Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization

Review Questions What group finally ended the Abbasid caliphate in 1258? What was the name of the mystics/missionaries of Islam during this period? What was one issue that has always plagued Islamic governments, going back to Sunni-Shia split? What is the island country in Asia that today has the most Muslims in the world? Whose learning did the Abbasid scholars improve upon?

People and Places Muhammad Harun al-Rashid Baghdad Jerusalem Delhi

Abbasid Caliphate

Abbasid decline Emerging Issues in the Reign of Caliph al-Mahdi Courtly excesses Failure to bring to back the Shia meant terrorism Unable to solve succession issues Harun al-Rashid’s(786-809) Impact Originally dependent on Persian advisors Thousand and One Nights Death caused civil war and the rise of slave mercenary armies that eventually became power players

A Drawn Out death Treasury drained by constant civil violence and attempts to create new capital More taxation added to peasant’s burden, causing them to abandon irrigation works and villages, leading to banditry Provinces began to secede by the mid-10th century, then invaded, like the Buyids in 945 who then made the caliphs puppets Later the Seljuk Turks did the same thing, invigorating the dynasty by purging the Shia and defeating the Byzantines They soon came under attack from Crusaders, who had mixed success, though they did gain knowledge Trade was a more important source of exchanges however

Messed up By the Mongols Raids begun by Genghis Khan, Baghdad defeated by grandson Hulegu in 1258 This formed the llkhanate Mongols stopped by Mamluks in Egypt Baghdad pillaged again by Timur in 1401, never again regained prominence

Golden Age While rural areas declined, cities had rapid growth as a result of trade, with a large professional class This benefited artists and artisans, seen in rugs and architecture Arabic remained state language but Persian became the language of culture Elegant style of writing on a variety of subjects, such as the history of Persia in the Shah-Nama

Islamic Textiles

Bronze

Glass and Ceramics

MST Stuff Originally compilers, then creators and correctors of Greece Artisans and scholars combined in geography and astronomy for amazing results In chemistry, classifying of material substances and objective experiments Corrections to Greeks in math and sohcahtoa created Amazing hospitals, with trained doctors and advancements in optics and the bladder Trading brought Chinese technology

Technology

The Dark side of Golden Harems of caliphs increased demand for slaves of both genders, who were often intelligent and had more freedom Women’s rights decreased by staying in the house and marrying younger Slightly better for poor women, who could participate in economic activities What other civilization was having its cultural golden age during this period, while having subordination of women?

Religious Changes Though there was new mysticism, the ulama grew increasingly hostile to foreign ideas Much of the religious vitality in the later Abbasid period came from Sufis, who were mystics who sought a personal union with Allah Sufism was a reaction to the ulama’s belief of Allah’s abstract divinity, as the Sufis tried to delight in the presence of Allah in the world Sufi’s used a variety of methods to find Allah such as bodily denial, meditation, and drugs The organized Sufis converted many in India and Indonesia, as a result of the people’s belief in their magical/healing powers Their mosques became centers of regional political power and their tombs became veneration sites

Arrival in India Very different from other invasions of India The religions were as opposite as possible, a notable example being in egalitarianism Always tensions, but peaceful interaction usually occurred First invasion in 711 a result of pirate attacks on Arab traders Conquered peoples left alone, treated as dhimmi This initial contact brought Indian culture and learning to Islam, particularly numerals

Stuff to Sultanate After raids for years by a Turkish slave dynasty, Muhammad of Ghur, establishes a capital at Delhi Under a succession of five dynasties the Delhi Sultanate rules fluctuating territory in north India until Mughals Muslim migrants swelled Muslim numbers, which were greatest in the northwest and the east Hindus originally believed Muslims would assimilate

Conversion and Accommodation Few forced converts, most drawn from specific regions or low-caste groups such as untouchables Many converts were Buddhists as a result of Muslim sacking of temples, debased teachings, lack of organization, and corruption Group conversions were essential and often were prompted by a desire to escape the jizya and intermarriage Though they would work for and profit from them, Hindus remained aloof towards the Muslims Muslims partially assimilated, adopting Hindu customs such as female subordination Also set themselves on the top of the caste system

Stand-off To compete with Islam Hinduism placed more emphasis on cults of specific gods, called bhaktic cults Leaders in both religions rejected to fuse, promoting the differences Though India would never be fully absorbed like other areas, it was fundamental for Islam’s growth

Indonesian Islam Trade brought Islam to the trading hub of Indonesia, as the trade was increasingly controlled by Muslims from south India Conversions took off after the fall of the Buddhist Shrivijaya empire in the 13th century because they helped trade Sufi’s brought by merchants slowly moved outward from the ports, the key conversion being Malacca

Sufi effect More syncretism in harder to convert places like Java, while areas like Bali and Ceylon could not be touched Converts believed in Sufi’s magic and infused Hinduism, Buddhism, and animism Less Islamic law emphasis, less patriarchy Pre-conversion practices retained and expanded

Though this period is often referred to as the Dark ages by Euro-centrists, the golden age of Islamic culture shows it was anything but. The incredible spread of Islam also shows the flexibility of the civilization, again defying Western stereotypes. Islam was the first global civilization, so that’s why it is the only culture that gets a direct sequel in Stearns. Thanks for coming.