Ch 2 Sec 2 Notes Islamic Empires The

Ch. 2, Sec. 2 Notes – Islamic Empires

The Caliph • When Muhammad died in 632 A. D. , conflicts over who should be his successor erupted • Caliph = successor to the Messenger of God • First four caliphs all had direct ties to Muhammad

The Spread of Islam • Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s fatherin-law and first caliph, put down a rebellion and began to invade Syria until he died in 634 A. D. • By 661 A. D. , the Islamic empire included all of Arabia, Persia, Palestine, and Egypt

Why did Islam spread so quickly? • Arabs were skilled fighters on horse, camelback • Many fought to spread the Islam • “People of the Book” policy allowed Christians, Jews to freely practice as long as they pay the tax • Muslims encouraged and attracted people to accept Islam, learn Arabic

Islamic Dynasties • Umayyad dynasty ruled from 661 to 750 A. C. E. – Their capital was Damascus, Syria • Umayyads lost power in 750 A. C. E. after angering many Persians • Abbasid dynasty next took power, ruling until 1258 A. C. E. • The Abbasids ruled from Baghdad and devoted much of their time to trade, scholarship, and the arts

Sunnis & Shiites • The quarrel over who should succeed Muhammad eventually split Islam • Shiites (also known as the Shi’a) thought that the caliph should be descendants of Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law and the fourth caliph • Sunnis accepted the Umayyad dynasty’s rule even though they did not always agree with them • Most Muslims today are Sunni; most Shiites can be found in Iran or Iraq

Muslims in Spain • Muslims reached Spain from North Africa, bringing their religion, customs, and culture • Córdoba was the capital • Córdoba became world famous a center of learning

Other Islamic Empires • For more than 200 years, Seljuk Turks of Central Asia took over Iran, Turkey, and even Baghdad from the Abbasids • The Ottomans sacked Constantinople, ending over 1, 000 years of the Byzantine Empire • During the 1500 s, the Moguls created a Muslim empire in India