The Arab Empire

1. The Arab Empire Unit 3: Chaos

2. Caliphs • Muhammed died in 632. • His followers picked a new leader, or caliph. • The first caliph was Abu Bakr, Muhammed’s father-in-law. • At first they were elected for life. • The first four were called the “Rightly Guided Caliphs”

3. Caliphs • In keeping with Muhammed’s wishes, they sent people all over what is now known as the middle east to spread Islam.

4. Caliphs • Reasons for success: • Islam – they were all striving for a common goal. • Leaders – mentally and physically tough • Horsemanship – handled camels and horses well. • Treated the conquered well.

5. The Umayyads • After the last Rightly Guided Caliph died, the new caliph, Mu’awiya moved the capital. • The new capital was located in Damascus. • He began the Umayyad dynasty. • From now on, the title was hereditary.

6. The Umayyads • The Umayyads were more kings than religious rulers. • Organized the government • Arabic the official language • Minted money • Postal routes • Maintained irrigation canals • Built beautiful mosques

7. The Umayyads • Social unrest: people who were conquered and became Muslim were treated differently than those born Muslim.

8. Islam Divides • Shi’ah: office of caliph should only be held by a descendant of Muhammed. • Followers were called Shi’ites • Sunni: followed the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the caliphs after them. • A group called the Abbasids rose up against the Umayyads and won.

9. The Abbasids • Ruled from 750-1258 CE • First 100 years was the Golden Age of Islam. • Built a new capital called Baghdad. • It was designed by a Jewish astronomer and a Persian engineer. • 100,000 people worked 4 years to build it.

10. The Abbasids • Arab became to mean anyone who spoke Arabic, not just those from Arabia. • They created a position called the vizier. • The vizier was in charge of running the empire. • They did not expand their land, instead made Baghdad and center of trade and ideas.

11. The Abbasids • Mathematical and scientific achievements. • Syrian Christians and Jews translated Greek writings into Arabic. • Advanced farming methods • Banks opened • People had time to play games

12. The Abbasids • It became too large. • It broke into several smaller kingdoms. • In 945 Persia took over Baghdad.

13. Islamic Life • The society in which Islam came out of you could have as many wives as you wanted and female children were often killed… • Muhammed limited the number of wives. • He also encouraged parents to raise girls. • Islam granted women half their husbands wealth. • Men and women were educated.

14. The Crusades

15. Pre-Crusades • At first, Christians were allowed to visit Jerusalem. • In 1071, Seljuk Turks took over Jerusalem and didn’t allow the Christians to come.

16. Pope Urban II • He riled up Europe to go fight the Turks so that people could visit Jerusalem again. • He called it a holy war and that it was their Christian duty to fight. • Armies soon amassed to take back the holy land.

17. Earliest Crusade • Peter the Hermit led a crusade of rag-tag people in 1096. • They were all killed, didn’t even reach Jerusalem.

18. First Crusade • 1099 – People of all classes arrived in Jerusalem. • They fought for 6 weeks and won control of the city. • Noblemen set up kingdoms in Palestine. • Most crusaders went back home.

19. Second Crusade • The nobles began to fight amongst themselves. • The Turks launched an attack and more crusaders were sent to the Holy Land. • Muslim leader Saladin won back Jerusalem in 1187.

20. Second Crusade • European leaders joined together to fight Saladin. • Frederick I: German emperor, accidentally drowned on the trip there. • King Pilip II: French king, returned home before it was finished. • Richard the Lion Heart: English king, only one who faced Saladin.

21. Second Crusade • Richard was called back to England. • Saladin and Richard signed a truce that was supposed to last for 5 years.

22. End of the Crusades • After Saladin died, the truce weakened. • By 1291, Muslims had control of the entire holy land. • IN 1453, Ottoman Turks took over the area (as well as Byzantium) and created an empire.

23. Saddest Crusade (don’t write) • Children’s Crusade was in 1212. • An army of 30,000 French boys and girls younger than 12. • All of them died before they got to the Holy Land because of starvation or illness.

24. Feudal Estates

25. Lords and Serfs

26. Lords and Serfs • Serfs were tied to the land they were born on. • They had to work for the Lord • The Lord could treat them in anyway they wanted. • These serfs made up 95% of the population

27. Kings and Lords • Vassals were nobles and other important men who owned land. • They owed their allegiance to the king. • There was a distinct order to life.

28. Churches in the middle ages • Had more power than kings. • They owned the most land and throughout much of the middle ages were the real ones in control. • However, monks and nuns were very poor.

29. Division of Society • Some fight (kings and knights) • Some pray (clergy) • Some work (peasants)

30. Black Death • This was a great equalizer – it did not care if you were rich or poor. • Wrecked havoc on the economy and social structure. • Last plague was in the 1400’s

31. Changes the Crusades Brought • Merchants introduced • new food: lemons, rice, apricots, melons • new spices: ginger, pepper, cloves, cinnamon • fine cloth: silk • New ideas…like maps

32. Changes in Agriculture • Second Agricultural Revolution • Iron allowed tools to be made better. • New methods of agriculture changed society as a whole. • Plowshares • Discovered crop rotation Crop Crop Fallow

33. Population Growth • There’s enough food now! • So…population grows…and people begin making craft goods…and towns begin. • They were really crowded and dirty (hence the black death).

34. Guilds Read p. 406, Section4 and Answer questions 1-5 on notebook pg. 122

35. Magna Carta • In England in 1213, nobles were upset because King John was treating them very badly. • They made King John sign the Magna Carta • The Magna Carta was a list of rights that they wanted the king to give them. • This was the foundation of English democracy (and therefore American democracy)