Editing 995 (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[Arab–Byzantine wars#Byzantine resurgence, 863–11th century|Arab–Byzantine War]]: Emperor [[Basil II]] launches a counter-campaign against the [[Fatimid Caliphate]]. He leads a Byzantine expeditionary army (13,000 men) to aid the [[Hamdanid dynasty|Hamdanid]] emir [[Sa'id al-Dawla]], and crosses [[Asia Minor]] in only sixteen days. Basil lifts the [[siege]] of [[Aleppo]], and takes over the [[Orontes River|Orontes]] Valley. He incorporates [[Syria]] into the [[Byzantine Empire]] (including the larger city of [[Antioch]]) which is the seat of its [[Patriarch of Antioch|eponymous Patriarch]].<ref>[[Read, Piers Paul]] (1999). ''The Templars''. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Orion Publishing Group. {{ISBN|0-297-84267-6}}.</ref>