Byzantine Empire

Rising Competition

The Islamic Empire• Remember Muhammad?– Sets up new religion, Islam– Dies and everyone fights over who is in charge

(Sunni/Shiite divide)• Some supported Abu Bakr (Muhammad's father in law)• Others wanted Muhammad Ali to rule as imam

– Ali gets control, but is assassinated– The Sunnis lead under the Umayyads until 750– Another revolts gives power to Abu al-Abbas (the Shiites)

and creates the Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258)• During this dynasty the Muslims experienced:

– The reign of caliph Harun al Rashid “The Upright” (786-809)– The reign of Harun’s son, Ma’mun (813-833)– A golden age of learning and trade– Bagdad became the new capital and a center for commerce that

connected Europe to Asia and Africa• The caliph became more regal

– He had a diwan (council) and a vizier (prime minister)

The Turks• The Abbasid dynasty fell into civil war each time

the leader died and corruption weakened their power

• Persians and Turks began to rise in the ranks of the dynasty’s military

• In the mean time, the Seljuk Turks (nomadic people from Central Asia) were moving in

• In 1055, they grabbed Bagdad and the leader claimed his rule as sultan (holder of power)

• They fought the Byzantines in 1071 and took most of the Anatolian Peninsula– *The Byzantines begged the west for help which

actually triggered the Crusades*– As Muslims, the Turks unified and empowered the

Islamic empire• But they were still seen as “foreign barbarians” by the

Shiites and Sunnis

Byzantines start something they can’t finish

• Alexius I is outraged by the Turks invasion of the Anatolian Peninsula– So he tells the west that the Turks (and all Muslims by proxy) are

desecrating religious sites when they take land– This starts a big fight called the Crusades that lasts from 1096 to

the 13th century– The Turks did not respond with much force, but…

• A vizier (prime minister) named Saladin takes over by force and names himself Sultan

• He invades Jerusalem in 1187 and beats back the Christians and there is no going back after that (we will go through the details of the Crusades later)

Oh, and the Mongols too• The Mongols began with Genghis Khan in China

– They spread their control to Persia and Mesopotamia under Kubilai Khan in 1258 • They overtook the caliphate of Bagdad as well

– The Mongols were known for:• Destroying everything (including pets)• Eventually taking on the cultures that they conquered

– Converting to Islam– Taking on Persian food, dress, etc.

– The Mongols were stopped at Egypt by the Mamluks• The Mamluks had recently overthrown Saladin’s crew (the Fatimids)• This made Cairo the new center of the Islamic empire

Review Time– In pairs• Create your own movie reference to help us understand the

Russians and the Turks.• Include at least 10 of the major people/terms

1. Cyril and Methodius2. East Central Borderlands3. Kiev4. Rurik5. Kievan Rus6. Vladimir I7. Russian Orthodox8. The relationship between Kiev and Byzantium9. Yaroslav10. Boyars11. The Mongols (Tatars)12. The “Third Rome”