Muawiyah overpowered Egypt, Hijaz, Yemen and other areas.
Muawiyah's response to this argument is also interesting.
Muawiyah replied by mobilising his Levantine supporters
some have opined that this was Muawiyah's intention.
was Muawiyah's sister, to Muawiyah,
Muawiyah overpowered Egypt,
Muawiyah should not be entitled to appoint his successor
Muawiyah was extremely pleased and fulfilled his promise to him.
Muawiyah's armies used“Minjenique” machines to propel large
stones onto enemy ramparts.
Under Muawiyah's governance the Syrian army became a major military force.
trying to keep aloof from political involvement for or against Muawiyah.
convinced Abu Musa Ash'ari that both Ali and Muawiyah should step down
at the instigation of Muawiyah and died in the year 670 CE.
According to Jafri, Muawiyah hoped to either force Hasan to come to terms;
Finally, Hasan was forced to make peace and to yield the caliphate to Muawiyah.
After which, Muawiyah gave him a blank paper with his seal at the bottom,
However, Jafri says, Muawiyah knew if Hasan was defeated and killed, he
was still a threat;
Ali opened negotiations hoping to regain his allegiance, but Muawiyah insisted on Levant autonomy under his rule.
After the treaty with Hassan, Muawiyah ruled for nearly 20 years most of which were
spent expanding the state.
The arbitration resulted in the dissolution of Ali's coalition and some have opined that this was Muawiyah's intention.
Although, Ali exchanged several letters with Muawiyah, he was unable to dismiss the latter, nor persuade him to pledge allegiance.
Amr ibn al-As
convinced Abu Musa Ash'ari that both Ali and Muawiyah should step down and a new caliph be elected.
Ali opened negotiations with him with the hope of regaining his allegiance but Muawiyah insisted on Levant autonomy under his rule.
After which, Muawiyah gave him a blank paper with his seal at the bottom,
inviting Hasan to write on it whatever he desired.
The First Fitna, 656-661, followed the assassination of Uthman, continued during the caliphate of Ali,
and was ended by Muawiyah's assumption of the caliphate.
Abu Musa then proposed, and Amr agreed,
to depose both Ali and Muawiyah and submit the selection of the new caliph to a Shura.
Amr supported Muawiyah, while Abu Musa preferred his son-in-law,
Abdullah ibn Umar, but the latter refused to stand for election in default of unanimity.
Muawiyah replied by mobilising his Levantine supporters
and refusing to pay homage to Ali on the pretext that his contingent had not participated in his election.
According to Jafri, Muawiyah hoped to either force Hasan to come to terms;
or attack the Iraqi forces before they had time to strengthen their location.
In the following years, Muawiyah's army occupied many cities of Iraq, which
Ali's governors could not prevent, and people did not support him to fight with them.