▁from ▁the ▁sea ▁during ▁the ▁Arab - By z antine ▁Wars , ▁in ▁ 6 4 9 ▁Mu aw iy ah ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁n avy , ▁which ▁was ▁man ned ▁by ▁Mon oph ys ite ▁Christians , ▁Co pts , ▁and ▁Jacob ite ▁Sy rian ▁Christian ▁sail ors ▁and ▁Muslim ▁troops . ▁ ▁Mu aw i ya ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁realize ▁the ▁full ▁importance ▁of ▁having ▁a ▁n avy ; ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁the ▁By z antine ▁fleet ▁could ▁sail ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁uno pp osed , ▁the ▁coast lines ▁of ▁Sy ria , ▁Palest ine ▁and ▁Egypt ▁would ▁never ▁be ▁safe . ▁Mu aw iy ah , ▁along ▁with ▁Ad bul lah ▁ibn ▁Sa ' d , ▁the ▁new ▁governor ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁successfully ▁persu aded ▁U th man ▁to ▁give ▁them ▁permission ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁large ▁fleet ▁in ▁the ▁dock y ards ▁of ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Sy ria . ▁The ▁first ▁real ▁naval ▁eng agement ▁between ▁the ▁Muslim ▁and ▁the ▁By z antine ▁n avy ▁was ▁the ▁so - called ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁M asts ▁( D hat ▁al - s aw ari ), ▁or ▁Battle ▁of ▁Phoenix , ▁off ▁the ▁Ly cian ▁coast ▁in ▁ 6 5 5 , ▁where ▁the ▁resulting ▁Muslim ▁victory ▁opened ▁up ▁the ▁Mediter rane an . ▁Mu aw iy ah ▁I ▁came ▁to ▁power ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Ali ▁and ▁established ▁a ▁dynast y . ▁ ▁Historical ▁significance ▁ ▁The ▁Um ay y ad ▁cal i ph ate ▁was ▁marked ▁both