The Arab–Byzantine wars Hostile_encounter were a series of wars Hostile_encounter between the mostly Arab Muslims and the Byzantine Empire between the 7th and 11th centuries AD , started Process_start during the initial Muslim conquests under the expansionist Rashidun and Umayyad caliphs in the 7th century and continued by their successors until the mid-11th century .

over the next fifty years , under the umayyad caliphs , the arabs would launch Military_operation repeated raids Attack into unk asia minor , twice besiege Besieging the byzantine capital of constantinople , and conquer Conquering the byzantine exarchate of africa .