Three Caliphates:`Abbasid, Fatimid, Umayyad Andalus

Carl W. ErnstIntroduction to Islamic Civilization

1. The `Abbasid caliphate (750-1256)

Triumph of Persian cosmopolitan and Imperial tradition over Arab particularism

Only politically effective for a century

Powerful centrifugal forces

Economic network tying things together

`Abbasid caliphate – early period

Arab elites replaced by Khorasani guard

Increasing remoteness of regime from citizens, growth of court ceremonial in Persian style

New urban sophistication: hedonistic poetry of Abu Nuwas

Growth of Arabic literature: Thousand and One Nights as popular storytelling

Military and economic problems

Troops coming from border areas or beyond: Turks as military slaves (mamluks)

Weakened economy could not sustain military

Rebellion of East African slaves (Zanj) in marshes near Basra

Assertion of Regional Autonomy

Provincial independence: Egypt, Persia, Central Asia

rise of New Persian language in Arabic script

Abandonment of Samarra as capital

Iranian Buyid princes (Zaydi Shi`ites from the Caspian) take charge, caliphs as powerless puppets

Isma`ili activism

Multiple groups in late ninth century:

Carmathians in Bahrain, attack Mecca and steal the Black Stone from Ka`ba (930-951)

`Abd Allah leaves Syria (902) and founds Fatimid empire in North Africa, claims descent from Ja`far’s son `Abd Allah

2. A second caliphate (Fatimids)

Shi`ite call to prayer, sermon in the name of caliph-imam

Kharijite and `Alid principalities in North Africa overwhelmed

First military campaigns against Egypt (913-934) unsuccessful

3. Umayyad caliphate in Córdoba

Conquest of Iberian peninsula except NW (Asturias)

Independent of Baghdad after 740

Umayyad prince `Abd al-Rahman, fleeing `Abbasids, claims throne

Battle of Zaragoza vs. Charlemagne leads to romanticized Song of Roland

The Caliphate of Cordoba

Excavated ruins of Madinat az-Zahra, ca. 940

Salon Rico

Salon Rico, interior

Audience hall

Mihrab of

great mosque

Mihrab detail

The church in the mosque

Mosque interior

Crucifix in the mosque today

Ethnic groups in al-Andalus

Mozarabe (muta`arrab): Arabized Christians

Sefardic Jews

Muladie (muwallad, “born [here]”): Iberian converts to Islam

Arabs: Syrians, etc.

Berbers

Mudejar (mudajjan, “tamed”): Muslims under Christian rule

Umayyad caliphate

Andalus ruled by Muslim minority

Arabization of Jews and Christians[Egger overestimates isolation of Andalusian Christians: see Codex biblicus legionensis : Biblia visigótico mozárabe in Wilson Library – Latin Bible with Arabic comments]

Economic networks

Indus to Andalus: economy, agriculture, industry, trade, cities

a medieval “Muslim world”

Irrigation based on water wheel (noria) and canal (qanat)

Economy

Extraordinary textile production

Shift from long distance luxury goods to mass consumption trade

Camels, market in timber and metals

North Europeans unable to use advanced products of Muslims

Silk Road, maritime commerce in western Indian Ocean

Shift from Gulf to Red Sea