Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia Chapter 7 | The Postclassical Period, : New Faith and New Commerce

The Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and Late Abbasid Eras  Early Abbasid rule by the 8 th century CE was already showing signs of decadence and excessive spending  Harun al-Rashid (r CE) sent emissaries to Charlemagne of Europe  Gifts (water clock and elephant) show the reach of the empire  The Thousand and One Nights was set in Baghdad of this day (political intrigue spoke to dynastic weakness)  Civil wars to determine next caliph became commonplace  Caliphs-to-be began amassing private armies, further decentralizing dynastic power  Assassination from within the armies and from the outside were common  Caliphs-to-be would hire massive Central Asian Turkic slave armies  Wars of succession, large building projects (mosques, palaces, and public works) drained imperial revenue  Taxation spiraled out of control, increasing resentment of the dynasty  The evolution of the court harem (veiled) solidified the subjugation of females to men  The Abbasid court bought thousands of slaves to administer the court  Some where better-educated than the Arabs themselves, from outside the empire, and had more rights than Arabs  Women’s rights decline as part of this culture, eventually being bound to domestic servitude (legal marriage at 9 yo)  Early Abbasid rule by the 8 th century CE was already showing signs of decadence and excessive spending  Harun al-Rashid (r CE) sent emissaries to Charlemagne of Europe  Gifts (water clock and elephant) show the reach of the empire  The Thousand and One Nights was set in Baghdad of this day (political intrigue spoke to dynastic weakness)  Civil wars to determine next caliph became commonplace  Caliphs-to-be began amassing private armies, further decentralizing dynastic power  Assassination from within the armies and from the outside were common  Caliphs-to-be would hire massive Central Asian Turkic slave armies  Wars of succession, large building projects (mosques, palaces, and public works) drained imperial revenue  Taxation spiraled out of control, increasing resentment of the dynasty  The evolution of the court harem (veiled) solidified the subjugation of females to men  The Abbasid court bought thousands of slaves to administer the court  Some where better-educated than the Arabs themselves, from outside the empire, and had more rights than Arabs  Women’s rights decline as part of this culture, eventually being bound to domestic servitude (legal marriage at 9 yo)

The Disintegration of Abbasid Power  The weakness of the dynasty led to a constant power struggle in Baghdad (the caliph would be kept as a figurehead)  The Buyids of Persia occupied Baghdad in 945 CE  By 1055 CE the Seljuk Turks of Central Asia would rule Baghdad  Turkish migrations to Anatolia led to victory against the Byzantine Empire (called for help)  Egypt and Syria became virtually autonomous from Baghdad  Decentralization weakened the Islamic world  Byzantium’s call for help led to the Crusades, which captured Jerusalem 1099  Salah-al-Din rallied Muslim forces and ended Christian threat  Christians adopted many things from this encounter (building, weapons, science)  Christians would re-acquire lost Greek/Roman works kept by Arabs  Would also get Arabic (Indian) numerals  The weakness of the dynasty led to a constant power struggle in Baghdad (the caliph would be kept as a figurehead)  The Buyids of Persia occupied Baghdad in 945 CE  By 1055 CE the Seljuk Turks of Central Asia would rule Baghdad  Turkish migrations to Anatolia led to victory against the Byzantine Empire (called for help)  Egypt and Syria became virtually autonomous from Baghdad  Decentralization weakened the Islamic world  Byzantium’s call for help led to the Crusades, which captured Jerusalem 1099  Salah-al-Din rallied Muslim forces and ended Christian threat  Christians adopted many things from this encounter (building, weapons, science)  Christians would re-acquire lost Greek/Roman works kept by Arabs  Would also get Arabic (Indian) numerals

An Age of Learning and Artistic Refinements  As political wealth and power declined, professional classes expanded  Wealthy Muslim, Jewish, even Christian merchants facilitated expanding trade between Europe and Asia  Mosques and palaces were exquisite as art and architecture progressed  Persian (the Abbasid culture) became the language of court (law remained Arabic)  Revered for its historic value, it became the literary language of Islam  “a jug of wine” and “a loaf of bread” come from Persian literature  Advances in Greek and Indian knowledge progressed this development  Copies and improvements on Greek and Roman learning (Western Biblical copies)  Math (trig) and science prospered; astronomy (star maps) and the astrolabe for travel  Religious changes: over time, religion grew more mystical  The questioning of Greek learning challenged submission to the Qur’an (Crusades as representation)  Sufism: Islamic ascetics, like Buddhist monks, indulged in an existential world  As political wealth and power declined, professional classes expanded  Wealthy Muslim, Jewish, even Christian merchants facilitated expanding trade between Europe and Asia  Mosques and palaces were exquisite as art and architecture progressed  Persian (the Abbasid culture) became the language of court (law remained Arabic)  Revered for its historic value, it became the literary language of Islam  “a jug of wine” and “a loaf of bread” come from Persian literature  Advances in Greek and Indian knowledge progressed this development  Copies and improvements on Greek and Roman learning (Western Biblical copies)  Math (trig) and science prospered; astronomy (star maps) and the astrolabe for travel  Religious changes: over time, religion grew more mystical  The questioning of Greek learning challenged submission to the Qur’an (Crusades as representation)  Sufism: Islamic ascetics, like Buddhist monks, indulged in an existential world

Nomadic Invasions and the End of the Caliphate Turkic migrations from Asia were absorbed into the Caliphate By the 13 th century, the Mongols under Genghis Khan would destroy the Caliphate The Turko-Persian kingdoms of Central Asia would be destroyed first Hulegu (GK’s grandson) would capture Baghdad in 1258 and kill the last Caliph Turkic migrations from Asia were absorbed into the Caliphate By the 13 th century, the Mongols under Genghis Khan would destroy the Caliphate The Turko-Persian kingdoms of Central Asia would be destroyed first Hulegu (GK’s grandson) would capture Baghdad in 1258 and kill the last Caliph Baghdad would be sacked again by another Mongol, Tamerlane, and would never recover

Understanding India’s Dynamic Nature: Assimilation From Harappa to the Guptas, India’s history has been one of “the settled” and “the invading” As nomadic people entered into the region, they would eventually assimilate with the indigenous people They would convert to Hinduism or Buddhism and find their place in the social hierarchy, adopting the ways of the settled This capacity to absorb foreigners gave Indian civilization incredible durability Periodic political disruption would not affect the economic and social growth, only add to its diversity From Harappa to the Guptas, India’s history has been one of “the settled” and “the invading” As nomadic people entered into the region, they would eventually assimilate with the indigenous people They would convert to Hinduism or Buddhism and find their place in the social hierarchy, adopting the ways of the settled This capacity to absorb foreigners gave Indian civilization incredible durability Periodic political disruption would not affect the economic and social growth, only add to its diversity This would all change with the coming of Islam to India

The Coming of Islam to South Asia  Islam introduced a new civilization to India, which was quite opposite from theirs  Indian civilization was open, tolerant, and inclusive (with a religious social caste system)  By contrast, Islam was egalitarian in faith and allowed for social mobility, however the religion itself was more rigid  Several Umayyad incursions into Sind received mixed reactions  Hindus, seen as People of the Book, didn’t mind lighter taxation (as with Christians)  The limited Arab population got involved in the Indian trading elite (transmitted knowledge)  Islamic civilization would facilitate the fusion of Indian science with Greek learning at Baghdad  The decentralization of the Abbasid Caliphate (10 th century) led to more incursions into S. Asia, beginning a new trend of Islamic/Hindu wars  Islamic-Turkic invaders would move to pillage the wealth of the subcontinent  This would be followed by more Islamic (Turkic or Mongol) invaders to control the region  Hindu Rajput would fight for independence (regionalism)  Collectively, over time, these foreign Islamic rulers would be known as the Sultans of Delhi  Most Islamic converts would be from lower classes in the west or former Buddhists  Over time, Islamic merchants would come to dominate Indian Ocean trade  Also, competition between Islam and Hinduism would separate the once-unified Indian people  Islam introduced a new civilization to India, which was quite opposite from theirs  Indian civilization was open, tolerant, and inclusive (with a religious social caste system)  By contrast, Islam was egalitarian in faith and allowed for social mobility, however the religion itself was more rigid  Several Umayyad incursions into Sind received mixed reactions  Hindus, seen as People of the Book, didn’t mind lighter taxation (as with Christians)  The limited Arab population got involved in the Indian trading elite (transmitted knowledge)  Islamic civilization would facilitate the fusion of Indian science with Greek learning at Baghdad  The decentralization of the Abbasid Caliphate (10 th century) led to more incursions into S. Asia, beginning a new trend of Islamic/Hindu wars  Islamic-Turkic invaders would move to pillage the wealth of the subcontinent  This would be followed by more Islamic (Turkic or Mongol) invaders to control the region  Hindu Rajput would fight for independence (regionalism)  Collectively, over time, these foreign Islamic rulers would be known as the Sultans of Delhi  Most Islamic converts would be from lower classes in the west or former Buddhists  Over time, Islamic merchants would come to dominate Indian Ocean trade  Also, competition between Islam and Hinduism would separate the once-unified Indian people

The Spread of Islam to Southeast Asia  The East Indies (Indonesia) were a middle-ground between Indian and Chinese civilizations  Shrivijaya was a powerful trading empire on Sumatra  Its economic potential attracted Islamic merchants  Its decline by the 13 th century CE allowed for Islam to increase its influence  Sufis in SE Asia had an appealing flavor Islam as it had similarities to Buddhism  SE Asian Islam would grant women more freedoms/privileges  They were instrumental in the trading economy  The East Indies (Indonesia) were a middle-ground between Indian and Chinese civilizations  Shrivijaya was a powerful trading empire on Sumatra  Its economic potential attracted Islamic merchants  Its decline by the 13 th century CE allowed for Islam to increase its influence  Sufis in SE Asia had an appealing flavor Islam as it had similarities to Buddhism  SE Asian Islam would grant women more freedoms/privileges  They were instrumental in the trading economy