Transcript Umayyad and Abbasid Empires

Section 2: Building a
Muslim Empire
Warm Up Question (February 22, 2016)
You have just “conquered” new territory with
a population that is 5 times your own
population.
 How are you going to rule
them? What are you going to
make your people do?
Warm Up Question (February 23, 2016)
Throughout life many religious and political leaders
have died. (Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, Martin
Luther King, Jesus, Muhammad)
____________________________________
 Name 2 problems society faces when a
political / religious leader dies.
 What choices do people have when a
political / religious leader dies?
Who Should Lead?
 Muslims faced a real
problem when
Muhammad died
because he had no one
who took his place
 Abu Bakr who was
Muhammad’s father in
law stepped in first to be
the first successor
Arabs Unite Under Islam
 Abu Bakr faced immediate crisis because some
people refused to obey him and so their loyalty to
Islam withdrew
 So what did Abu Bakr do? He went to WAR! He
said if you won’t join me then you are against me.
Early Victories
 Under the first 4
caliphs, the Arab
Muslims marched from
victory to victory
against 2 great empires
 The Byzantines and the
Persians fought for
several years over land
in the Middle East
Sunni vs. Shiite Muslims
 Split between Sunni
and Shiite Muslims
 To this day Sunni and
Shiite Muslims are still
at odds over who
should succeed
Muhammad
Shiites Muslims
 One group of Muslims felt that Muhammad had
made his son-in-law Ali, to be the successor.
Those people were called the Shiites. (Followers of
Ali)
 Shiites believed that the true successor to
Muhammad are the descendants of Ali and
Muhammad’s daughter.
Sunni Muslims
 Another group called the Sunnis felt that any good Muslim could
lead the community, since there could be no prophet after
Muhammad died.
 The Sunni’s split and fought the Shiites.
 Many Muslims came to an understanding that the successor to
Muhammad should be a male Muslim from Muhammad’s tribe.
 This member is called a caliph (political leader of the religious
community)
 The majority of today’s Muslims are called Sunnis
What are the Similarities?
 Members of both branches believe
in the same God.
 Both look to the Quran for
guidance
 Both follow the 5 Pillars of
Islam
Differences
 Differ in religious practices, law and daily life
 Even, today they discriminate against each other
based on their beliefs
 For example: When Sunni rulers held power, they
often favored other Sunnis and gave little to no help
to the Shiites and vice versa.
Sufis
 Group that divided from the Sunni and the Shiite
population and they are called the Sufis
 Muslim mystics who sought communion with
God through meditation, fasting and other rituals
 Some believe they have magical powers
Umayyad Caliphs Build an Empire
 After the death of Ali, a powerful Meccan clan set up
the Umayyad Caliphate (Sunni) that ruled the
Muslim empire until 750.
 They were really powerful and really helped
spread Islam and Muslim civilization to the West
(Spain)
Spain was Getting Beasted
 The Umayyad
empire expanded
rapidly
 Muslims ruled
parts of Spain for
centuries after
defeating Spain.
Why were the Muslims So Good?
 One factor was the weakness of the Byzantine and
Persian Empires
 Fought each other for so long and for so many years that
they were just tired of fighting
 Many people also welcomed the Muslims because they
were tired of being ruled by the Persians and
Byzantine Empire.
 Another reason, was because the Muslims were great
warriors in battle. The Muslims were efficient and
bold.
Facts About Camels
Did You Know!
 Camels can drink up to seven liters of water in a day.
 Speed: 40 mph maximum (In Short Bursts,
Running)
 Height: 6.1 ft. (Adult, At Shoulder)
Treatment of Conquered People
 The Umayyad imposed certain restrictions and a
special tax on Non-Muslims.
 In time many non-Muslims converted to Islam.
(Mainly to gain political or economic advantages)
 But others were also joined because they liked
Islam’s message
Decline of the Umayyad Caliphate
 There was division between
the rich people and the
poor people in the empire.
 The caliphs were taking
advantage of the money
supply and living like Kings.
(hypocrites)
 People were tired of being
told to convert to Islam
Rise of the Abbasids
 People who were angry so they found a new leader
(Muhammad’s Uncle)
 He gained a lot of support and captured Damascus in
750
 Once he captured the city he killed the family members
of Umayyad family.
 Abu al-Abbas then founded the Abbasid Dynasty
which lasted until 1258 (ruled for about 400 years)
Changes Under the Abbasids
 Empire based on equality
 They stopped going to war
 Empire gained wealth
 They didn’t persecute non-Muslims.
 They focused on education and government
 Moved their capital from Damascus to Baghdad
(opportunities for more trade)
Baghdad was a Happening Place to Be
 Baghdad brought Poets,
scholars, philosophers
and entertainers from all over
the Muslim word
 Wealthy city (trade)
 Merchants sold goods from
Africa, Asia and Europe there.
The Muslim Empire Declines
 Caliphs power faded over
time and that meant there
was a new Shiite rulers.
 Also between 900 and
1400 there were a series of
invasions that led to more
chaos (Seljuk Turks)
 Mongols destroy
everything