FROM PROPHET TO EMPIRE

U May Yad, It’s the First Islamic Empire!

Military Force

“desert power” --- sea tactics Became iron clad like the Persians/Byzantines 800s: added naphtha-firemen (flame

throwers) Did believe in martyrdom (driving force)

Ex. Battle of Yarmuk: 40,000 Arabs vs 140,000 Byzies

Islam on the Rise

Muslims exempt from taxation: conversion was discouraged.

Muslims could take non-Muslim wives Islam spread because it gave people an

elevated status

Outside Influences

Dome of the Rock founded by Abd al Malik in 691 (pattern is based on the Church of the Ascension)

The legal code was sharia law but was heavily influenced by Byzantine practice.

Post Prophet Problems

Abu Bakr dies of natural causes BUT Caliph #2 (Omar) was assassinated at

dawn #3 (Othman) was torn apart by a mob Finally Ali (son in law) gets his chance

(658) Muawiya Umayya disagrees ----fighting

begins Appeals for a truce Decision went before the elders Sunnis won the decision

Ali is Down, Umayya is Up

January 22, 661: Ali is murdered by a sunni fanatic

Muawiya becomes caliph 14 Umayyad caliphs ruled

Naval supremacy Postal system Standard Arab coins Arabic as the official language

Decline/Fall

Husain (grandson of Ali) led a failed revolt (681) Vengeance of Husain (Karbala)

2 problems Decay of tribal loyalties Anger towards the government

Persians Abbasids (Abbas ---uncle of prohet) Shiites

Abu Muslim (former persian slave) leads revolt in 747 The last Umayyad leader (Marwan II) runs to Egypt Abu Al Abbas takes control with a massacre (Saffah) 19 year old Abd al-Rahman escapes through N. Africa to

Spain….)