Battle of the Masts

E372748

The Battle of the Masts was a decisive 7th-century naval clash in which the early Muslim Rashidun Caliphate defeated the Byzantine fleet, marking a turning point in Mediterranean maritime power.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Battle of the Masts canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
naval battle
alsoKnownAs Battle of Phoenix
associatedPolity Caliph Uthman ibn Affan’s reign
belligerent Byzantine Empire
Rashidun Caliphate
century 7th century
chronologicalOrderInConflict early major naval engagement of Arab–Byzantine wars
commander Abu al-Awar
Emperor Constans II
surface form: Constans II
conflictOf Arab–Byzantine wars
surface form: Rashidun–Byzantine Wars
date circa 655
era Late Antiquity
early Islamic period
followedBy continued Arab–Byzantine naval conflicts
foughtBetween Rashidun Caliphate
surface form: early Muslim Rashidun Caliphate and Byzantine Empire
historicalSignificance contributed to long-term Arab control of parts of the eastern Mediterranean
marked the emergence of a Muslim fleet in the Mediterranean
involvedRuler Emperor Constans II
surface form: Constans II
languageOfName English
locatedInPresentDay Turkey
navalTheater Mediterranean Sea
notableFor expansion of early Muslim naval power
first major Muslim naval victory over Byzantines
weakening of Byzantine naval supremacy
opposingCommander Abu al-Awar
Emperor Constans II
surface form: Constans II
outcome decisive Muslim naval victory
partOf Arab–Byzantine wars
Muslim conquest of the Levant
place Eastern Mediterranean
surface form: eastern Mediterranean Sea

near Phoenix in Lycia
off the coast of Lycia
predecessorEvent Muslim conquest of Egypt
Muslim conquest of the Levant
surface form: Muslim conquest of Syria
primaryWeapon boarding tactics
warships
region Eastern Mediterranean
surface form: eastern Mediterranean
religiousContext conflict between Christian Byzantine Empire and Muslim Rashidun Caliphate
result Rashidun Caliphate victory
tacticalFeature ships lashed together for boarding
turningPointIn Arab–Byzantine wars
surface form: Arab–Byzantine naval warfare

Mediterranean maritime power balance
typeOfWarfare naval warfare
year 655

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Arab–Byzantine wars hasPart Battle of the Masts
Battle of the Masts (655) alsoKnownAs Battle of the Masts
Arab naval forces notableBattle Battle of the Masts