Battle of the Bridge

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of the Bridge
partof=the Muslim conquests


caption=
date=October 634
place=At the Euphrates near Kufa, Iraq
result=Sassanid victory
combatant1=Rashidun Caliphate
combatant2=Sassanid Empire
commander1=Abu Ubaid †
commander2=Bahman (a.k.a. Mardan Shah)
strength1=9,000
strength2=10,000
casualties1=6,000
casualties2=600

The Battle of the Bridge was fought in 634 between Arab Muslims led by Abu Ubaid and the Sassanid Empire forces led by Bahman. The Sassanids were victorious.

The Muslims had won a few initial successes against the Persians which emboldened Abu Ubaid. In response the Persians sent a force led by veteran general Bahman, marching towards Hira. The army camped at Quss Natif on the east bank of the Euphrates some distance north of Hira and a little below Kufa.

When Abu Ubaid learned of the movements of the Persians, he marched the Muslim army from Hira and camped with 9,000 men on the west bank of the Euphrates at the village of Marauha. Despite the advice of his advisor Saleet bin Qais, Abu Ubaid ordered a bridge of boats thrown over the river and the Muslim army marched along the bridge on the morning of November 28, 634.

When the battle began the Muslim cavalry advanced but were confronted with the war elephants of the Persian army, leading to confusion and disarray. The Persians then advanced, killing Abu Ubaid and then the next in line of the Muslim commanders, and advancing the violence of their assault. As the retreating Muslim forces assembled under the command of Muthanna on the other side of the Euphrates, only 3,000 regrouped out of the total 9,000. Some 2,000 fell fighting, another 2,000 drowned, and some 2,000 fled to Medina and elsewhere.

Muthanna worried that, in the wake of their victory, the Persians would pursue the Muslims across the Euphrates but at that critical moment there was a revolt against Rustam at the Persian capital and Rustam recalled Bahman to Ctesiphon to help in putting down the revolt.