The Arab Empire  
Last Updated  12/4/2007     12/3/2007

When Muhammad died in 632, a group of Muslims chose a succesor called a caliph.

The Rightly Guided Caliphs
The first caliph was Muhammad's father-in-law, Abu Bakr.
Muhammad and the next three caliphs were elected for life.
They ruled from Madina.
They asked for advice from their trusted friends.

Spread of Islam
Warriors were sent to Palastine, Syria, Iraq, Persia, Egypt, and North Africa.
This was a "Holy War" to spread Islam.
They earned a place in Paradise.
They plannned and carried out attacks.
They handled horses and camels with great skill.

Treatment of Conquered People
If they gave in without a fight they had to pay taxes.
The Arabs would then protect them.
They were also allowed to keep their land.
this contributed to the success of the Arabs.
Those who fought not only had to pay taxes, but theur also lost their land.

The Umayyads
661, Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law, was killed.
He was the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
Mu'awiya, the new caliph, moved the capital to Damascus.
This was the beginning of the Umayyad Dynasty.

Umayyad Dynasty
Caliphs ruled like kings.
They made Arabic the official language.
They minted Arabic money.
The set up postal routes using horses.
They reapired and maintained the irrigation canals.
They built mosques.
They encouraged art.

End of the Empire
Conquered people who became Muslims complained of unequal treatment.
Their soldiers received less pay.
The people had to pay higher taxes.
Muislims were divided into two groups: Shi'ites and Sunni.
Shi'ites believed the caliph should be a descendant of Ali.
Sunni followed the rightly guided caliphs.
War broke out between the two.
750, Abbasids defeated the Umayyads.
The Abbasids became the new rulers of the Arab Empire.

The Abbasids
750-1258, Abbisids rule Arab Empire.
750-850, was the Golden Age of Islam.

Baghdad
Abbasids built Baghdad, a new capital, on the Tigris River.
100,000 people worked four years to build it.
Baghdad was built in the shape of a circle.
Three sloping brick walls and a deep moat surrounded the city.
Two highways crossed the center of the city.
The mosque and the caliph's palace were in the center of the city.
The highways divided the city into four pie-shapped sections.
The highways led to a different part of the empire.

Abbasid Empire
All that remained of Arab influence was the language and the Islamic religion.
The government post of vizier, chief adviser, was created.
He ran the empire.
The Vizier chose the governors of the provinces.
The Abbasids did not try to conquer new lands.
Baghdad was a major trading center of the world.
Arabs developed business practices of checks, receipts, and letters of credit.
Writers and philosophers flocked to Naghdad.
Greek writings and Indian literature were translated into Arabic.
Knowledge was greatly advanced.
The Guptas of India developed numeric systems.
Advanced farming methods produced wheat, rice, beans, melons, cucumbers, celery, and mint.
Orchards provided almonds and olives.
They played polo and chess.
Men no longer wore robes, they wore pants.
Meals were served on a table, and not on the floor.

End of the Empire
Empire became too large to control.
It broke up into independent kingdoms.
836, tghe caliph moved to Samarra, the new capital city.
892, he returned to Baghdad and tried to regain power.
945, Persians take over Baghdad.

The Golden Age of Islamic Life.
Muslim Arabs who married Berbers became known as Berbers.
710, Moors invade Spain.
They defeated the West Goths with the help of Spanish Jews.
The West Gotd had taken tghe land from Rome.
Moors set up a kingdom that allowed religious freedom.
For 400 years a rich culture flourished in Spain.
The Alhambra in Grenanda was built.
Schools were founded for Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
Jews traveled and tradd in the Arab Empire.

Islamic Life
Before Islam, men could have many wives and killing female children was common.
Islam allowed only four wives if they could be afforded.
Muhammad taught that raising a female child guranateed a reward in Paradise.
Women could now inheit one-half of their husbands wealth.
Men and women were expected to gain knowledge.
Mosques served as neighborhood schools.
Boys would go to major cities to further their education.

Bibliography
Greenblatt, Miriam, and Lemmo, Peter. Human Heritage A World History. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2001.