The Arab Kingdom of the
Umayyads
HIST 1007
9/18/13
Shi’ism
• Shi’ite `Ali – Partisans of `Ali
• Should the caliph be a descendant of the
Prophet Muhammad?
• Ahl al-bayt
• Fatima + `Ali
• Imamate
• When do these
ideas develop?
Mu`awiyah and the Umayyads
• Mu`awiyah (r. 661-680)
• End of shura, becomes caliph by treaty
• Moves capital to Damascus
• Return of Arab tribal patriarchy
• Strength of the state
over religiosity
• Jihad state
• 674-678 – Siege of
Constantinople
Yazid and the Second Fitna
• Yazid b. Mu`awiyah (r. 680-683)
• Hereditary Caliphate
• What does this do to the caliphate?
• Husayn b. `Ali and
Karbala (680)
• Shi’ism and
Martyrdom
Yazid and the Second Fitna
•
•
•
•
•
•
Revolt of `Abdallah b. al-Zubayr (680-692)
Yazid b. Mu`awiyah (r. 680-683)
Mu`awiyah II b. Yazid (r. 683-684)
Marwan I b. al-Hakam (r. 684-685)
`Abd al-Malik b. Marwan (r. 685-705)
Move from Sufyanids to Marwanids
`Abd al-Malik b. Marwan (r. 685-705)
• Fifth Umayyad Caliph, first to rule a unified
caliphate
• Imperial Islam
• Syrian military
• Arabic as official
language
• Reformed currency
Dome of the Rock (691)
Dome of the Rock
Dome of the
Rock
Dome of the Rock
Umayyad Mosque of Damascus
(completed in 715)
Umayyad Mosque of Damascus
Umayyad Mosque of Damascus
Umayyad Mosque of Damascus
Umayyad Mosque of Damascus
Qasr `Amra (early 8th century)
Qasr `Amra
Qasr `Amra
Qasr `Amra
Qasr al-Khayr al-Sharqi