Battle of Tawahin

Battle of Tawahin
Part of the Abbasid–Tulunid wars
Location of the battle (small yellow star)
Date 5/6 April 885 Location Al-Tawahin (Antipatris), near Ramlah[1] Result Tulunid victory
Belligerents
Tulunids	Abbasids
Commanders and leaders
Khumarawayh Sa'd al-Aysar	Abu'l-Abbas ibn al-Muwaffaq
Strength
70,000	4,000
Casualties and losses
unknown	most of the army

The Battle of Tawahin (Arabic: وقعة الطواحين, romanized: Waqʿat al-Ṭawāhīn, lit. 'Battle of the Mills') was fought in 885 between the forces of the Abbasid Caliphate under Abu'l-Abbas ibn al-Muwaffaq (the future Caliph al-Mu'tadid) and the autonomous Tulunid ruler of Egypt and Syria, Khumarawayh. The battle took place near Ramlah (modern Israel) and ended with a Tulunid victory.

Following Khumarawayh's ascension to power in 884, the Abbasid central government decided to reassert its control over the provinces ruled by him and invaded northern Syria that year. By early 885 the conflict was proceeding favorably for the Abbasids, forcing Khumarawayh to personally take the field and try to stop their advance toward Egypt. In the battle that followed, the Abbasid troops initially defeated the Tulunids and plundered Khumarawayh's camp, but were then ambushed by a Tulunid reserve force and routed in turn.

As a result of the battle, the Abbasid forces were forced to withdraw from Syria, and Tulunid control over the province was reaffirmed. In the following year the Abbasid government agreed to a treaty which formally recognized Khumarawayh's rule over both Egypt and Syria.