Islamic Golden Age and Empire
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Transcript of Islamic Golden Age and Empire
Islamic Golden Age and Empire
Muslim Conquests
Umayyad Dynasty
Islamic empire expanded from Spain to Indus River
Believers split into Sunni (90%) and Shiia (Shiite), over who should succeed Mohammad.
Shiite believe only Mohammad’s descendants should rule, they are majority in Iran and Iraq today.
The Sunni accepted Umayyad rule and are majority in world today.
Shari’ah Law Code
Drawn up by Muslim scholars after Mohammad’s death
Provided believers with a set of practical laws to regulate daily lives
Golden Age-Abbasid Empire
The Islamic Golden Age began with the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 CE
The capital was moved from Damascus to Baghdad
Valued Knowledge
The Abbasids were influenced by the Quran and hadiths (sayings of Mohammad or things approved by him) such as “The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of martyrs” that stressed the value of knowledge.
The Muslim world became the intellectual center for science, philosophy, medicine and education.
Muslim scholars recovered and introduced ancient texts from Greece, Persia, and India.
“House of Wisdom”The “House of Wisdom” was established in Baghdad Scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, gathered to translate all the world’s knowledge into ArabicThis effort preserved much the knowledge gained from the Greeks, Romans and other ancient civilizations
Golden Age Contributions
PhilosophyMedicineMathematicsAstronomyGeographySocial SciencesArt, ArchitectureLiterature
Philosophy
Ibn-Rushd (Averroes)-his work influenced medieval Christian theologians
Medicine
Physicians required to pass qualifying examinations34 hospitals built throughout empire, with separate wards for different diseasesArabic medical works translated into Latin and influenced European medicine until 17th century
Mathematics
Al-Khwarizmi compiled oldest known Arabic works on arithmetic and algebra which was translated into Latin and used as basis for European texts until 16th century
Astronomy
Developed compass, quadrant (measures angles), sextant (determines altitude of planets, latitude on earth), and astrolabe (locates, predicts positions of planets, determine local time, and surveying)
Geography
Mapped Europe, Asia, and Africa in great detail
Al-Idrisi used mathematics and astronomy to create maps
Social Sciences
Ibn-Battuta journeyed 75,000 miles in 30 years through all Arab countries, carefully recording his observationsIbn-Khaldun was father of modern historiography and sociology
Art and Architecture
Calligraphy
Arabesque
Alhambra palace
Art
Calligraphy-used to decorate mosques, books, carpets, and porcelain
Particularly important in mosques where pictures were not allowed
Art
Arabesque refers to a floral style which is not geometric, but weaves in and out of an illustration
Alhambra Palace
How Did the Expansion of the Islamic World Encourage Trade?
Arabic Language
Arabic became the “lingua franca” or the language of international communication in the medieval world.Traders and merchants learned Arabic in order to conduct their business.
Muslims Spread Transportation Technology
Expanded trans-Saharan trade:
Camels-Muslims brought the one-humped camel
North Arabian saddle- introduced to expand trans-Saharan trade.
Transportation Technology….
Dhow-boat with a lateen (triangular-shaped sail) used extensively by Arab and Muslim traders.
More Transportation Technology…
Cartography-advanced knowledge of wind patterns and map making was recorded in books supported by Islamic governments.
The Hajj
Muslims were encouraged to make the religious pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life. This meant that people were making more contact with one another and discovering new products and ideas.
Standardized Coins
Pictorial designs were replaced with Arabic inscriptions and became the standard for almost all coins produced by Muslims rulers.
Hospitality to Travelers & the Annual Hajj Created Regular Routes
Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan Muslim legal scholar and judge became famous for the documentation of his travels.
Muslim Governments Protected Trade & Property for Merchants
Storehouses were guarded.
Ports and shipping lanes were guarded.
Banking and credit systems were put into place.