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The Islamic Empires

The Islamic Empires. Arabia. Mostly desert Occupied by nomadic herders called Bedouins Clans of Bedouins fought over scarce resources Town of Mecca was a major trading center. The Prophet Muhammad.

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The Islamic Empires

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  1. The Islamic Empires

  2. Arabia • Mostly desert • Occupied by nomadic herders called Bedouins • Clans of Bedouins fought over scarce resources • Town of Mecca was a major trading center

  3. The Prophet Muhammad • Arabian merchant who believed he had been called upon to spread the word (Qu’ran) of God (Allah) • Meccan merchants grew angry over his rejection of the old polytheistic religion (which was good for trade) and plotted to kill him, prompting him to flee Mecca for the town of Medina; this flight is known as the hegira • Muhammad was welcomed in Medina and became the ruler of the city; later led his converts in conquering Mecca and destroyed the idols (or statues) worshipped there

  4. Islam • Monotheistic: believe in the same “God of Abraham” as Christians and Jews • Sacred text = Qu’ran • God is all-powerful and compassionate • Men are responsible for their own actions and will be judged at death and sent to either heaven or hell • Sharia: Islamic law which governs daily life, applies the Qu’ranto all legal issues

  5. The Five Pillars • make a declaration of faith: “there is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger” • recognizes other prophets, including Abraham. Moses, and Jesus (do not recognize Jesus as divine), but considers Muhammad to be the last and greatest of the prophets • daily prayer: must face Mecca when praying • give charity to the poor • fast (not eat or drink) between sunrise and sunset during the holy month of Ramadan • make a pilgrimage to Mecca (this trip is called a hajj)

  6. Spread of Islam • After Muhammad died in 632 AD, control of Islam passed to his follower Abu Bakr • Islamic armies swept out of Arabia and quickly conquered the Middle East, Persia, Egypt, and North Africa • 711 AD, crossed into Spain until defeated in 732 at the Battle of Tours, stopping Islam’s advance into Europe

  7. Life for the Conquered • Muslim rulers were extremely tolerant of non-Muslims who were also monotheistic (Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians), allowing them to continue their own religions and follow their own laws; those of other faith systems were usually converted “by the sword” (convert or be punished)

  8. The Islamic Schism • The first 4caliphs (leaders of Islam) were from Muhammad’s family but political divisions soon erupted between the Shia and Sunni • Shiites believed that only descendents of Muhammad should lead Islam (minority group) • Sunnis believed that any devout Muslim may lead Islam (majority group)

  9. The Umayyad Caliphate • Came to power by assassinating many members of Muhammad’s extended family in order to frustrate the Shia • Moved capital of Islamic empire from Mecca (a religious center) to Damascus (an economic center outside Arabia) • Created a social class system where converts to Islam did not hold the same status as those born into the faith • Continued to expand empire through conquest

  10. The Abbasid Caliphate • Overthrew the Umayyads in 750 AD through a successful insurrection • Moved capital of Islamic empire to the new city of Baghdad (in modern day Iraq) to better administer the empire from a more central location and to take advantage of its position along the Silk Road

  11. Disintegration of Empire • Starting around 850 AD, the Islamic empire began to fragment into smaller Islamic states • Invaders began to compound the problem • Seljuks invade from central Asia in the 900s • Crusades out of Europe in the 1100s and 1200s • Mongols out of China in 1200s

  12. Islamic Society • People enjoyed social mobility (could change social classes) • Had slaves, but Muslims could not be enslaved • if a slave converted to Islam, their children became free • if a slave married a free Muslim, they became free • slaves worked as servants, soldiers, artisans, government officials • slaves could be freed or could buy their own freedom

  13. Trade • Muslims were great merchants • crossed Saharan Desert to trade with West Africa • traveled the Silk Road to trade with China • sailed the Indian Ocean to trade with India • Introduced Europe to sugar from India, paper from China • Created branch-banking, checks, and credit • Artisans were controlled by guilds (just like in Europe)

  14. Arts & Architecture • Qu’ranforbids artistic representations of God or religious figures • Islamic art is usually made up of geometric patterns (called arabesques) • Used fancy calligraphy and vivid illustrations in books • Built elaborate and beautiful mosques

  15. Literature • Poetry • Firdawsi’sShah Namah (Book of Kings) • Omar Khayyam’s The Rubaiyat • The Thousand and One Nights • Aladdin • Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves • Sinbad the Sailor

  16. Education • Boys and girls educated in reading, writing, and the Qu’ran • Great universities, libraries • Preserved the works of the Greeks and other earlier civilizations at a time when such works were being destroyed in Europe because of their pagan origins • Had great philosophers and historians • Developed new forms of math (Omar Khayyam’s “al jabr” or “algebra”) • Made tremendous advances in medicine

  17. Islam in India • Muslims first conquered Indus valley in 711 • Moved into the sub-continent in 1100s • Many people of low-castes converted from Hinduism to Islam because it allowed social mobility • After Mongol invasions in 1398, India broke into a number of small rival states (some Muslim, some Hindu)

  18. The Mughal Dynasty • In 1526, the Mongols (now converted to Islam) again invaded India • Established the MughalDynasty (1526-1857) • Founded by Babur and his son Akbar the Great • Chose to be tolerant of Hindus to maintain peace • Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan, built the TajMahal as a tomb for his beloved wife, who had died young

  19. The Ottoman Empire • Swept out of central Asia and toppled the Byzantine Empire in 1453, using cannons (a recent invention) • Eventually, empire stretched from Eastern Europe to Arabia and through the Middle East and across North Africa • Distinct social classes • Men of the pen – the educated • Men of the sword - soldiers • Men of negotiation – merchants, artisans • Men of husbandry – farmers, herders

  20. The Safavid Empire • Formed in Persia (modern-day Iran) in early 1500s • Clashed with the Ottomans • Greatest leader was Shah Abbas (1588-1629) • tolerated non-Muslims • encouraged the arts • strengthened trade along the Silk Road • walked the streets in disguise to talk to the people and find out their problems • after his death, empire declined and finally collapsed in 1722

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