Abbasid Decline and the Spread of
Islamic Civilization to South and
Southeast Asia
Chapter Seven
Ms. Tully
AP World History
Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and
Late Abbasid Eras
Abbasid rule 7501258 CE
 Decline and distress
apparent by mid 9th
century
 Sumptuous living, civil
war drain treasury
 Shi’a revolts,
assassination
attempts against
Abbasid officials

Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and
Late Abbasid Eras




Peasant revolts about
increasing taxes
Rise of mercenary
armies
Freedom and influence
of women declined
Abbasid wealth
generated large
demand for
concubines and male
slaves
Divisions Within the Empire
Provinces became
independent
kingdoms by mid 10th
C
 945 – Buyids of
Persia capture
Baghdad
 Seljuk Turks defeat
Buyids in 1055 CE

The Impact of the Christian
Crusades




1096 CE – Christian
Crusaders invade Muslim
territory
Eight Crusades over two
centuries
Under Saladin Muslim
recaptured crusader
kingdoms in 12th century
Intense European
borrowing from Muslim
world
The Islamic Golden Age
Political decline and
social turmoil were
offset for many by the
urban affluence,
inventiveness, and
artistic creativity of the
Abbasid Age
 Flourishing of trade
 Rise of Persian
literature – Rubaiyat by
Oman Khayyam, ShahNama by Firdawsi

The Islamic Golden Age
Major developments
in math and science
 Al-Razi and
Chemistry
 Developments in
medicine
 Influx of Chinese
technology

Religious Trends and New Invasions
Ulama – Orthodox Muslim scholars 
increasingly hostile to non-islamic ideas
and scientific thinking
 Sufism (Sufis) – reaction against
impersonal/abstract Islam
 13th C – Rise of the Mongols
 Hulegu led Mongol assault on Baghdad –
1258 sacked
 Mongols expansion stopped by Mamluks

The Coming of Islam to South Asia







Hinduism – adaptable, tolerant, flexible
Islam – very different from Hinduism
8th C – Muslim traders bring Islam to India
711 – Sind (NW province) conquered
962 – Mahmud of Ghanzi led expeditions into N.
India
Muhammad of Ghur – Conquered lots of Indian
territory
1206 – Creation of Delhi Sultanate by Qutb-ubdin Aibak
Islam in India
Islamic civilization
was enriched by
Indian culture, while
Indian achievements
were passed to Arabs
 Colonies of Arabs
along coastline
 Conversions usually
won peacefully – Sufi
missionaries,
merchants

Islam in India
Converts usually
Buddhist or low-caste
groups
 Hinduism not strongly
impacted by Islam
 Islam succumbs to caste
system; could not
eradicate it
 Unfortunate
consequences for
women

The Spread of Islam to Southeast
Asia
Islam introduced by Arab merchant sailors
in 7th & 8th Centuries
 Collapse of Shrivijaya empire in 13th C
opened door for Islam
 Islam grew through peaceful contact and
voluntary conversion
 Sufi allowed fusion of pre-Islamic beliefs
with Islam

Global Connections
Despite the political instability of the
Abbasids, Islam’s central position in global
history was solidified.
 Social strife and political divisions VS.
expanding trade and intellectual creativity.
 Islam brought a global culture to nomadic
peoples in South and Southeast Asia.
 The spread of Islam helps to create trade
connections between various regions.
 Islamic cultural contributions range from
intellectual discoveries to universities.
