Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Walid

Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Walid (Arabic: عبد العزيز بن الوليد‎; died 728/9) was a member of the Umayyad dynasty and a military leader in the wars against the Byzantine Empire.

He was a son of the Caliph al-Walid I (reigned 705–715).^[1] He led in his first campaign against the Byzantines in Asia Minor in 709, when he captured a fortress, although his uncle Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik led the main raid of the year afterwards.^[2] In 710 he led the main Umayyad attack, although under the auspices of Maslamah as commander-in-chief for the Byzantine front,^[3] and in 713 he led an attack against the frontier fortress of Gazelon.^[4]

In 714/5, his father the Caliph attempted to reverse the succession arrangement, by which the throne would pass to his brother Sulayman, in favour of Abd al-Aziz, but was unable to impose his will.^[1] When Sulayman in turn died in 717, Abd al-Aziz intended to claim the throne, but upon learning that Umar II had been chosen as caliph, he presented himself before him and acknowledged his rule.^[1] Abd al-Aziz died in Anno Hegirae 110 (728/729 CE).^[1]

References

1. Zetterstéen (1986), p. 58
2. Lilie (1976), pp. 118–119
3. Lilie (1976), p. 119
4. Lilie (1976), p. 121

Sources

• Lilie, Ralph-Johannes (1976). Die byzantinische Reaktion auf die Ausbreitung der Araber. Studien zur Strukturwandlung des byzantinischen Staates im 7. und 8. Jhd. (in German). Munich: Institut für Byzantinistik und Neugriechische Philologie der Universität München.
• Zetterstéen, K.V. (1986). "ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn al-Walīd". The Encyclopedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume I: A–B. Leiden and New York: BRILL. p. 58. ISBN 90-04-08114-3.