al-Walid I.

Dinar of al-Walid I in the Numismatic Museum of Athens

al-Walid I. ( Arabic الوليد بن عبد الملك al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik , * 668 ; † 23 February 715 in Damascus ) was the sixth caliph of the Umayyad ( 705 - 715 ).

Life

al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik succeeded his father Abd al-Malik (685-705) on October 8, 705 . During his reign, the rule of the Umayyads was further consolidated, relying on the proven governors of his father (including al-Hajjaj ).

The caliphate reached its greatest extent under al-Walid . Thus, in the west, the direction of the Maghreb was completed and the conquest of the Visigothic empire was initiated under Tariq ibn Ziyad in 711 . In the east of the empire Sindh and the Indus valley were subjugated under Muhammad ibn al-Qasim (711) and Transoxania under Qutaiba ibn Muslim (since 712). In addition to securing the Caucasus regions against the incursions of the Khazars (711–713), successes against Byzantium were also achieved. The campaign against Constantinople prepared by al-Walid was only carried out under his successor Sulayman (715-717).

Umayyad mosque

For pilgrims and travelers he promoted the construction of roads, especially to Mecca , the construction of wells, hostels and hospices. Under him, the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus was built as the largest Islamic sacred building (707–715) and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina was expanded (707). The completion of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem between 706 and 717 probably falls during his reign. This extensive construction work was a heavy burden for the population. The construction of the Umayyad mosque in Damascus is said to have devoured 5.6 million gold dirhams. Al-Walid died on February 23, 715.

additional

al-Walid I is mentioned in the national anthem of Syria .

literature

• Heinz Halm (Hrsg.): History of the Arab world. Founded by Ulrich Haarmann. 3rd expanded edition. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-406-38113-8 , ( Beck's historical library ).
• Julius Wellhausen : The Arab Empire and its fall . Reimer, Berlin 1902, (Reprint: 2nd unchanged edition. De Gruyter, Berlin 1960).

predecessor	Office	successor
Abd al-Malik	Umayyad Caliph 705–715	Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik