Islamic Conquests & Caliphates: 600-1200 Unit 2 Chapter 8

Ease of Accessibility Arabia on periphery of 2 established & rival empires Byzantium Sassanid Monotheism in existence “children of Abraham” Kaaba

Key Moments Birth of Muhammad 570 Beginning of revelations 610 Hijra 622 Muhammad’s return to Mecca 630 Death of Muhammad 632 Rightly Guided Caliphs 632-661 Arab victories (Byzantium & Persia) 636-637 Conquest of Egypt 640 Compilation of Quran 650s Umayyad Caliphate 661-750 Conquest of Spain 711-718 Abbasid Caliphate 750-1258 Battle of Talas River 750

Muhammad Abdullah (570-632) Mecca Troubled by social inequalities; periods of withdrawal & meditation Allah’s messenger to the Arabs (Quran) “Seal of great prophets” (Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad) monotheistic

Hijra Challenged Mecca’s growing commercialism & clan structure of Arab society Fled to Medina 622 – marks beginning of Islamic calendar Umma – Islamic community; based on belief rather than kinship; political & religious authority

Consolidation Early military success 630 Mecca surrenders By his death, Arabia Islamic state Motives for further Conquest???

Motives for Conquest Profitable trade routes Agricultural regions Religious conversion Jihad – “struggle” – bringing righteous government to conquered peoples HOWEVER – recognized Jews, Christians, & Zoroastrians as “people of the book” – dhimmis – protected subjects

Conquered Peoples Through 9th Century Dhimmas allowed to practice own religion by paying jizya – considered substitute for military service Indiscriminate destruction & exploitation not allowed Reasons for conversion???

Conversion Growing prestige Appealing to slaves and POWs Aided social mobility Between 750-900, 80% of Persia converted Also became dominant in Egypt, North Africa, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, & Turkey

Rightly Guided Caliphs 632-661 First 4 Companions to the Prophet 3rd & 4th assassinated – schism Sunni – caliphs selected by community Shia (Shiites) – caliphs from line of Muhammad

Umayyad Caliphate 661-750 Capital moved to Damascus (Syria) Great expansion – Byzantine and Persian Empires Weakened by decades of war Internal revolts Non-Arab Muslims had less rights

Umayyad Caliphate Cont. Introduced silver & gold coinage Established trade network Mediterranean Silk Road Sahara Indian Ocean

Abbasid Caliphate 750-1258 Killed Umayyad royal family at dinner Moved capital to Baghdad Expansion – North Africa Spain Muslim Golden Age (Non-Arab Muslims Equal) 1258 – invasion of Mongol forces; last Abbasid caliph killed