Control Extends Over Three Continents

1. Control Extends Over Three Continents Standard 1.3 E.Q. How did control emerge in the Muslim region?

2. Abbasids Consolidate Power • Fatmid Caliphate: Capital of Cairo, was an independent state that sprang up after the fall of Islam’s second royal dynasty. • Togrhil – Beg: Founding Sultan of the Sejuk Dynasty. • Seljuk Turks for all things Persian caused an almost complete disappearance of the Arabic Language in Persia.

3. Abbasids Consolidate Power • To solidify power, the Abbasids moved the capital of the empire in 762 to a newly created city Baghdad, in central Iraq. • It gave access to trade goods, gold, and information about the far – flung empire. • Abbasids developed a strong bureaucracy to conduct the huge empire’s affairs. • A special group managed the business of the army. • To support bureaucracy, the Abbasids taxed land, imports and exports and non – Muslims’ wealthy.

4. Rival Groups Divide Muslim Lands • Abbasids lasted from 750 to 1258. • Increased their authority by consulting religious leaders. • Failed to keep complete political control of the immense territory. • The Fatimid were caliphate formed by Shi’a Muslims who claimed descent from Muhammad’s daughter Fatima.

5. Muslim Trade Network • Two major sea – trading networks existed: • The Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. • Muslim Empire could engage in sea trade with the rest of the world. • Muslim merchants needed only a single language, Arabic, and a single currency, the Abbasid dinar, to travel in the empire. • Muslim money changes set up banks in cities throughout the empire. • Banks offered letters of credit called Sakks.