Arab Empire Under the Abbasids

ARAB EMPIRE UNDER THE ABBASIDSChapter 7

LESSON SUGGESTIONS Peoples Analysis Abbasid Empire Conflict Analysis Crusades Change Analysis Position of women in Abbasid society, India before and after Islamic spread Societal Comparison Abbasid Empire and nomadic groups Document Analysis Ibn Khaldun on the Rise and Decline of Empires Dialectical Journal Islamic culture Inner/Outer Circle In Depth: Conversion and Accommodation in the Spread of World Religions

Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 BCE)

Referred to as the Golden Age of Islam

Broke down distinctions between Arab and non-Arab Muslims

Moved caliphate capital to Baghdad (762 C.E)

Became commercial center for trade between Europe, Asia, and Africa


Government

Caliph became more of a king than a spiritual leader

Diwan – council for advising caliph (did not speak directly with leader)

Vizier – Prime Minister of the diwan


Important rulers (Caliphs)

Abu al- Abbas – founder of the Abbasid

Harun al-Rashid (r.786-809 C.E.) – moved dynasty in “Golden Age”

Al-Ma’mun (r.813-833 C.E.) – built astronomy observatory in Baghdad and established foundation to translate classical Greek works

Golden Age of Islam

Society

Considered the most egalitarian of its time

Ideal citizens – judges, merchants, and gov’t officials v. warriors

Slavery was widespread – could not be Muslim. Most slaves served in the army

Golden Age of Islam

Culture Arabs considered the heirs to remaining

Greco-Roman cultureGreek, Syrian, and Persian scientific and

philosophical works were translated into Arabic and eventually found their way back to Europe

Arabic became an international language

Contributions under the Golden Age of Islam

Philosophy

Preserved achievements of classical civilizations

Ibn Rushd spread classical ideas from Spain back into Europe


Science

Accurately recalculate circumference of the Earth

Studies eclipses


Medicine Required doctors to pass difficult tests before

practicingSet up hospitals with emergency rooms


Medicine Ibn Sima (980-1037 C.E.)

Compiled a medical encyclopedia that emphasized the contagious nature of disease

Showed how disease could be spread through contaminated water

Work became basis for medical textbooks used by medieval European universities


Mathematics Improved upon works developed by Indian

civilization under the Gupta Al-jabr – Persian mathematician whose work

provided the basis for modern algebra


Literature Qu’ran – regarded as greatest literary workOmar Khayyam

Works popular in the westWrote Rubaiyat and Tales from 1001

Nights (The Arabian Nights)


Literature Sadi (1210-1292 C.E)

Rabe’a of QozdarFirst female poetWrote about suffering that love can bring

Considered the Persian ShakespeareWrote Rose Garden


Literature Al-Mas’udi

First great Muslim historianWrote Meadows of Gold which provides

for our knowledge of the Abbasid Dynasty


Education Established universities and libraries in Cairo,

Baghdad, Cordoba, and Timbuktu

Emphasis on preserving, translating, and advancing Greco-Roman, Egyptian, and

Indian knowledge


Art and Architecture Blend of Arab, Turkish, and Persian traditions

Used Byzantine knowledge to design domes and arches

CalligraphyBeautiful writing and patterns to decorate building and artForbidden to depict Muhammad and

Allah’s creation


Art and Architecture Dome of the Rock (691 C.E.)

Touches both the Western Wall of the Jews and oldest Christian church

Great Mosque of Samarra (848-852 C.E.)Largest mosque ever constructedCovers 10 acres of land and contained 464

pillars


Art and Architecture Mosque at Cordoba

Located in southern Spain Contains 514 columns in work

Decline of the Abbasid Dynasty

Internal problemsLack of spiritual authority weakened caliphate

in competition with rivals Ex. Umayyad Dynasty in Spain

Ex. Fatimid Dynasty (Shi’ite in Egypt (973 C.E.)


Internal problemsWealth led to corruption

Caliphs awarded positions to favorites Luxurious life enjoyed by caliph

undermined strict moral codeChanges within army and bureaucracy Shortage of Arabs for qualified positions


Seljuk TurksNomadic Group from Central Asia

Converted to Islam and flourished as mercenaries for the Abbasids

Moved into Iran and Armenia as Abbasid power weakened


Seljuk TurksTook over Baghdad (1055 C.E.)

Leader appointed himself as sultan (“holder of power”)

Abbasid leaders maintained religious power in area

Exerted military pressure on Egypt and Byzantine Defeat of Byzantine at Manzikert (1071 C.E)

helped trigger rally for Crusades

Decline of the Abbasid Dynasty The Mongols

Pastoral people who emerged from the Gobi desert in the 1200s C.E.

Seized control over much of the known world

Brother of Kublai Khan Seized Persia, Mesopotamia, and conquered Abbasid

Originally led by Genghis KhanHelegu

Brutally wiped out those conquered and their lands Eventually converted to Islam and blended with

culture of area conquered

The Crusades – (Middle Eastern Perspective) Crusades (1096 – 1300s C.E.)

Series of wars fought between Christians and Muslims over control of the holy land of JerusalemResulted from calls for help by Byzantine ruler

Alexius I to Western Europe, after defeats from Seljuk Turks Claimed Muslims were desecrating Christian shrines


Islamic world originally taken aback by crusadersSaladin (Salah al-Din)

Claimed title of sultan for the lands of the former Fatamid caliphate Invaded kingdom of Jerusalem and destroyed Christian forces concentrated there (1187 C.E.)

Showed tolerance to conquered Christians


Results Displayed superiority of Muslim technology

Displayed impact of Muslim culture on the Middle East Renewed trade and cultural contacts with Europeans

Created a united Muslim group against Christians, created mistrust that survives today

Documents

Arab Empire Under the Abbasids