The first Umayyad caliph was

The first Umayyad caliph was Mu’awiya b. Abi Sufyān. After the assassination of the third caliph, Uthman, Mu'awiya, who was then the governor of Syria, became involved in the political struggle for leadership of the Islamic community. Eventually, he emerged as the leader of the Umayyad dynasty, which would rule the Islamic empire from 661 to 750 CE. Mu'awiya established his capital in Damascus and expanded the Islamic empire through conquests in North Africa and Central Asia. Despite some controversy surrounding his ascent to power and his rule, Mu'awiya is credited with establishing a stable and powerful Islamic state and laying the foundation for the Umayyad dynasty.