-
Muhammad dies and Abu Bakr becomes the first caliph
-
Abu Bakr suppresses rebellious Arab tribes
-
Abu Bakr sends Khalid al-Walid, his best general, to conquered the Sasanian and Byzantine Empires
-
Abu Bakr dies; Umar succeeds him as the second caliph
-
The Battle of Yarmouk; The Arabs conquer the Byzantine Empire
-
Umar establishes the Muslim calendar
-
Umar is assassinated by Piruz Nahavandi, a Persian captive. Uthman becomes the third caliph.
-
A rebellion against Uthman is started and they kill him by burning him in his home. Ali becomes the fourth caliph.
-
Ali is pressured, by Ayesha, to quell the rebellion as revenge for Uthman’s death. The rebellion is put down
-
656 - The first Fitna (Islamic Civil War) Breaks out between Mu’awiya, Uthman’s extended family, and Ali.
-
Battle of Siffin
-
Mu’awiya sends ‘Amr ibn al-’As as an arbiter to reach a compromise
-
The Kharijites, a portion of his army who felt he shouldn’t have accepted the arbitration, rebel against Ali. Ali loses much territory to Mu’awiya and other forces
-
The Kharijites plan assassinations of the Islamic leaders and they fail to kill Mu’awiya, but assassinate Ali.
-
Hasan ibn Ali, Ali’s son, becomes the fifth caliph. He agrees to unify both factions and give leadership to Mu’awiya, beginning the Umayyad caliphate.