Download Study Guide Bulliet, chapter 7 The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of

Study Guide Bulliet, chapter 7 The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of Islam 1. Sasanid Empire centered in present day? 2. Byzantine and Sasanid empires and integration of frontier peoples 3. Official faiths of Byzantine and Sasanid empires and precedent for the rise of Islam 4. Nestorian Christians 5. Manichaeism and Zoroastrianism 6. Caravan trade across Arabia and cultural diffusion 7. Mecca as a caravan city 8. The Ka’ba and pilgrimage 9. Byzantium and Persia in crisis a. Overextension b. Opulence of court
c. Factional disputes d. Institutionalized rioting e. No technological leaps to improve the surplus The crisis was heightened by what was happening in the two great empires bordering Arabia, Byzantium and Persia. Persia had briefly seized Egypt and Syria from Byzantium and the end of the 6th century, bringing to an end 900 years of Greco­Roman domination. But Persian society itself was in deep crisis, caused by its landed aristocrats neglecting the Mesopotamian irrigation systems that allowed cities to flourish. The ravages of war made things worse. In both empires there was mass impoverishment and social unrest. The whole world seemed to be in a state of chaos. This was the world into which Mohammed, a Meccan orphaned from one of the less important trading families, grew up (Harman) 4. The Muslim Empire a. Muhammed (570­632) i. Merchant trading family ii. Factionalism of merchant families iii. Attempt to unite tribes and families of Arabia iv. Muhammad and revelations v. Founder of new, monotheistic, ethical religion 1. key principles of Islam (submission/surrender/peace) a. there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger
b. individuals must observe the following religious duties (five pillars): i. submit to Allah ii. daily prayers iii. alms to the poor iv. fasting during daylight hours of Ramadan v. if possible make pilgrimage to Mecca c. individuals should follow a code of ethical behavior that includes: i. shunning gambling and alcohol ii. revering one’s parents iii. treating all Muslims as part of single family d. the faithful will be rewarded by eternal life 2. Muhammed’s teachings basis for the Koran 3. The Sunna 4. The Hadith b. The Hegira (622) ­­­ marks first year of Muslim calendar
c. 7 th ­8 th centuries: Many Arab tribes inspired by the message and unite, conquests begin i. Northward: annexation of Palestine and Syria but were unable to destroy the Byzantine Empire and seize Constantinople ii. Eastward: subjugation of Mesopotamia, Persia and part of northwestern India iii. Westward: fall of Egypt, the rest of northern Africa and most of Spain iv. Stopped in France by Charles Martel, Battle of Tours (732) d. In general, few forced conversions ­­­ many converted because: i. Approved of Islam’s ethical code and were inspired by promise of eternal life ii. Avoided special taxes on non­believers iii. Those who did not convert were generally allowed to continue practicing own religion e. Extent (in the 8 th century) i. Largest most populist empire of its time ii. Extended from India to Spain
In the 7th and 8th centuries the religion of Islam spread through conversion and military conquest throughout the Middle East and North Africa. By 733, just 100 years after the death of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, an ordered Islamic state stretched from India in the east to Spain in the west. iii. Unified by Arab military might under a series of caliphs (both a religious and political leader) iv. First capital Damascus, later Baghdad (magnificent cities surpassed far surpassed those of Western Europe 5. Muslim Contributions to Civilization a. Education ­­­ universities at Cairo, Baghdad and Cordova. These universities preserved and taught Greco­Roman culture. Classical learning provided a foundation upon which Muslim scholars expanded b. Mathematics ­­­ introduced Arabic numerals (which they adopted from India). Furthered the studies of algebra, geometry and trigonometry c. Physical Science ­­­ advanced in chemical compounds such as sulfuric acid and alcohol. Improved metal refining and cloth dyeing. d. Medicine ­­­ anesthetics, surgery, optometry, complied medical books e. Agriculture ­­­ crop rotation and fertilizers
f. Industry ­­­ Cordovan leather, Damascus steel (especially swords), textiles, crystal glass, smooth paper, exquisite rugs g. Navigation ­­­ mariner’s compass (adopted from China), lateen sailing rigs (adopted from Indian Ocean trade) h. Literature ­­­ The Arabian Nights, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam i. Language ­­­ spread the Arabic language, helping to culturally unify the Muslim world. Arabic the source of many English words: alcohol, algebra, almanac, cipher, coffee, cotton, syrup and sofa j. Architecture ­­­ temples and palaces typified by rounded domes, tall slender minarets, and delicately craved, lacelike decorative patterns called arabesques. An outstanding example is the Alhambra palace 6. Split/factionalism a. Shia/Sunni split b. Umayyad caliphate (Abu Bakr, Omar, Usman, Ali) i. Damascus ii. Arab c. Abbasid caliphate i. Baghdad ii. Not necessarily Arab, flourished for two centuries iii. Various caliphates