Describe the events of one of the following battles: • Battle of Qadisiyya • Battle of Yarmuk.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] 4(a) Mark according to the marking grid for AO1 – Knowledge, given on page 4. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
2. [10] 4(a) Candidates need to choose any one battle from the two given which were fought in the caliphate of 'Umar.
3. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: This battle was fought in the year 636. The Persians prepared to fight the Muslims to avenge their defeat at Buwayb.
4. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: The Muslim commander was Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas with an army of 12,000. Some accounts put the figure at 30,000. Sa'd was ill at the time and commanded the army from his sick bed.
5. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: Muslim accounts say that a delegation was sent to Yazdegerd inviting him to accept Islam, pay jizya or prepare for war. The arrogant emperor was contemptuous of the Arabs and refused the first two options.
6. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: A stand-off lasted three months with skirmishes on border settlements which the Muslims won. Desertions and defections in the Persian side led to Rustam blocking the channel and crossing over to attack the Muslims.
7. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: The Muslim army had been reinforced by this time. Sa'd using tactical methods and clever strategies was able to break the Persian army. On the third day Rustam was killed as he tried to swim to safety and the Persians were routed.
8. [10] 4(a) Battle of Qadisiyya: Two-thirds of the Persian army was killed, and the Muslims lost a fifth of their men in this battle.
9. [10] 4(a) The Battle of Yarmuk: This battle was fought in the summer of 636 between the Byzantines and the Muslims.
10. [10] 4(a) The Battle of Yarmuk: Heraclius organised a massive army in the Golan Heights when reports of the fall of Damascus and defeat at Fihl and Homs reached him. He was determined to recover Palestine for Christian rule.
11. [10] 4(a) The Battle of Yarmuk: To retain their gains Muslim forces also assembled in the Golan Heights under Khalid ibn Waleed, Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah, Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan and Amr ibn al 'Aas.
12. [10] 4(a) The Battle of Yarmuk: Negotiations between the two armies were held in which the Byzantines tried to convince the Muslims to leave Syria and offered them large bribes to do so. Khalid gave the Byzantines the 3 options: accept Islam, pay jizya or battle.
13. [10] 4(a) The Battle of Yarmuk: The war strategies of the Muslim commanders paid off and the battle lasted six days. By the afternoon of the sixth day only one-third of the Byzantine army remained, the rest had been killed or fled. The Muslim loss of life was 3000 men besides those who were severely wounded.
14. [4] 4(b) Mark according to the marking grid for AO2 – Understanding, given on page 5. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
15. [4] 4(b) It could be said that the Battle of Qadisiyya was significant for the Muslim empire as it was a decisive battle in the history of Islam. This battle shattered the strength of the Persians' capital and many people of the conquered areas accepted Islam and following it peace followed for a while in the empire.
16. [4] 4(b) If candidates choose the Battle of Yarmuk it could be said that it was significant for the Muslims as the power of the Byzantines was completely crushed in this battle and the Muslims were able to subdue other cities of Syria and that with the outcome of this battle Heraclius withdrew from Syria and moved his capital to Constantinople. This withdrawal was significant because it allowed the Muslims to become dominant in Syria and paved the way for the conquest of Jerusalem.