Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik

Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik became the Umayyad caliph after the death of his brother, Yazid II. His reign was the longest of the later Umayyads, lasting 19 years.

Hisham launched annual raids into Byzantine Anatolia, capturing several fortresses. These campaigns were costly but maintained pressure on the Byzantine Empire, though they did not achieve decisive conquest.

Hisham implemented administrative reforms to improve tax collection and centralize control over the provinces. He also invested in irrigation projects in Iraq, boosting agricultural productivity.

Umayyad forces under Hisham's reign were defeated by the Franks under Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours. This halted the northward expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate into Western Europe.