Muawiyah

The Battle of Siffin (657 CE) was a major confrontation between Caliph Ali and Muawiyah that ended with controversial arbitration, marking a turning point that led to the emergence of the Kharijites and deepening sectarian divisions.

Founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate (602-680 CE), who served as governor of Syria for twenty years before establishing the first hereditary Islamic dynasty.

The Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE) was the first major Islamic dynasty, ruling from Damascus and expanding the Islamic empire from Spain to Central Asia through unprecedented territorial growth and administrative innovation.