From Polis to Medina: Urbanism and Fortification around the Mediterranean Cairo, EgyptFlorence, Italy

Early period ( ) Centralized empire Middle period ( ) Regional centers and local powers Late period ( ) Supra-regional powers Historical periods of Islamic cultures

Arabic-speaking countries today Arab – geneaological, linguistic, or cultural identification

Cairo, Egypt from Fustat to Saladin’s Citadel Florence, Italy (communal period city), 13 th cen. I. Urbanization new and old around the Mediterranean: European and Arab cultures 1.

I. A. What was the pattern of settlement in the medieval era of successive Arab rulers? 1087: al-Qahira Fustat 1 st Cairo, Egypt Fustat 1 st Fatimid dynasty

The Citadel of Saladin, completed 1184, Cairo I. A. Citadel with the Alabaster Mosque, (and tomb of Mohammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt, ) 4.

al-Qahira (Fatamid palace/citadel) I. A. 1. The example of the Fatimid palace/citadel, al-Qahira (“the Victorious”), a royal palace/citadel within a city.

Cairo, EgyptFlorence, Italy (three rings of walls) I. A. 2. How does this system of successive citadels compare to earlier patterns of urban conquest in Europe and elsewhere?

I. A. 2. Roman: the centerMesopotamian: the edge Florence (Roman Florentia), Italy Khorsabad, Iraq

Crac des Chevaliers (Qal'at al- Ḥ i ṣ n) Syria, crusader castle, Knights Hospitaller order Crusades 11 th – 13 th centuries II. Medieval fortifications: the design of city walls in Europe and the Arab world

II. A. What offensive attack weapons were medieval fortifications designed to withstand? 1. Old: battering ramsiege towerballista (Greek & Roman)

II. A. 2. New: the trebuchet (medieval innovation) ballista (Greek & Roman)

II. B. Defensive systems: medieval (really Byzantine) improvements on Roman fortified walls City walls of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople curtain wall defensive towers

II. B. Double circuit of walls, Constantinople inner enceinte outer enceinte

II. B. 1. machicolation machicolation- a projection at the top of a wall from which missiles an be dropped down against an invading enemy

II. B. 1. box machicolation rampart machicolations Crusader Castle, Crac des Chevaliers, Syria,

II. B. 2. wood hoardings Wood hoarding mounted on curtain wall with or w/o machicolations attack by mobile siege tower Ditch filled by attackers Defense from wood hoarding mounted on the curtain wall

II. B. 3. at the gatesa. a portcullis portcullis - a heavy barred gate that moves vertically up and down in a fortress gateway Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate 2.

II. B. 3. b. arrow slits arrow slits Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate

II. B. 3. c. murder holes

Bab al-Futuh Saladin ( ) Kurdish general, leader of the Arab forces against the Crusaders paved sloped grade in front of gates II. C. Arab improvements on the Byzantine fortification techniques added by Saladin

II. C. al-Qahira fortification wall paved sloped grade in front of gates columns laid horizontally

al-Qahira fortification wall and gates Bab al-Zuwayla II. D. Symbolism of city walls: in what ways do cities imbue their walls with divine protection and/or city pride?

Florence, Italy – a medieval commune Florence (as seen in 1470), communal city walls, II. D.

Roman colony, Florence, ItalyDamascus, Syriatypical residential street in Damascusformer Roman street in medieval Florence III. Urbanism (street patterns) within the walls of European and Arab citiesIII. A. How can we account for the maintenance of the ancient Roman grid into the medieval period and beyond in European cities like Florence? 7.

III. B. How can we account for the evolution of suqs and winding street paths of Arab cities in the Mediterranean? Inside al-QahiraCairo, Egypt

III. B. economic determinism partially covered suqs inside al-Qahira Silk market al Ghuriyyaal Ghuriyya today

III. B. Roman colony Timgad, AlgeriaTransformation of Roman colonnaded street under Arab rule Suq in Aleppo, Syria (former Roman decumanus)

medieval merchant palaces on the Palace Walk (Bayn al-Qasrayn) street Emir Bashtak’s house III. B. 2. prevailing notions of public and private

schools, mausolea, and hospitals II. B. 3. What are some public amenities financed by wealthy citizens