Transcript CHAPTER 9 The Arab Empires

CHAPTER 9
The Arab Empires
Lesson 1–The First Muslims
Lesson 2–The Arab Empire
and Caliphates
Lesson 3–Prosperity in the Islamic World
Muhammad had been the accepted political
and religious leader of the Islamic community.
When he died without a successor , there was
a problem since he had not designated a
successor.
Some of his closest followers chose ABU BAKR
(Muhammad's father in law ) to be their leader.
He had been with Muhammad from the Hijirah
to Medinah forward. He took the title of
CALIPH and was the religious and political
successor to Muhammad.
Abu Bakr:
1. united the Muslim world by: suppressing political
and religious uprisings
2. expanded the territory of Islamic conquest
3. Promoted JIHAD: "Striving in the way of god"
Also: armed struggle against non-believers
•Jihad stressed: a Muslim's duty to work for Islam
1. avoiding sin and acting righteously
2. armed struggle against non-believers
3. used to justify war within Muslim disagreements
• Today, there are different interpretations of this term,
JIHAD.
• Some equate it with terrorism and others take a more
moderate view.
• Regardless, JIHAD played a vital role in the expansion of
Islam by military conquest .
• The courage of the Arab soldiers was helped by the belief
that they would be assured of paradise if they died in
battle.
• By 642 AD, Islam had dominated Egypt and North Africa .
And by 650 AD , Islam had conquered the entire Persian
Empire.
•Early Caliphs ruled from Madinah. After Abu
BAKR died, the next two Caliphs were
assassinated.
•
The next Caliph was Ali, Muhammad's son in
law. He was chosen in 656 CE, but only ruled
five years before he was assassinated also.
•In the new conquered territories, there was
usually a peaceful co-existence with Jews
and Christians who lived there. These nonMuslims:
1. were basically left alone
2. had to pay special taxes
3. had to be loyal to Muslim rule
4. had to assume a 2nd class status
The Umayyads
In 661 CE, MUAWIYAH (Moo AH wee uh), the
governor of Syria became Caliph and he moved the
capital of the Arab Empire to Damascus, Syria.
He was known for only using force when necessary.
He moved to make the Caliphate hereditary to his
family, and established the UMAYYAD Dynasty.
•Umayyad Conquests
Moved across North Africa to Spain by 725 CE.
Center=Cordoba Arab forces were defeated at the
Battle of Tours in France in 732 AD.
Review: Who defeated them?
Charles Martel
What was the result of this battle?
Why is this important?
Ensured that Europe would remain Christian
750 AD conquest came to an end after great
expansion Conquest brought great wealth to the
Arab Empire.
A Split in Islam
•Despite the successes, many non-Arab Muslims did
not like the was Islamic leadership favored the
Arabs. The UMAYYADS:
1. began to have financial trouble had trouble
2. ruling such a vast area
3. distant areas began to be hostile to the Caliphate
- a revolt in present day Iraq was led by Hussein
the son of Muhammad's son-in-law .
A Split in Islam
•He encouraged followers to rise up against
Umayyad rule, but as he set off to battle, many
defected.
Ended up: 72 vs. 10,000 and they were all killed But
this led to an eventual SPLIT within Islam:
But this led to an eventual SPLIT within Islam:
•SHIA: Muslims who only accept descendants
of Ali as true rulers of Islam
•SUNNI: Muslims who did not agree with
Umayyad rule, but accepted their Caliphate.
•These two branches are divided
in Islam even today.
•The majority of Muslims are
Sunnis, but many in present day
Iraq and Iran are SHIA.
The Abbasid Dynasty and the Seljuk Turks
•Resentment of the non-Arab Muslims
continued to grow, aided by the corrupt
behavior of the Umayyad rulers.
• In 750 AD, Abu al-Abbas , a descendant of
Muhammad's uncle, overthrew the
Umayyads , and established the new Abbasid
Dynasty, which lasted until 1258 AD. How
long was it?
The Abbasids built a new capital city at
BAGHDAD , on the Tigris River, far to the east
of the previous capital at Damascus.
This location was able to control river traffic to
the Persian Gulf, and the caravan route from
the Mediterranean Sea to Central Asia.
This increased eastern influence and they
began a new outlook:
THE ABBASIDS:
1.
did not use as much: military influence
2. tried to break the distinction between: Arab
Muslims and Non-Arab Muslims
3. more accepting of conquered areas
4. all Muslims could hold government office and
could inter-marry types of conquered people
THE ABBASIDS:
5. Cosmopolitan culture: mixing many types of people and
influences
6. growing prosperity because of trade
7. Most famous Caliph: Harun al Rashid - known for
charity and encouraging artists and writers.
"The Golden Age of Abbasid Caliphate" A Council advised
the Caliph. It was headed by a Prime Minister known as
a Vizier.
Decline and Division
PROBLEMS:
1. Harun al Rashid's sons fought over succession
and almost destroyed the capital at Baghdad.
2. corruption: family members were given $$$ from
the state treasury
3. shortage of qualified Arabs - non-Arabs began to
dominate the army and the government
bureaucracy
4. Divided empire: Rulers in the provinces began to
break away (Spain, Morocco, Egypt)
5. Fatimid Dynasty: In Egypt, this dynasty
began to dominate and trade shifted to Cairo.
Created an army of non-native soldiers.
6. Seljuk Turks: nomads from Central Asia they converted to Islam and prospered as
soldiers for the Abbasids. As the Abbasids
weakened, these Seljuk Turks took over parts
of the empire in the east . They took over
completely in 1055 and were the real military
and political power of the Muslim empire.