15 juin 736 - Leo IV entered Antioch

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When The Emperor and his forces crossed the Cilician Gate headed for Tarsus and Adana, The local Emir didn’t even pretend he could resist, they both fled to Antioch, and the population of the city threw their gates open to the Emperor’s advancing army. Leo organized militias of local Christians to as the local garrison of occupied area, then the Emperor moved on.

Antioch had tall walls, many towers and even an inner fortress the local army could retreat into that all made it a difficult target. However, according to Leo IV's personal military diary, a man named Sulayman ibn Yazid was fleeing into the city with its Bedawi tribesmen, he is a supporter of Ja'far al-Sadiq and Muhammad_al-Baqir and tried to establish them as caliph but eventully failed and being chased by suppoter of another caliph pretender, facing the Imperial army, Sulayman ordered the gates opened, and personally led a welcome party out to greet the Emperor. During the meeting, Sulayman claimed he were a mere caretaker until the Emperor retook what was rightfully his, while the city was property of the Emperor and would stood open to him.

On June 15, 736 the Emperor offically entered Antioch, and was greeted by a crowd of cheering Christians who had spontaneously turned out to behold the ruler of the Christian world. He was greeted at the gates by the Patriarch of the city and rode with him to the citadel.

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