Rise and Fall of the Caliphate
Chapter 9
WHAP 2012
Umayyad Caliphate
• Capital was in Damascus
The Islamic
Conquests
• The Arabs began
expansion outside
of Arabia under the
leadership of the
second caliph
Umar
• Umar's life
The Islamic
Conquests
• Within 15 years
Muslim control
extended to Syria
(636)
• Egypt (639-642)
• Sasanid Iran (651)
Umayyad Spain
• Blended Roman,
Germanic, Jewish,
Arab and Berber
traditions.
• Al-Andalus rulers take
title of caliph in 929
when the Fatimids in
Tunisia did.
• Major cities Cordoba,
Seville, Toledo
Umayyad
Spain
• Under Islamic
leadership, Jewish
people in Spain
contributed to
cultural growth.
• Many great
scientific thinkers
and philosophical
writers
Decline of Umayyad
• 747 major Shi’ite
revolt in northeastern
Iran
• Caused by growing
unrest among nonArab Muslims
• Demanded more
access to political
power.
• Many felt the Syrian
Arabs has gained too
much power
• Overthrow of
Umyyads led by
Iranian Shi’ites.
• Leaders were
followers of Abbas,
one of Muhammad’s
uncles.
The Abbasid Caliphate
• 750 – 1258
• Capital Baghdad
• Considered the
“golden age” of
classic Islamic
culture
1. Peace
2. Stability
3. Economic unity
The Abbasid Caliphate
• Most famous caliph
Haroun al-Rashid
(776-809)
• Created and refined
the “cosmopolitan
culture” of Baghdad
Abbasid Achievements
• Adopted ceremonies
and customs of
Sasanid shahs
• Capital moved to
Baghdad
• Translation of
Aristotle into Arabic
• Paper introduced
from China
• Poets expanded their
writings beyond Islam
Aristotle
• Astrolabe Invented by Arabs
to tell time, latitude
and horoscope
based on star
positions.
• Will become the
primary
navigational tool of
sailors around the
world by 1492.
• Exploration site
Abbas Ibn Firnas
• First man to fly in a
glider
• A polymath
• Studied Astronomy,
engineering,
philosophy, history
• Crater on the moon
named after him
• Firnas Wiki
Ulama
• “People with religious
knowledge”
• Established in Iran
• religious scholars
create a standardized
study of Islam.
• Islamic schools
spread across empire
• Imam - is teacher of
Islam
Abbasid
Decline
• 850 - 1050
• Size of empire hard
to hold together.
• Caravan speed only
20 miles per day.
• News of revolts on
the frontier took 2
weeks to reach
Baghdad.
Abbasid Decline
1. Taxes hard to
collect
2. Local
strongmen
begin to seize
power and
profits creating
large provincial
caliphates.
Provincial caliphates
• Samanids 819 - 999
• Iranian kin group
that promoted nonArab literature and
Persian poetry.
• Fatimids 908 1171
• Egyptian
caliphate
established city
of Cairo.
• Economy based
on gold from
Africa.
Mamluks
• Crisis in 9th century
caused Turkic
slaves to be
purchased by
caliphs to use as a
standing army.
• Mamluk means
“owned”
Conflict Between Islamic and
Byzantine Empires
• Revue
• Byzantine Empire created after fall of
Rome in 400
• Islam quickly spread around the
southern Mediterranean region during
the 7th century.
Islamic Civilization
• Abbasids trained ulamas (Islamic
scholars).
• Ulamas became Imams (Islamic teachers)
• Imams created the Hadith (codes of
conduct based on accounts of
Muhammad’s life) to standardize all
Muslim practices.
• Shar’ia is law of Islam.
• Codes of conduct based on Arab customs
and the Hadith.
Islamic Civilization
• Shar’ia is the law of Islam.
• It contains “rules for the the Umma” - the
great vision of the Sha’ria.
• The common moral values, outlined to
minimize ethnic and political divisions.
• Unification of Muslims - main motivation
was to fight against Christian Crusaders
from Byzantine empire
Sufism
• Mystical cult
• Creates idea of
“brotherhood of
Islam”
• Quest for a direct
union with God
through rituals
and training.
• Sufism
Muslim Women
• Permitted to initiate divorce and also
receive a cash payment if finalized
• Permitted to practice birth control
• Permitted to own property and testify
in court
• Allowed inheritance (1/2 of son’s)
• Adopted Byzantine and Sassanid
custom of veiling.
• Still a misogynistic (male dominated)
society
Seljuk Empire
• Established 1100 by
Mamluk revolt
• Ruled Middle East
during the first
Crusade 1095
• Leaders didn’t get
involved in internal
religious fighting
• Islam continues to be
strong influence
• Seljyuks
Seljuk Empire
• Alliance of Turkish
tribes using horse
cavalry to defeat
Abbasids
• Captured Baghdad
in 1055
• Biggest success
was defending the
region against
attacks by the
Byzantine Empire.
• Battle of Manzikert
Seljuk victory over
Crusaders.
• Battle of Manzikert
• Biggest motivation
for unification of
Muslims became
to fight off the
Crusaders!
Seljuk Decline
• Irrigation and canal systems fell into
disrepair during their rule.
• Cities shrank and lost population
• Constant attacks by Crusaders in
West drained resources
• Mongols threaten from Northeast