Person:Muawiya Unknown (1)

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Muawiyah I (; 602 – 26 April 680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate. He was the first who established the Umayyad dynasty in Islam of the caliphate, and was the second caliph from the Umayyad clan, the first being Uthman ibn Affan.

Muawiyah was appointed as the Governor of Syria after his brother Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan died. In 657, Muawiya's army attacked the army of Ali ibn Abi Talib at the Battle of Siffin. After the death of Ali in 661, Muawiya's army approached that of Ali's son and successor, Hasan ibn Ali. In order to avoid further bloodshed, Hasan signed a peace treaty with Muawiyah. Muawiyah then assumed power; however, Muawiyah ended up breaking all his requirements set out by the peace treaty.

In power, Muawiyah developed a navy in the Levant and used it to confront the Byzantine Empire in the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The caliphate conquered several territories including Cyzicus which were subsequently used as naval bases.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Umayyad Dynasty, in Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Muawiyah I, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.