1. Chapter 10 Section 2
Building an Empire

2. The Umayyad Caliphs Experienced many successes
Weakness of Byzantine and Persian Empires
Good war tactics
Camel and horse cavalry
Set up system of administration
Treatment of the conquered
Allowed other religions
Taxation of non-Muslims
Hired Jews and Christians as officials

3. The Umayyad Caliphs Decline
Difficult to adapt from desert nomad to large cities
Rulers relied heavily on local officials, while living lavishly
Conquests slow in 700s, economy declines
Unrest between Shiite groups, non-Arab converts

4. The Abbasid Caliphs Rise of Abbasid Dynasty
Supported by Shiites, non-Arab Muslims, Abu al-Abbas captures Damascus
Killed Umayyad family except 1  Spain
Shiite Empire from

5. The Abbasid Caliphs Changes Under the Abbasids
Equality for all Muslims
Sophisticated bureaucracy
Decisions made by an administration
Priority on education
Moves capital to Baghdad
Larger, wealthier than Constantinople b/c better trade

6. The Abbasid Caliphs Decline Control fragmented in 850
Seljuk Turks invaded
Controlled Baghdad in 1055
Crusades began in 1095
Pope Urban II calls to drive Muslims out of Holy Land
Saladin leads Turks to take back Holy Land in 1187
Mongols invaded in 1258
Genghis Khan looted Baghdad, killed the last caliph
Tamerlane invaded
Mongol invader in 1300s
Conquered Muslim lands; Russian, Indian lands too