Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium.

Episode 59.

Why did the Arabs win?

Part 4.

The Conquest Society.

Last time we looked at some of the factors which led the Arabs to take over political control

of the fertile crescent.

It's still a mystery how exactly the armies were formed which could topple both the Byzantines

and the Sassanids within such a short space of time.

Once victorious though we are on firmer ground in understanding how the Arabs kept winning.

You already know the narrative from a Roman perspective so let's just briefly add the

Sassanid side of the story.

People recalled that after Kusro the Second was murdered during the war with Heraclius,

a series of civil wars rocked the Persians until Yazdegard III.

Kusro's grandson became King of Kings in 632.

He was only 13 years old when the shocking defeat at Al-Qaeda's seahe took place.

After the battle the King was whisked northwards and the wealthy citizens of Tessiphon followed

behind him desperate to get away before the victorious Arabs arrived at the gates.

The King fled across the Zagros mountains to Medea while the remnants of his army gathered

at the fortress of Jalula in the foothills.

Once again their army was beaten by the Arabs and routed.

Iraq now lay defenseless before the Muslims.

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