Baghdad was one of the oldest cities in mesopotamia, but it was not until the rise of abbasid caliphate 7501258 that the city became the center of the islamic world. The second wave broke on khurasan in 6541256 when chingiz khans grandson, hulagu khan 6141217 6641265, was selected by his brother, emperor mangu khan 6491251 6551257, and the great quriltay, i. Abbas ibn abd almuttalib was the youngest uncle of muhammad who descended the abbasid dynasty. The umayyads had always been outsidersas a wealthy clan in mecca, they had opposed muhammadand the secularism and sometime degeneracy that. See more ideas about abbasid caliphate, history and islam. I use medieval arabic chronicles as well as judeoarabic and hebrew documents preserved in the cairo geniza to reevaluate the role of jews and jewish institutions in medieval islamic political life. Abbasid caliphate simple english wikipedia, the free. Abbasid caliphate in baghdad amazing bible timeline with.
The abassid caliphate 7581258 jewish virtual library. Starting in the year 765, the shia community fractionized as a result of jafar alsadiqs death. Abbasid caliphate they moved the capital to baghdad, which was the second largest city in the world then. Umayyad dynasty established at cordova by abd alrahman 786. It wis foondit bi a dynasty descendit frae muhammads uncle, abbas ibn abdulmuttalib 566653 ce, frae that the dynasty taks its name. So, the major challenge the abbasid faced was the multiethnic and massive empire. Under the abbasid caliphate 7501258, which succeeded the umayyads 661750 in 750, the focal point of islamic political and cultural life shifted eastward from syria to iraq, where, in 762, baghdad, the circular city of peace madinat alsalam, was founded as the new capital. The abbasids later also established another city north of baghdad, called samarra an. Topics history, historical, geography, baghdad, arabs, islam, caliphate, medieval, muslim, cities. The abbasid caliphate at its greatest extent, around 850 ce wikipedia commons the new line of caliphs would be from the family of abbas, known as the abbasids. The abbasid dynasty descended from muhammads youngest uncle, abbas ibn abd almuttalib 566653 ce. Baghdad was founded and became the centre of the golden age of islam in the 8th and 9th centuries. Throughout a mirror for princes, a manual of advice. The abbasid caliphate, which ruled most of the muslim world from baghdad in what is now iraq, lasted from 750 to 1258 a.
The golden age of the abbasid caliphate was the reign of. Alamin was the elder and was nominated as the heir to the caliphate. Ibn serapion, on the other hand, chiefly occupies himself with tracing out the network of canals whose ramifications traversed those later suburbs of tho round city, which in time came to form the two great quarters of west and east baghdad. During the period of early ninth century, by the time of caliph alradi, the abbasid caliphate was succeeded and thrived despite of having multiethnic and massive empire because of several capable advisors and caliphs. The rise and fall of islams greatest dynasty is a wellwritten history of the centuries when the abbasids ruled. In this volume, first published in 1900 and written by a recognized authority in the field, the history of the city and of the abbasid dynasty are closely interwoven so that, from a scholarly blending of contemporary records and discursive narrative, an accurate picture. Shiism from the beginning of the abbasid period 2 ah up to the end of the minor occultation ghaybah assughra 329 ah was a longer period compared to the umayyad period. The rise and fall of the abbasid caliphate european. Umayyad caliph abd almalik in 685, the caliphate had won and controlled the diwan.
From contemporary arabic and persian sources 9781578985371. But they continued to claim authority in religious matters from their base in egypt. Baghdad, an imperial foundation 762836ce chapter 19 the. People of the west should publicly express their gratitude to the scholars of the abbasid period, who were known and appreciated in. Abbasid caliphate at greatest extent 786809 other muslim dynasties islamic expansion 750850 byzantine empire saffarid incursions abbasid campaigns qarmatian expansion islamic naval attacks the abbasid caliphate c. All four caliphs who ruled before ibrahim died either from illness or violence, while ibrahim himself was deposed by general marwan bin muhammad in 744 ad. It was probably made in baghdad, since it has on it the name of an heir apparent to the caliphate, a son of the caliph muktafi.
It was the third islamic caliphate and overthrew the umayyad caliphate to take power in all but the westernmost fringe of muslim holdings at that timespain and portugal, known then as the alandalus region. The size made it difficult to control, and their empire was weakened due to the heavy use of slaves, known as mamluks. This period is regarded as the golden age of the abbasid caliphate and was followed immediately by civil war between his sons. Abbasid caliphate, second of the two great dynasties of the muslim empire of the caliphate. The abbasids held the caliphate from 749 to 1258, but they were recognized neither in spain nor after 787 w of egypt. The capital city of baghdad became a center of science, culture, philosophy and invention during the golden age of islam. The fifth caliph of the abbasid dynasty, harun alrashid r. The leader of the mongols, hulagu khan, then set siege to the city. It was the second abbasid caliph, al mansur 75475, who decided to build a new capital, surrounded by round walls, near the site of the sassanid village of city of baghdad.
This dissertation focuses on the relationship between the abbasid caliphate and the jews of medieval baghdad. Under the abbasids the capital of the caliphate was moved from damascus to the new city of baghdad. This period of cultural fruition ended in 1258 with the sack of baghdad by the mongols under hulagu khan. The abbasid caliphs took power in the aftermath of an important insurrection that. Place and role of central asian turks in the history of abbasid egypt.
The history of baghdad as a metropolis coincides with the history of the rise and fall of the abbasid caliphs. A brief history of the abbasid caliphate exploring history. List of books and articles about abbasid caliphate. Under the umayyad caliphs the abbasids lived quietly until they became involved in numerous disputes, beginning early in the 8th cent. Hammurabis reign when he merged it with his own kingdom. For example, a complaint was lodged to the abbasid caliph harun arrashid against imam musa alkazim a for. The shiah were scattered in the furthest points of the vast muslim land.
The abbasid line of rulers, and muslim culture in general, recentered themselves in the mamluk capital of cairo in 1261. Kufa was used as the center of the government in abbasid caliphate before it was moved to baghdad in 762 under the order of caliph almansur. The abbasid caliphate of cairo tspace university of toronto. Medicine in medieval islam was an area of science that advanced particularly during the abbasids reign.
The abassid caliphate was founded on two disaffected islamic populations. Thay ruled as caliphs for maist o the caliphate frae thair caipital in baghdad. Jews in the political life of abbasid baghdad, 9081258. And in 750 the capital of islam moved from damascus to what had been a small christian village on the west bank of the tigris river, near the ruins of the old persian capital. This invaluable study oxford, 1900, written by the renowned arabist and historical geographer guy le strange 18541933, covers the history of baghdad during the 8th centuries. During this golden age of trade and prosperity, not just the caliphs and. The abbasids looked to the east, to the sasanian empire and its culture.
Baghdad is listed as the abbasid capital on the bible timeline chart with world history in 762 ad. The history of the abbasid caliphate can be divided into two eras, the first750842 ce known as the golden era of the abbasids, and the second 8421258 ce known as the corruption and dissolution era. The aim of the present article is not to give a chronological history of persia under. Travelswritings provided description of jewish communities from city to city populations, leaders, customs, etc. Abbasid rule was effective thereessentially from the middle of the 2nd8th century to the opening decades of the. In 1258 ce, however, the capital city of baghdad was sacked by the mongols causing the abbasids to. A wealthy merchant of mecca, he was at first opposed to the religious movement initiated by his nephew muhammad. From common core analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts. Baghdad during the abbasid caliphate from contemporary arabic and persian sources by guy le strange. Under his rule, baghdad became the worlds most important center for science, philosophy, medicine, and education. In 1258, the mongols arrived at baghdad, the capital city of the abbasid caliphate. The history of baghdad begins when the city of baghdad arabic.
It overthrew the umayyad caliphate in 750 ce and reigned until it was destroyed by the mongol invasion in 1258. The area of baghdad in the first ad centuries before the building of the round city. A new capital in 762, the abbasid caliphs declared baghdad as the new capital of the muslim empire baghdad became the center of trade, culture, and education in the muslim world located on the banks of the tigris river and connected to the euphrates river by a canal 1. Abbasid caliphate in baghdad the umayyad caliphate was on the brink of collapse during the reign of the caliph yazid ii up to the shortlived rule of ibrahim.
The abbasid dynasty descended from muhammads uncle, alabbas ibn abd almuttalib 566653 ce, from whom the dynasty takes its name. Abbasid rule was ended in 1258, when hulagu khan, the mongol conqueror, sacked baghdad. Founded through revolution, it presided over a golden age until it declined due to intrigue, war, and weakness that led to its centuries of powerless existence until its downfall in the hands of the mongols. The mamluks served in the army and eventually weakened the abbasid rule.
Within fifty years the population outgrew the city walls as people thronged to the capital to become part of the abbasids enormous bureaucracy or to engage in trade. Abbasid caliph abu jafar al mansoor as his capital. Abbasid caliphate project gutenberg selfpublishing. They ruled as caliphs, for most of their period from their capital in baghdad in modernday iraq. Download baghdad during the abbasid caliphate was first published in 1900 and is, according to the author, the first attempt at a complete history and topographic outline of the city of baghdad during the reign of the abbasids, who ruled from 750 to 1258 a. Independent dynasties were set up all in the following except. A brief history of the abbasid caliphate the abbasid caliphate 750 1258 stood was a great islamic empire that dominated two continents. For the most part, the islamic impetus to the abassid revolution lay in the secularism of the umayyad caliphs. However almamun, who was the effective governor of the eastern provinces was ambitious. During the period of the abassid dynasty, abassid claims to the caliphate did not go unchallenged. Caliph of baghdad article about caliph of baghdad by the. Pdf baghdad during the abbasid caliphate download ebook. Some of the stories are of a later date, but there are details in them which certainly relate to this period when for the first time a muslim court has the leisure and prosperity to. The abbasids flourished for a long time and had many great influences on the middle east.
The luxury and delight of harun alrashids baghdad, in the late 8th century, has been impressed on the western mind by one of the most famous works of arabic literature the thousand and one nights. The clinical distinction between measles and smallpox was described during this time. The caliph at the time believed that baghdad could not be conquered and refused to meet the mongols demands. Just over a century after the fatimids had established their caliphate in north africa in 297 ah 909 ce, and four decades after the transfer of their capital to cairo in 362 ah 973 ce, the abbasid caliph alqadir billah r. On numerous occasions within the abbasid caliphate, the shia sect of islam formed several smaller segments of which differ from other factions of islam on certain beliefs, mostly pertaining to the rightful heir to the caliphate or imam position. During the ninth century, baghdad contained over 800 doctors, and great discoveries in the understanding of anatomy and diseases were made. Abbasid rule but to examine some of the main trends affecting the political, religious, and cultural development of persia during the period when. During this period, the abbasids were strong leaders who controlled a vast territory and created a culture that is often referred as the golden age of islam. Baghdad was an imperial foundation, as is reflected in the arabic sources. Using the definition of a golden age as, a time of. During the rashidoon caliphs rule see chapter 1 of this book, islam rapidly. Baghdad madinat alsalam in the islamic civilizationislam. Abbasid dynasty of baghdad, the fatimid dynasty of cairo, and the. Describe and explain the decline of the abbasid caliphate.