The most notable military event in Sulaiman's brief reign of two and a half years was the third siege of Constantinople, which lasted a whole year, 716-7. The massive operation involved an army of 80,000 men accompanied by 1,800 ships under the control of Maslama bn Malik, a brilliant soldier and a brother of the caliph. Eventually, the Muslim army could not conquer the well fortified land.
Back in Damascus, Sulaiman died in 717. Although he left brothers and sons, he had nominated as his successor his cousin, 'Umar [II] bn Abdul-Azeez, who ordered the abandonment of the siege and return of the army to Syria. This was the last major expedition of the Umayyads against the Byzantines, although minor skirmishes continued across the frontiers.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited