Additional Islam notes

The Umayyad’s Downfall
- After about 90 yrs of Umayyad rule, many non-Muslims had converted to Islam, this paying fewer taxes.
o Also by 732, the armies were making fewer conquests.
o Money no longer pouring in, created a major economic shortage

- Umayyads also lost sight of the religious ideals of Muhammed, instead they were focusing on conquests.
- A group named Abbasids started a rebellion in the east, near Persia.
o Abbasids general named Abdullah invited 80 Umayyad leaders to a banquet and ordered them to be killed.
o Only one survived, Abd al Rahman- he fled to Spain.
o By 750, the Abbasids had control of the eastern part of the empire
- Now the Muslim state was divided in two: The Umayyads in Europe and the Abbasids in Asia and Africa.



Under Abbasid Rule
- Abbasid Empire lasted from 750-1258 in the East. Baghdad was the new capital.
o Baghdad between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers (great for trade and agriculture)
o Area became the center of trade, learning and government.
- As the capital moved further east, the Arabs no longer completely dominated govt, cultural life and the economy.
o Arabic was still the language
o However began to absorb many cultures, especially from Persia.
- Baghdad had a strong economy- trade, manufacturing, science and technology.
o Rich in resources like copper, silver, gold and iron and precious gems
o Improved canal systems for irrigation
o Introduced new livestock and cotton
o Traders from all over the world came to their markets, which brings great wealth to the city.
o They were able to unify most of the eastern world under Muslim rule
o Introduced a uniform coinage system to make commerce easier


Abbasid culture – The Golden Age
- Calligraphy –fine handwriting. Used as a decoration, sometimes almost unreadable http://pringzter104.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/islamic_calligraphy9.gif

- Learned the skill of papermaking from the Chinese and eventually learned bookmaking. Had a paper mill in Baghdad
o Bookmaking created huge interest in learning, even turning Greek classics into Arabic. These books spread all over Muslim regions like Spain and Sicily
o Caliph al Ma’mun (813-833) founded a school in Baghdad called the House of Wisdom or Bayt al-Hikmah
- Science and Mathematics
o Muslim astronomers mapped the solar system and believed long before Columbus that the earth was round.
o Algebra is also based off of Abbasid mathematician al Khwarizmi’s book al jabr, which means “ the addition of one thing to another”
- Medicine
o Very good at diagnosing diseases and their treatments, ie. Small pox and vision
o Open to the public and free hospitals
o Herbal remedies

The Decline of Abbasid Rule
- After about 200 yrs of a “Golden Age” for the Abbasids, they began to lose trade routes and tax money, which caused their economy to suffer.
o Caliphs wanted to live too extravagantly
- Several factions sprung up and began to break away from the empire.
o Fatimids- Descendents of Muhammad’s daughter- did not like rich and corrupt lifestyles
ß Broke away and went to North Africa
o Seljuk Turks conquered Baghdad in 1055
ß Allowed caliphs to remain in power but only as religious leaders
ß Seljuk Turks ruled for about 200 years before the Abbasid-Seljuk empire was defeated by the Mongols