Download Islam’s Impact on Europe

Islam’s Impact on Europe
Caliphates – Causes
• Arab soldiers committed to the promise of
plunder unified around Islam and conquered
territory from Spain to India across North Africa,
Arabia and Anatolia
• Weak Sassanid and Byzantine Empires made
conquest easier
• Followers were attracted to ideas of equality
among believers and familiar with monotheism
from Jewish and Christian traditions
Effects
• Caliphate’s introduced bureaucratic structure and
established first Muslim Empire
• Arabs, Persians and other groups unified politically and
culturally as Muslims
• Trade flourished, as merchants agreed on a common set of
Muslim business dealings
• Intellectual development led to algebra, preservation of
Classical texts especially those of the Greeks
• Mosques, hospitals, schools, orphanages and the House of
Wisdom were built
• Islam spread via trade routes to West Africa and to
Southeast via the Indian Ocean to Central Asia and China
via the Silk Routes
Political
• Battle of Tours in 732AD stopped the Muslim
advance into Europe and left only Spain in
Muslim control.
• In 1096 Western Christians marched through
the Byzantine Empire to take back the Holy
Land from the Muslims.
• This conflict brought about the end of the
feudal system in Western Europe.
Economic
• Increased interaction with the Islamic Empire
during the Crusades led to a revival of
European trade with Asia.
• This trade led to a rise in the economic
prosperity of Western Europe
Geographic
• Islam spread into Africa, Asia, and Spain
because of common language
Social
• Increased interaction with the Islamic Empire
as a result of the Crusades opened Europeans
up to new knowledge of science, medicine,
and technology from the Muslims.
• Cordoba Spain was a cultural hub of the
Islamic Empire in Europe.
• Europeans adopted Indian numerals from the
Muslims
Religion Interaction
• Before Muslim control, Jews ostracized
• Spain = center of Muslim control with lots of
Jews
– Under Muslim control, Cordoba becomes Western
Europe’s biggest city
• Muslim practice of tolerance = everyone treated
well
• Muslims don’t pay taxes
– Jews and Christians pay taxes
– Jewish bankers charge interest for loans and extend
credit for businesses
• Reconquista – Christians try to recapture Spain
– Successful under Ferdinand and Isabella