Islamic Empires and the Muslim Synthesis

Chronology of the Islamic Empires 570-632 Life of Muhammad 661-750 Umayyad Dynasty 750-1258 Abbasid Dynasty 1096-1204 Crusades from Europe 1258 Mongol capture of Baghdad

The Islamic Empires

How? Muhammad transforms Arabia – jihad against Arab polytheists creates a confederation centered on Medina, Muhammad, Islam “Pax Islamica” – Muslim brotherhood New raids to “expand and survive”

Expansion beyond Arabia Convert Arab pagans living in Persia and Byzantine Empires How to treat Christians and Jews-dhimmis conquest not for conversion but for loot could keep their religion, homes, churches, businesses sometimes welcomed Arabs as liberators had to pay poll tax to Muslim rulers

Age of the Orthodox Caliphs 632-661ce-capital at Medina Crisis over succession-consensus vs. inheritance Shia (“party”) vs. Sunni Conquests under Umar (See RGH #54) -encourage expansion and loot -discourage assimilation-don’t encourage conversion, only happens gradually -don’t cause opposition by locals -don’t’ settle on the land (garrison towns) -emphasize loyalty to Islam -don’t lose “masculine virtues”

EARLY EXPANSION OF MUSLIM RULE

Umayyad Dynasty 661-750 – capital at Damascus Arab military aristocracy Masters of the seas More interested in conquest than conversion Growth of criticism Mawali – non-Arab Muslims Shi’ites Rebellion in 750ce

Abbasid Dynasty 750-1258-capital at Baghdad The “golden age” of Islam Cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic Time of the “Muslim synthesis” Nomadic traditions fade Jihad dead Sufi mystics and merchants spread Islam Harun al Rashid

The “Muslim Synthesis”-First World Civilization? Trade and commerce-Islam friendly to business (control trade routes) An educational community -they preserved Greek philosophy at a time that Europe was a “cultural backwater” Islam as a unifier-Islamic brotherhood The Muslim Empire becomes the Intercommunicating Zone and agents of Southernization-Muslim Synthesis (See RGH #55)

ARABS DOING BUSINESS WITH MEDIEVAL MERCHANTS TRADE

dar-al-Islam (world of Islam) ARTERIES OF TRADE AND TRAVEL IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD, TO 1500 “First World Civilization”

Confrontation with Europe al-Andalus – Islamic Spain Spain easily conquered Rule for 700 years Arabs revolutionize the economy Liberal, tolerant regime Great cultural achievements Toledo and Cordoba

Great Mosque at Cordoba, 786 When the Abbasids attempted to massacre 800 family members of the Umayyad dynasty at a dinner of peace, a few of them escaped, fled to Spain, and established Cordoba as their capital. The Great Mosque of Cordoba, begun in 786, contains all of the usual features of a mosque, but it is best known for its interior double set of horseshoe-shaped arches, one above the other, which are mounted on the capitals of granite and marble columns. (Christopher Rennie/Robert Harding Picture Library)

Map of the Crusades and the Reconquest of Spain

The Crusades Crusade = “holy war” Series of military campaigns undertaken by European Christendom against the Abbasid empire Five military campaigns between 1095-1300 Offensive or defensive wars?

Reasons for the Crusades To “recapture” Jerusalem To end wars among Europe’s knights Desire for wealth and information from the more advanced Islamic civilization

Important turning points… First crusade conquered Jerusalem 1099; recaptured by Saladin 1187 Fourth crusade targeted Constantinople, weakening Byzantine empire against the rising power of the Turks

Long-term effects of the Crusades The Crusades were never a mortal threat to the Abbasids but they eroded their long-held culture of religious toleration Weakened the Byzantine empire against the rising power of the Turks The Crusades stimulated Europe’s economy and “reintegrat[ed] Western Europe into the larger economy of the Eastern hemisphere” TE Helped unify Europe vis a vis the “East”

After the Arab conquests, the Byzantine Empire will be on the front lines of Christianity

Seige of Constantinople Conquest by Ottomans, 1453 End of the Byzantine Empire Map of Constantinople

Hagia Sophia From church to mosque

INTERIOR OF AYASOFYA MOSQUE, FORMERLY THE CHURCH OF HAGIA SOPHIA, ISTANBUL

MUSLIM EMPIRES IN THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES

The Crusades Crusade = “holy war” Series of military campaigns undertaken by European Christendom against the Abbasid empire Five military campaigns between 1095-1300 Offensive or defensive wars?

Reasons for the Crusades To “recapture” Jerusalem To end wars among Europe’s knights Desire for wealth and information from the more advanced Islamic civilization

Important turning points… First crusade conquered Jerusalem 1099; recaptured by Saladin 1187 Fourth crusade targeted Constantinople, weakening Byzantine empire against the rising power of the Turks

Long-term effects of the Crusades The Crusades were never a mortal threat to the Abbasids but they eroded their long-held culture of religious toleration Weakened the Byzantine empire against the rising power of the Turks The Crusades stimulated Europe’s economy and “reintegrat[ed] Western Europe into the larger economy of the Eastern hemisphere” TE Helped unify Europe vis a vis the “East”