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Reasons for German Defeat in World War 1

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World War 1 was the first major campaign of the 20 th Century and proved to be the prelude to the most destructive war, World War 2. The war was fought between coalitions of Central Powers and Allied Powers. Germany led the Central Powers, and it was one of the most powerful Empires of that time. The German Empire was eager to start that war despite efforts by other major powers to find a peaceful solution to the crisis that originated after the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s heir, Franz Ferdinand. Germany’s impatience was due to its massive land and naval power. Germany desired to increase the area and influence of its empire by annexing other countries through its military might. However after initial gains, Germany and the Central Powers started to lose the war, and the initiative was completely lost by 1917. Top Reasons for German Defeat in WW1 There are several reasons behind the defeat of Germany in World War 1 despite having a strong military. The main rea...
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Battle of Yarmouk - Reasons for Muslim Victory Against Byzantines

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The battle of Yarmouk is regarded as the decisive battle for the Muslim conquest of Syria. The victory of the Arab army in Yarmouk (located in today’s Jordan) was a major blow to the Byzantine Empire as it ensured the eradication of Byzantine rule in the entire Levant region. The battle was fought in 636 AD between the invading forces of the Islamic Caliphate against the Byzantine Army, aided by their Arabian mercenaries. Byzantines outnumbered Muslim forces by a large number (around 150,000 as compared to 15,000 Muslims). Preparations for Byzantine forces were complete as they were well aware of the consequences of their defeat. On the other hand, Muslims also gathered their scattered armies for this important battle. Importance of the Battle of Yarmouk The reasons for such great preparations by both forces were due to the extreme significance of the Battle of Yarmouk. The importance of this battle was due to the following reasons: Before this battle, the Muslims had already con...
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Battle of Siffin - The Deadliest Battle of the First Fitna

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Battle of Siffin was the main battle of the First Fitna (First Muslim Civil War). It was fought in 657 between the fourth Rashidun Caliph Ali bin Abi Talib and Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan, the governor of Syria. The battle remained inconclusive and resulted in the demise of thousands of soldiers from both sides. This battle and its impact played an important role in diminishing Ali’s authority as caliph. Background The first Rashidun caliph, Abu Bakr, managed to crush the rebellion in the Arabian Peninsula and initiated campaigns against the Persian and Byzantine empires after the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His successor Umar continued his campaigns, resulting in the extermination of the Sassanid Empire and the conquest of the Middle Eastern parts of the Byzantine Empire. The 3 rd Caliph Usman continued the same policy during his initial six years of caliphate. But then a revolt emerged in Iraq and Egypt against Usman, resulting in his martyrdom and the appointment of Ali as t...
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Battle of Zallaqa - Halting Christian Advances in Muslim Spain

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The Battle of Zallaqa, also known as the Battle of Sagrajas, was an important battle during the Reconquista. It was fought between the Berber Muslim Almoravid dynasty and various Christian Kingdoms in Spain. The battle ended with a decisive victory for Almoravids which halted the advances of Christian forces. It is known as al-Zallaqa (slippery ground) due to the large amount of bloodshed by both armies during the battle. This was the first battle of legendary Berber Muslim commander Yusuf bin Tashfin in Spain. Background In 1031, the Caliphate of Cordoba disintegrated into several small taifa kingdoms. The Caliphate controlled almost entirely the Iberian Peninsula. However, its disintegration allowed various Christian kingdoms to start a successful Reconquista. They initially captured relatively weak taifas one by one. In 1085, Alfonso VI (king of Leon and Castile) captured Toledo in central Spain and headed towards Zaragoza. This alarmed smaller Muslim taifas and they invited...
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Battle of Ullais - The Decisive Rashidun Battle to Capture Persian Iraq

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The battle of Ullais was an important battle during the Muslim conquest of Persia. The battle was fought in Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq) near the Euphrates River. This is one of the bloodiest battles of the Muslim conquest of Persia. Almost the entire Persian army and its Arab-Christian supporters perished during the battle. The color of the river became red with the blood of Persian troops and their Arab allies. It is the reason that the battle is also known as “The Battle of Blood River.” Background Battle of Ullais was the last of the 4 battles that were fought in the first two months (April and May 633) of the Muslim campaign against Persia. Muslims remained victorious in all previous battles: Battle of Chains (April 633), Battle of River (April 633), and Battle of Walaja. The purpose of this initial engagement was to capture Hirah, the Persian provincial capital of Iraq. Like previous campaigns, Arab Christian tribes were assisting Sassanians in this battle. These tribes manag...
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Battle of Walaja - Part of the Muslim Conquest of Persian Iraq

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The Battle of Walaja was one of the initial campaigns of the Rashidun Caliphate against the Persian Sassanid Empire. In the same year 633, the Muslim army under Khalid ibn Walid had already defeated the Persians in two major battles (Battle of Chain and Battle of River). The purpose of these initial engagements was to capture the important city of Hira in modern-day Iraq. The victory in the Battle of Walaja played a major role in fulfilling this aim as Muslims defeated a strong and numerical superior (two times higher) force in this important battle. The Battle of Walaja was part of a campaign to capture Hira, an ancient city south of Kufa Preparation by Persians The defeats in the first two battles against Muslims forced Sasanian Emperor Yazdegerd III to take this campaign seriously. He ordered all his troops in garrisoned areas to amass against the invading Muslim army. Troops from different parts of the empire gathered to form two armies. Persians decided to join these armies ...
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Battle of Manzikert (1071) - The Precursor to the Crusades

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The Battle of Manzikert (1071) was a decisive and historical battle between the Seljuk Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Both these forces fought with their full might, which highlights the significance of this battle. It was fought in Anatolia (present-day Turkey) and ended with a comprehensive victory for the Seljuks. The defeat resulted in the military decline of the Byzantine Empire in Anatolia and the beginning of the Crusades. Causes and Background The Seljuk Empire was established in 1037, with its initial capital in Nishapur in today’s Iran. After establishing their control, they tried to move northwards towards Anatolia. It was a difficult time for the Byzantine Empire, which suffered few losses at the hands of the Seljuks. This resulted in a truce between the two empires in 1064.  Seljuks and Byzantine had fought before the Battle of Manzikert However, Romanos IV was eager to release pressure from Seljuks after becoming the Byzantine emperor in 1068. He initiated cam...
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