The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad.

It was the largest empire in the world at the time. It is the fifth largest empire in history.

It was ruled by the Umayyad Dynasty (Arabic: بنو أمية, Banu Umayyah) who came from Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. Damascus was the capital from 661–744, Harrran from 744–750, and in exile their capital was Córdoba (756–1031).