705–715).[1] During his father's reign, he led a number of military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire along the caliphate's northern frontier, including in 710/11 and the winter of 714/715.[1] Also in 714, he was appointed amir al-hajj by his father, putting him in charge of leading the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca that year.[1] Due to his high education, he was dubbed ʿalim Banū Marwān (scholar of the Marwanids), i.e. the ruling house of the Umayyad dynasty.[2][1] Bishr returned to Syria after his father's death in early 715, according to 8th/9th-century historian al-Waqidi.[3]