By 642 AD Islam had spread throughout the Middle-East and a Muslim nation known as the Rashidun Caliphate had been established with their capital being based in Medina, Arabia. The Rashidun Caliphate attempted to invade Nubia with an army of 20,000 Arab soldiers.
The Kingdom of Makuria defeated them due to their superior military tactics which included use of bow and arrows. The Nubians had been known for thousands of years as skillful archers in fact the area had been named the ‘Land of the Bow’. The Arab invading army were to experience the stunning precision of the Nubian archers first hand and suffer a devastating defeat as the Nubians of Makuria used horses and archers to launch attacks at incredible speed limiting the Arabs to form any coherent or lasting retaliation. The Arab army was defeated and they withdrew and a peace treaty between the two nations.