Timeline wip (Fidem Pacis)

== AD 628-633 - the events surrounding the point of divergence==

628
===629 ===
 * The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah is signed, temporarily ending the conflict between the Muslims of Medina and the Banu Quraysh of Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad settles down to consider his next move.
 * Muhammad decides to sends envoys to several foreign leaders and heads of state. He wishes to explain his beliefs and urge the rulers to submit themselves to God.
 * Munzir ibn Sawa of Bahrain converts to Islam. Many of the Arabs and Persians of the Gulf coast follow his example.
 * The Negus of Ethiopia receives an envoy. Although he, like his predecessor, is sympathetic to Islam, and there is already a sizeable Muslim community in his lands, he chooses not to respond.
 * A letter is sent to Shahanshah Khusrau II of Persia, but is intercepted by the complex Persian bureaucracy. Khusrau however is angered by the message, ordering the letter to be destroyed.
 * Khusrau is overthrown and killed by his son, Kavadh, who immediately withdraws from Syria and Egypt and begins peace negotiations with the Romans.
 * Kavadh dies and is succeeded by Ardashir.


 * The Muslims make their first pilgrimage to Mecca, after the peace of the previous year. The Quraysh leave the city for three days in an attempt to avoid conflict.
 * Roman forces retake Jerusalem from the Persians. The True Cross is restored.
 * Harith Al-Gassani, the new governor of Syria, rejects Muhammad’s message and executes the envoy. In retribution, his adopted son Zayd ibn Harithah leads a raid against Syria but is defeated and killed near the village of Mu’tah.

630

 * The Quraysh break the terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Muhammad conquers Mecca.
 * Cyrus becomes the new Patriarch of Alexandria and temporary governor of Egypt.
 * Cyrus receives an envoy from Muhammad. Although he does not convert, he does send a reply along with gifts. However, he also alerts the Emperor Heraclius to the possible threat brewing in Arabia.
 * Heraclius sends spies to Mecca to investigate the new religion.
 * Ardashir is overthrown and killed by his general Shahrbaraz, who is in turn overthrown by Purandokht. Several more pretenders and usurpers follow over the next few years.

631

 * ·           Muhammad sends an envoy to Constantinople. Heraclius meets privately with the envoy and begins to question his faith in Christ.

632

 * ·           Heraclius decides to personally travel incognito to Mecca, leaving his son Constantine as regent. He arrives in time to witness Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon, and converts to Islam on the spot.
 * ·           Muhammad dies. With Heraclius’ encouragement, Ali asserts his right to the caliphate and spends the rest of the year subduing rebellions. Heraclius remains in Mecca studying Islam.
 * ·           Yazdegerd ascends to the throne of Persia, finally bringing stability to an empire that was on the verge of collapse. He immediately sets about removing any other possible pretenders.

633

 * ·           Heraclius returns by land to Constantinople, along with an army of missionaries. The Monophysite Christians of Syria and Egypt gradually begin to convert to the new religion, which is already quite close to their existing beliefs.
 * ·           Macedonius, the Patriarch of Antioch, is deposed for speaking out against Islam. He is replaced by Sophronius, the incumbent Patriarch of Jerusalem.
 * ·           Macedonius flees to Greece, where he begins stirring up unrest. Ecumenical Patriarch Sergius calls for a council to be held the following year to find a solution to the dispute.

Section heading
Write the second section of your page here.