Damascus

Timeline

1. 661–750Damascus · Umayyad CaliphateThe Umayyad Caliphate made Damascus its capital, building core structures such as the Umayyad Great Mosque and establishing its religious and administrative status in the Islamic world.
2. 1131–1140Damascus · SyriaUnder Burid rule Damascus faced pressure from Zengid expansion in the north; after Zeng's failed siege in 1132 the two sides reached a temporary compromise, and the city maintained its independence, continuing as a political and economic hub of the Levant.
3. 1174–1250Damascus · Ayyubid SultanateSaladin and his successors made Damascus the core of the Ayyubid regime, and the city became a key capital for confronting the crusaders and integrating Syria and Egypt.