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A Golden Age in the East. Abbasid Power. Kept power through force: standing armies! Equality among all Muslims Inclusion: local people and non-Muslims participated in government. How would a military outpost with a standing army be useful to the Abbasid rulers of a large empire?.
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Abbasid Power Kept power through force: standing armies! Equality among all Muslims Inclusion: local people and non-Muslims participated in government
How would a military outpost with a standing army be useful to the Abbasid rulers of a large empire? If trouble broke out somewhere in the empire, the army could respond quickly!
Why did Abbasid rulers follow a policy of inclusion when it came to running their empire? They could get the most talented people involved in running the government and local people would feel like they were a part of the system ~ not just under some foreign control.
A New Capital • Abbasids moved the capital to Baghdad • Was located on major routes • Was closer to their power base (people liked and supported them!)
Two reasons for moving the capital: • Baghdad was closer to the Abbasid power base • Baghdad was located on major trade routes
Baghdad: A prosperous city • Population was nearly 1 million! • It was a major trade center • There was much farming and industry
Name 3 types of work someone in Baghdad might have: • Farmer • Merchant • Craftworker (some type of industry)
Art and Design • Muslim art emphasizes plant life and geometric patterns • Arabesque: intertwining stems, leaves and flowers • Calligraphy: the art of fine handwriting
Why did the arts flourish in the 800s? There was great wealth available to support the arts!
Bookmaking • Muslims learned how to make paper from the Chinese • Baghdad became a major paper-making center • House of Wisdom: preserved ancient Roman and Greek knowledge
Why did books become more readily available during the Abbasid period? Because the Abbasids learned how to make paper. (Duh!!)
Literature Muslim Literature: Adventure and Fantasy still popular today. Poetry: Quatrain = Lines 1, 2, and 4 rhyme (Omar Kyayyam)
Quatrain Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight: And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.
Mathematics & Astronomy • Scholars borrowed knowledge from other cultures • Used and built upon ideas of ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Indians • Numerical system and concept of zero from India • Al-jabr…….ALGEBRA!!!
Mathematics & Astronomy continued….. • Omar Khayyam also a mathmetician: developed a very accurate calendar • Al-Biruni figured out how to determine the direction of Mecca from any point on earth!
Two contributions to Mathematics made by Muslim scholars: • Algebra (10 < x < 15 or a x b x c = 56) • Our numbering system! 2 1 4 3
Medicine • Muslim doctors improved upon earlier knowledge • Canon of Medicine: organized all known medical knowledge (Ibn Sina) • Hospitals: treated poor as well as rich; was a learning center for young doctors to practice
Why was the Canon of Medicine a significant work? It organized all known medical knowledge and became an important medical reference book for more than 600 years! Ibn Sina
Two things that made the hospital in Baghdad unique: • They treated EVERYONE who was ill • It was a teaching hospital where young doctors could learn and practice
The Decline of the Abbasids Poor Leadership: Leaders ignored their government responsibilities • They failed to protect merchants from attacks, which resulted in loss of trade so the caliphs raised taxes (which makes merchants upset with their leaders!)
What EFFECT did not protecting merchants from attacks by bandits have? • Trade decreased, which led to a decrease in money for the caliphs • The caliphs then raised taxes which caused the people to become extremely dissatisfied with Abbasid rulers!
Fatimid Revolt!!! • Fatimids challenged Abbasid rule • Fatimids were SHIA • Thought rulers should live more simply • Abbasids were SUNNI • (if you are really interested, see lesson 3 of Chapter 3!)
What part of the Muslim Empire did the Fatimids control by the mid 900’s? Much of northern Africa, from Egypt to Tunisia!
The Seljuk Turks • Seljuk Turks came from Central Asia and captured Baghdad • Turks controlled the empire but allowed Abbasid caliph to remain as religious leader (figure head) • Turks converted to Islam
Why is the date for the end of Abbasid rule given as 1258 when, in fact, the Seljuks conquered the empire in 1055? The Seljuk Turks allowed the Abbasid caliph to remain as religious leader. Also, the Turks converted to Islam.