The Battle of the Trench, also known as the Battle of the Confederates, is a fortnight-long siege of Yathrib (now Medina) by Arab and Jewish tribes.
The strength of the confederate armies is estimated around 10,000 men with six hundred horses and some camels, while the Medinan defenders numbered 3,000.
The battle begins on March 31, 627.The largely outnumbered defenders of Medina, mainly Muslims led by Islamic prophet Muhammad, dig a trench, which together with Medina's natural fortifications, renders the confederate cavalry (consisting of horses and camels) useless, locking the two sides in a stalemate.
Hoping to make several attacks at once, the confederates persuade the Medina-allied Banu Qurayza, a Jewish tribe, to attack the city from the south.
However, Muhammad's diplomacy derails the negotiations, and breaks up the confederacy against him.
The well-organized defenders, the sinking of confederate morale, and poor weather conditions cause the siege to end in a fiasco.The siege is a "battle of wits", in which the Muslims tactically overcome their opponents while suffering very few casualties.
Efforts to defeat the Muslims fail, and Islam becomes influential in the region.
As a consequence, the Muslim army besieges the neighborhood of the Banu Qurayza tribe, leading to their unconditional surrender.The defeat causes the Meccans to lose their trade and much of their prestige.
