Battle of the Masts (Dhat al-Sawari)

The Battle of the Masts (Dhat al-Sawari, 'Battle of the Masts') in 34 AH / 655 CE was the first major Muslim naval victory in the Mediterranean, effectively destroying Byzantine naval supremacy. The Muslim fleet, commanded by Abd Allah ibn Abi Sarh, encountered the massive Byzantine fleet personally led by Emperor Constans II. The Muslims were outnumbered but chained their ships together with the Byzantine vessels and fought a boarding action as if on land. The result was a crushing Byzantine defeat — the Emperor himself had to disguise himself to escape. Byzantine naval power in the eastern Mediterranean was crippled, opening the sea to Muslim expansion. This battle is considered one of the most consequential naval battles in history, shifting the balance of Mediterranean power toward the emerging Islamic civilization.