Transcript Umayyad Empire

Umayyad Empire
By Shahan Hatharasinghe,
Shravan Rajan and Stephen Daspit
Map of the Umayyad Empire
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Umayyad-Empire.png
Key Terms
Caliph: the political and religious successor of
Muhammad
Abu Bakr: Muhammad’s father in law, the first caliph
from 632 to 634
Ridda Wars: a set of military campaigns against the
rebellion of several Arabic tribes against the Caliph Abu
Bakr during 632 and 633 AD, after prophet Muhammad
died.
Jihad: holy wars waged by Muslims against infidels
Copts: native Egyptian Christian
Nestorians: the church of the east, a Christian church
Key Terms continued
Uthman: the third caliph
Battle of Siffin: occurred during the First Fitna, or First
Muslim civil war, with the main engagement taking place
from July 26 to July 28.
Mu’awiya: the new leader of the Umayyads, The first
claliph
Sunnis: supporters of Umayyads
Shi’a: supporters of Ali
Karbala: a city of central Iraq to the south of Baghdad
Damascus: a political capital for the Umayyad Empire
Key Terms continued
Mawali: Muslim converts
Jizya: tax imposed to non-islam’s by
Muslim kings
Dhimmi: “people of the book”
Hadiths: traditions of the prophet
Abbasid: third of the Islamic Caliph’s
Battle of the River Zab: Victory of Abbasid
over the Umayyad’s, results in capture of
Umayyad Empire
Ummayad Empire
Muhammad death in 632, no leader
selected to take leadership
Abu Bakr one of Muhammad's friends
from the Umayyad clan was chosen
http://www.destination360.com/middle-east/syria/umayyad
Ummayad Empire
Holy wars called jihads were started to try
and spread the Muslim religion.
Muslim armies were successful in most
battles and thought Sasanian empire was
more vulnerable
Third caliph Uthman was killed by
mutinous soldiers coming back from Egypt
Ummayad Empire
Ali wanted to try and steal leadership from the
Ummayads
Ummayad forces almost defeated in the Battle
of Siffin
Mu'awiya named new leader of the Umayyads
challenging Ali's position
Ali assassinated a year after Mu'awiya was
appointed.
Sunnis(supported Ummayads)
Shi'as(supported Ali) split
Ummayad Empire
Damascus was the Ummayad capital
Caliphs built imperial administration with a
bureacracy and military division.
The conquered people were mostly
dimmis. Soon christians and hindus were
conquered. Dhimmis had to pay but had
religious freedom.
Ummayad Empire
Male domination was common
Men could have up to 4 wives, but women
could only have one husband.
All wives must be treated equally
Islamic laws left women in better
positions than those in civilized cultures
Umayyad Mosque
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/imageislam/Umayyad.jpg
Umayyad Empire
Rewards from successful battles provided a high
class life, and weakened the army.
Riots were held throughout the empire, as
Muslims thought this was a retreat from Islamic
ways
Warriors felt as if they were cheated out of loot.
Rebels brought the end of the Ummayad Empire
An Umayyad Tomb
http://www.atlastours.net/jordan/prophet_hud_shrine.jpg
World Impact
The Umayyad Empire was the first major Islamic Empire
It:
1. Put an end to the great Mediterranean and Persian
civilizations
2. Was the starting point of many Muslim conquests
3. Made the split between Sunni and Shi'a
4. Spread Islam throughout North Africa and Middle Asia
5. Made Powerful enemies that would succeed tham and
eventually conquer much more territory
Interesting Fact
Interesting Fact
After helping the Umayyad Empire and
then being shunned by them, the mawali
joined forces with the Shi'a under alAbbas, a distant relative of Muhammad.
http://www.barakatgallery.com/Auction/ItemImgs/ACFE73.gif