1. Chapter 7 Abbasid Decline & the Spread of Islamic Civilization “I am very excite for cultural learnings of Islamic civilization!”

2. Topics Rise, Decline & Fall of the Abbasid Flowering of Islamic Culture Islam in South Asia (Two Phases) Islam in SE Asia Importance of Trade

3. The Good: Rise of the Abbasid Rebellion against the secular Umayyad Founded by non-Arabic Muslims and Shi’ites Reliance on mawali Shift from Semitic culture (Arabia and Syria) to Persian

4. The Bad: Decline of the Abbasid Seclusion of rulers; reliance on foreigners breeds resentment Imperial extravagance Civil wars over succession strain the dynasty’s revenues Internal breakdown of infrastructure

5. The Ugly: Fall of the Abbasid Territories begin to leave the dynasty 945CE—Buyids sack Baghdad 1055—Seljuk Turks gain control 1220s—Mongols attack 1258—Baghdad falls to Mongols Regional rulers maintain control as the caliphate is destroyed 1401—Baghdad sacked (again!)

6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life … While the caliphate crumbles, Islamic culture flourishes Fueled by a variety of ethnic groups, a strong trade network and emphasis on Persian culture Muslim scholars preserved and then later improved classical achievements

7. If you had to sum it all up in one sentence… The trends of Islamic civilization at this time are contradictory—social strife and political divisions on the one hand, and expanding trade links and intellectual creativity on the other. (pg. 159 in text).

8. Recipe for Islamic Spread One part rise in mysticism Combine with an increased hostility to Christian civilization Add equal parts of wandering mystics, traders, merchants, herders and warriors Let all ingredients stew together for about a a hundred years. Spread onto the region of your choice

9. The Rumble: Hinduism vs. Islam Round One—Islam arrives in 8 th c. (so what? Nothing really changes) Round Two—Military Invasion (10 th c.)

10. We Came, We Fought, We…Interacted Peacefully? Conversions in India are not done by force, but by peaceful accommodation. Buddhists, untouchables and low-caste Hindus are most interested in Islam Hinduism responds once it realizes it cannot absorb Islam Stand-off: Muslim minority lives with a Hindu majority

11. Just Keep Swimming, or in this case, Spreading Trade is the means by which Islam reaches SE Asia in the 7 th and 8 th centuries First areas to actually be “won” came in the 13 th century More receptive than India SE Asian Islam allowed for retention of indigenous beliefs and practices

12. Wrap it Up Already! Though it had problems, the Abbasid period solidifies Islam’s place in the world Cultural achievement is extraordinary Islam spreads and changes across the Afro-Asian world Divisions leave Abbasids weak to attack Growing conservatism and intolerance leads to difficulty and unwillingness to accommodate or learn from others.