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Walaja May [?], 633
Strategic Context
After consecutive defeats at the Battles of the Chains and River, the Sassanid Persian Emperor Ardsheer sends two armies under Andarzaghar and Bahman respectively to finally defeat Khalid ibn al-Walid’s Rashidun invading force. Andarzaghar is to wait on the Plain of Walaja for Bahman’s army, then they are to combine under Bahman’s command and fight a decisive battle, overwhelming the Rashidun army. Khalid anticipates this and surprises Andarzaghar at Walaja; he plans to annihilate one Sassanid army before it can unite with the second. Andarzaghar has no choice but to give battle without Bahman’s assistance.
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Stakes
+ A Persian victory would devastate Rashidun aspirations of conquest, allowing vast Persian resources to be concentrated against them.
+ A Rashidun victory would prevent the two Persian armies from uniting, allowing Khalid to continue his conquest of Iraq.
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

2. Walaja, 633 Strength Sassanid Persians Well Rashiduns
Religiously motivated
Andarzaghar
Khalid ibn al-Walid
18,000 infantry
10,000 infantry
7,000 cavalry
5,000 cavalry
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

3. Western Eurasia c. 600

4. The battlefield consists of a flat, open plain between two low but steep ridges to the west and east. The only other feature is a smaller ridge to the north. To the northeast beyond these ridges is a barren desert and a branch of the Euphrates River.
Sassanids
(Andarzaghar)
Rashiduns
(Khalid)
0.5
1 km

5. Rashiduns Sassanid Persians
While Andarzaghar occupies himself with the counterattack, Khalid signals his cavalry to join the battle. The Rashidun cavalry scatter the stunned, uncommitted cavalry in the Persian rear, and then hit the infantry’s rear in turn. Khalid orders his rear wing infantry to envelop the Persian flanks in order to complete the encirclement.
The Rashidun attack exhausts itself while the Persians easily replenish their frontline ranks with reserves. Andarzaghar judges the time right for a general infantry counterattack, which succeeds in slowly pushing the Rashiduns back.
The horrified Persians are surrounded in a packed, tight mass and can barely draw their weapons, let alone effectively defend themselves. Andarzaghar miraculously escapes but the vast majority of his army is annihilated.
Andarzaghar does not see any sizeable Rashidun cavalry force and believes the Rashidun cavalry are either fighting dismounted or its numbers vastly over-stated by previous reports. Andarzaghar is pleased when Khalid launches a general attack to open the battle to submit to his battle plan. Combat is fierce and costly all along the line but the Sassanid front gives no ground.
Khalid deploys his infantry with their backs to a steep ridge so that they fight desperately, knowing that there is no escape. Khalid’s cavalry deploys undetected to the rear of the Persian army behind the other steep ridge. Khalid plans to pin Andarzahar frontally before enveloping his entire force. Andarzaghar deploys his army in depth, keeping ample infantry and cavalry reserves to replace losses. Andarzahar plans to wear down the smaller Rashidun force by allowing it to attack first, and then smash it with a heavy cavalry charge.
Rashiduns
(Khalid ibn al-Walid)
10,000 infantry
5,000 cavalry
Sassanid Persians
(Andarzaghar)
18,000 infantry
7,000 cavalry
Sassanid Persians
(Andarzaghar)
Sassanid Persians Rashiduns
Infantry Infantry
Cavalry Cavalry
Symbol guide
Rashiduns
(Khalid)
0.5
1 km

6. Walaja, 633 Casualties & Aftermath
Sassanid Persians:
Rashiduns:
20,000 or
80%
2,000 or
13%
Bahman quickly dispatched another Persian army under Jaban to support Bahman. Khalid attempted to defeat each one in detail as he did at Walaja but failed and was forced to fight a pitched battle at Ulais later in May against both armies, which he won nonetheless. Khalid’s Rashiduns established control over Iraq and invaded Syria in 634. While Khalid besieged Damascus, the Sassanid Persian Empire recovered under new Emperor Yazdgerd III and recaptured Iraq following the Battle of the Bridge in late 634. Another Rashidun army under Sa`d ibn Abī Waqqās invaded Iraq in 636, winning the decisive Battle of al-Qadissiyah, leading to the eventual annexation of the Sassanid Persian Empire and conflict with the Byzantine Empire.
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

7. The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps
By Jonathan Webb, 2009