use navy to resistance Crusader under King Richard The Lionheart that came for captured Acre, Palestine.  And, at 1291 AD, Crusader s  occupation at Middle East s coastal ended and Crusader s last basic such as Acre, Sidon, Beirut, and Athlith occupied by Muslims Army. Crusader Kingdom moved to Cyprus , that conquest by Mameluke Dynasty s navy at 1424-1426 AD. Unfortunately, Mameluke Dynasty not have many time for flow his navy because must faced Mongols attack under Tamerlane  to Syria at 15 TH Century.

Muslims Navy s spirit, succesed by Ottoman Dynasty.  Ottoman Dynasty make his navy at  their Coastal Cities, such as Istanbul, Izmit, Sinop, and Gelobolu. According Historian Mehmet Maksudoglu, Ottoman Turks before Siege Of Constantinople have 350 ships and at 1453, when they conquer Constantinople, Navy play important role for faced EuropeanWarships that help Constantinople.  At 1538 AD, Ottoman Navy can defeat European Coalition Navy at Battle Of Preveza.

Unfortunately, at 20 TH Century, Ottoman Dynasty that entered his old age fall because defeated at  World War I. At World War I, Ottoman Dynasty is weak state, until they must depend to German  for get navy. At this era, Ottoman Dynasty weakened because many Turkish People far from Islam and they more near with liberalism.

Important, this conclusion, it is golden history of Islam. When Islam became  our handle, we can grasping the sea. Now, we must back make Islam as our handle, same Islam that make our ancestor success at terrain and sea.

Refrences:
Kennedy, Hugh: Penaklukkan Muslim Yang Mengubah Dunia, Penerbit Alvabet, 2019 M.

Hitti, Philip.K: History Of The Arabs: Rujukan Induk dan Paling Otoritatif Tentang Sejarah Peradaban Islam, Penerbit Serambi, 2006 M.

Maksudoglu, Prof. Dr.Mehmet: The Untold History Of Ottoman: Menelusuri Jejak Daulah Islamiyah Terbesar di Dunia dan Pemerintahannya, Pustaka Al-Kautsar, 2023 M.