In this year, the governor of Samarkand, Rāfiʿ b. Lays b. Naṣr b. Sayyār, rebelled against the caliph and invited people to pledge allegiance to him. The inhabitants of his own city and many groups from those regions followed him, thus his position was strengthened. Thereupon, the governor of Khurasan, ʿAlī b. ʿĪsā, marched against him. However, Rāfiʿ defeated ʿAlī b. ʿĪsā, and thus the discord grew even greater.
Ten days before the end of the month of Rajab of this year, Hārūn al-Rashīd set out on a military expedition (ghazā) against Byzantium. He wore a cap on his head. Regarding this situation, the poet Abū'l-Muʿallā al-Kilābī composed the following poem:
"Whether in the Two Sanctuaries or at the farthest frontiers, whether one wishes to meet you or not,
Whether in the enemy’s land in tattered garments, or in prosperous lands in elevated regions; No one has ever possessed these frontiers as you have.
None of the caliphs who assumed leadership have ever protected these borders as you have."
Hārūn al-Rashīd continued on his way. He reached the city of Tuwāna and set up camp there. The Byzantine emperor Nikephoros sent him a letter declaring his submission. He also sent the tribute and poll taxes (jizya). He sent the tribute for his own son, for himself, and for all the inhabitants of his land. He pledged to pay 15,000 dinars every year. Additionally, he requested from Hārūn al-Rashīd the return of a slave girl whom the Muslims had captured. This slave girl was the daughter of the governor of Heraclea, and Nikephoros had betrothed her to his own son. Hārūn al-Rashīd sent the slave girl back with many gifts. However, he stipulated that Nikephoros must send him 300,000 dinars every year and that he must not repair or repopulate the city of Heraclea.
After this, Hārūn al-Rashīd turned back and departed. He appointed ʿUqba b. Jaʿfar to oversee military affairs.
At this time, the Cypriots broke the peace treaty. Maʿyūf b. Yaḥyā marched against them and fought with them. He took some of the Cypriots captive and killed many of them.
In this year, a man from the ʿAbd al-Qays tribe rebelled. Hārūn sent men to kill him. In this year, ʿĪsā b. Mūsā al-Hādī led the people in the pilgrimage (ḥajj).