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From Polis to Medina: Urbanism and Fortification around the Mediterranean. Florence, Italy. Cairo, Egypt. Historical periods of Islamic cultures. Early period (622-900) Centralized empire. Middle period ( 900-1500) Regional centers and local powers. Late period (1500-1800)
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From Polis to Medina: Urbanism and Fortification around the Mediterranean Florence, Italy Cairo, Egypt
Historical periods of Islamic cultures Early period (622-900) Centralized empire Middle period (900-1500) Regional centers and local powers Late period (1500-1800) Supra-regional powers
Arab – geneaological, linguistic, or cultural identification Arabic-speaking countries today
I. Urbanization new and old around the Mediterranean: European and Arab cultures 1. Florence, Italy (communal period city), 13th cen. Cairo, Egypt from Fustat to Saladin’s Citadel
I. A. What was the pattern of settlement in the medieval era of successive Arab rulers? 3. Fatimid dynasty 909-1167 Cairo, Egypt 1087: al-Qahira Fustat 1st Fustat 1st
I. A. 4. The Citadel of Saladin, completed 1184, Cairo Citadel with the Alabaster Mosque, 1830-57 (and tomb of Mohammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt, 1830-48)
I. A. 1. The example of the Fatimid palace/citadel, al-Qahira (“the Victorious”), a royal palace/citadel within a city. al-Qahira (Fatamid palace/citadel)
I. A. 2. How does this system of successive citadels compare to earlier patterns of urban conquest in Europe and elsewhere? Florence, Italy (three rings of walls) Cairo, Egypt
I. A. 2. Roman: the center Mesopotamian: the edge Florence (Roman Florentia), Italy Khorsabad, Iraq
II.Medieval fortifications: the design of city walls in Europe and the Arab world Crac des Chevaliers (Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn) Syria, 1142-1213 Crusades 11th – 13th centuries crusader castle, Knights Hospitaller order
II. A. What offensive attack weapons were medieval fortifications designed to withstand? 1. Old: ballista (Greek & Roman) battering ram siege tower
II. A. 2. New: ballista (Greek & Roman) the trebuchet (medieval innovation)
II. B. Defensive systems: medieval (really Byzantine) improvements on Roman fortified walls City walls of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople curtain wall defensive towers
II. B. Double circuit of walls, Constantinople inner enceinte outer enceinte
II. B. 1. machicolation machicolation- a projection at the top of a wall from which missiles an be dropped down against an invading enemy
II. B. 1. Crusader Castle, Crac des Chevaliers, Syria, 1142-1213 rampart machicolations box machicolation
II. B. 2. wood hoardings attack by mobile siege tower Defense from wood hoarding mounted on the curtain wall Wood hoarding mounted on curtain wall with or w/o machicolations Ditch filled by attackers
II. B. 3. at the gates a. a portcullis 2. portcullis - a heavy barred gate that moves vertically up and down in a fortress gateway Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate
II. B. 3. b. arrow slits Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate arrow slits
II. C. Arab improvements on the Byzantine fortification techniques added by Saladin Saladin (1137-93) Kurdish general, leader of the Arab forces against the Crusaders paved sloped grade in front of gates Bab al-Futuh
II. C. al-Qahira fortification wall columns laid horizontally paved sloped grade in front of gates
II. D. Symbolism of city walls: in what ways do cities imbue their walls with divine protection and/or city pride? al-Qahira fortification wall and gates Bab al-Zuwayla
II. D. Florence, Italy – a medieval commune Florence (as seen in 1470), communal city walls, 1274-1333
III. Urbanism (street patterns) within the walls of European and Arab cities III. A. How can we account for the maintenance of the ancient Roman grid into the medieval period and beyond in European cities like Florence? 7. former Roman street in medieval Florence Roman colony, Florence, Italy typical residential street in Damascus Damascus, Syria
III. B. How can we account for the evolution of suqs and winding street paths of Arab cities in the Mediterranean? Cairo, Egypt Inside al-Qahira
III. B. economic determinism partially covered suqs inside al-Qahira Silk market al Ghuriyya al Ghuriyya today
III. B. Roman colony Timgad, Algeria Suq in Aleppo, Syria (former Roman decumanus) Transformation of Roman colonnaded street under Arab rule
III. B. 2. prevailing notions of public and private medieval merchant palaces on the Palace Walk (Bayn al-Qasrayn) street Emir Bashtak’s house
II. B. 3. What are some public amenities financed by wealthy citizens schools, mausolea, and hospitals