Bellringer: 3/9 and 3/10
• 1. Pick up the papers by the door.
• 2. Make sure your notebook is organized for the
Notebook Quiz today.
• 3. Have out something to write with.
• 4. Make the following ToC updates:
– 110: Notes: Islamic Civs. (Umayyads, Abbasids)
– 111: PS Activity: Islamic Art and Architecture
– 112: Notebook Quiz (76-100)
After your quiz:
• 1. Make the following ToC updates:
– 110: Notes: Islamic Civs. (Umayyads,
Abbasids)
– 111: PS Activity: Islamic Art and
Architecture
– 112: Notebook Quiz (76-100)
• 2. Write down your HW:
– Read pages 317-326 in your textbook
Agenda:
• 1. Bellringer
• 2. Notebook Quiz (76-100)
• 3. Notes: Islamic Civilizations (Umayyad
and Abbasids)
• 4. Primary Source Analysis: Islamic Art
and Architecture
Recap: Main Tenets of
Islam
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Founder?
Supreme being?
Holy text?
Holy guidelines?
Place of origin?
Islam after Muhammad’s
Death
• 4 “Rightly Guided Caliphs”
• Ali’s death = chaos
• Sunni vs. Shi’a split in Islam
Islam after Muhammad’s Death
Muhammad’s Successors
• Muhammad had not
named successor
• No clear candidate
• Abu Bakr, close
companion, early convert,
chosen leader, called
caliph, “successor”
Priorities
• Abu Bakr focused on
bringing back Bedouin
tribes
• Built strong Arab
fighting forces to keep
tribes under control
• Reunified Arabia, led
forces north
Expansion of Territory
• Abu Bakr’s successor
Umar, expanded Muslim
rule rapidly
• 637CE early victory against
Persian forces in Iraq
• 642CE victory over Persian
Empire complete
Civil War Breaks Out
Ali’s Troubles
• Umayyads had been
Muhammad’s enemies,
converted reluctantly, were
unpopular
Sunni and Shi’a
• Most Muslims accepted
Umayyad caliph, Mu’awiya
• Called Sunnis, “followers of the
Sunna,” or “way of the Prophet”
• Uthman was killed by rebels
• Ali became caliph, but troubles
had just begun
• Civil war broke out between
Ali’s forces and Umayyad
• Ali killed, Umayyads in control
• Ali’s supporters become Shi’a
Muslims.
• Became known as the Shi’a,
“party of Ali”
Islamic Civilization Expands
More Expansion
• Iraq, Persia, and parts of the Byzantine Empire fall to Islamic civilization
• Byzantines first lost Damascus, Syria and Jerusalem
• 639CE, The Byzantine province of Egypt fell; 642CE, rest of Nile Valley under Arab rule
Empire
• Only 10 years after Muhammad’s death, followers had created an Islamic empire
• Conquests continued under later caliphs
• 661CE, The caliphate stretched from northern Africa in the west to Persia in the East
Internal Conflict and Division
• Deep conflict within Muslim leadership – goes back to Sunni/Shi’a split (began with
choice of Abu Bakr as caliph)
• Some had supported Muhammad’s cousin, Ali
• 644CE, Ali lost again, to Uthman, supported by powerful Mecca clan Umayyad
The Umayyad Dynasty
SUMMARY: Under the Umayyad caliphs, Muslim rule spread.
However, internal problems weakened the Umayyads, and led to their fall.
Continued Expansion
Military Conquests
• Umayyads strengthened their
rule after death of Husayn
• Armies conquered territory
near China, Indus River
Valley
• Umayyad Achievements:
– Established Arabic as
official language
• Took northern Africa, most of
Spain
– Made coinage uniform
• Conquests spread Muslim
faith, while allowing religious
freedom (if you pay taxes!)
for People of the Book; some
restrictions, taxes for NonMuslims however
– Began first great work of
Islamic architecture
(built Dome of the
Rock in Jerusalem)
Ruling the Umayyad Caliphate
• Umayyads strengthened central government as the caliphate grew in size
• Arab Muslims became ruling class, with power, privilege unavailable to those they
conquered
• Creation of privileged class conflicted with strong Muslim ideal of equality
• Wars over succession were also upsetting to many faithful who were unhappy with
emphasis on political ambition
End of the Umayyads
• Displeasure with Umayyads widespread
• Shi’a continued opposition
• Also unrest among conquered people,
some Arab tribes
• Umayyads weakened by discontent –
time was ripe for rebellion
Rebellion
• Abbasids, led by descendant of
Muhammad’s uncle, united many
Umayyad opponents by appearing to
support their causes
• Abbasids wiped out Umayyads in
series of battles, late 740s
• Caliphate entered Abbasid dynasty
The Abbasid Dynasty
Baghdad
• Abbasids relocated capital of caliphate;
rulers lived in splendor
• Chose Baghdad as capital, on Tigris
River, in present-day Iraq
Persian Influence
• Move to Baghdad was the beginning of
end of Arab domination of the Muslim
world
• Abbasids adopted Persian style of
government
Government
• Rulers were cut off from people (nontransparent gov’t)
• Caliph hidden behind screen in throne
room, could not be seen
• Used Persian officials; vizier, deputy,
oversaw affairs of state
Change in Islam
• Nature of Islam changed
• Abbasids invited all to join in, turned
Islam into universal religion and
attracted people of many cultures
• Want to bridge religious divisions
A Changing Culture under the Abbasids
Importance of Trade
Funding for Change
• Islam spread through trade
• Trade helped fund cultural
achievement
• Muslim traders journeyed from end to end
of caliphate, exchanging goods and
information
• Most prominent Abbasid caliph, Harun
al-Rashid, helped bring culture to great
heights, 786CE to 809CE
• Exchange brought Islam to West Africa,
Southeast Asia
• Support of scholarship helped produce
lasting achievements of Islamic arts and
sciences
Father of Chemistry/ Father of Optics
Contrast
How did the Abbasids differ from the Umayyads?
Answer: The Abbasids focused more on prosperity and
cultural advancement than on empire expansion.
The End of Unity
As early as the 800s, Abbasid political power weakened. By the 900s, a number of
small, independent states broke away from the caliphate.
Challenges from Europe
• European Christians weakened Muslim
rule (Crusades)
• Christian armies began to drive Muslims
out of Spain, 1000s
• European Christians began Crusades
Problems from Egypt
• 969CE, serious threat from Fatimid
(eventually defeats the Abbasids)
established in Egypt
• Claimed descent from Muhammad’s
daughter Fatimah (Shi’a support!)
– Wanted to make Holy Land Christian,
won at first
• From Egypt, they controlled
Mediterranean and Red Sea
– Muslims eventually retook Jerusalem
• Disrupted Abbasid trade
External Threats: Seljuk Turks and Others
Seljuk Turks
• There were many non-Arabs among peoples of the caliphate, including Turks
• 1055CE, Turkish Seljuks rose to power and took control of Baghdad
• Seljuks were Sunni Muslims, supported Abbasid caliph
War Against Byzantine Empire
• Seljuks defended Abbasids against Fatimids and went to war against Byzantine
Empire – defeated Byzantines at Battle of Manzikert
• Seljuks would go on to create their own empire
Mamluks and Mongols
• 1200s, Mamluks took power in Egypt and Syria
• 1258CE, Mongols destroyed Baghdad, killed Abbasid caliph; caliphate finished
• Islam was still a vital force and spread to India, Central and Southeast Asia