Crusades, Reconquista, and Mongol invasions
Carl W. Ernst
Reli 180, Introduction to Islamic Civilization
Last time: Internal fractures of the post-caliphate world
1. Buyid Sultanate
2. Turks, especially Saljuqs
3. Fatimid Empire
4. Western Mediterranean: Almoravid Berber empire
2
External attacks on Muslim-ruled realms, 1100-1260
Crusader invasions by Frankish forces
Conquest of much of Andalus by armies of the Christian rulers of Northern Spain
Mongol (“pagan”) invasions throughout Nile-to-Oxus region (halted by Turkish armies in Egypt and India)
4 major Crusades, 2 sequels
First Crusade, 1096-1099
Only successful Crusade
Not requested by Eastern Christians; Alexius in 1095 asked Pope for soldiers
Mixed motives of “armed pilgrimage”
Hostility of Franks towards Byzantines
Fatimids offer alliance to Crusaders
1099 – Jerusalem captured, massacre
What is the role of religion here?
2nd and 3rd Crusades
Opponents of the crusaders
Zengis in Syria and Iraq capture Edessa
2nd Crusade (1147-49) fails to take Damascus
Weakened Fatimids play off Franks against Zengis, who conquer Egypt
Salah al-Din (Saladin, a Kurd) ends Fatimid rule
3rd Crusade (1189-1193) disappointing; Salah al-Din more admired than Richard
Ironies of CrusadesNo efforts at understanding
No unified “Muslim” resistance
4th Crusade sacks Constantinople 1204, permanent division between Latin and Orthodox Christians
Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Crusades”
Loss of Andalus (“reconquista” after the fact)
Berber empire of Almoravids
Almoravids (from al-Murabit, “related to the fortified sanctuary”): religious inspiration
Adopted Maliki school of law
Veiling issues with Berbers
2nd Berber empire: Almohads
Almohads (al-Muwahhidun, “Unitarians”), new movement rejecting previous Berber customs as pagan
Ibn Tumart on figurative interpretation of divine attributes; claims to be Mahdi
These claims rejected by caliph al-Ma’mun in 1230: Jesus as Mahdi
Pope declares crusade vs. Spain
Andalusian Muslims under Christian rule
El Cid
•“Al-Sayyid “Spanish•Realistic epic in comparison with “Song of Roland”
Royal style
Chivalry without borders(lecture tonight at 6 pm)
The Alcazar of Pedro the Cruel(1351)
Seville
Gateway of Pedro (detail)
Patio del Yeso
The motto of Granada:“There is no victor but God”
Christian arabesque
Arabic inscriptions for Sultan Don Pedro (1)
“Glory to our master, Sultan Don Pedro, may he be exalted!”
Arabic inscriptions for Sultan Don Pedro (2)
“Glory to our master, Sultan Don Pedro! May God aid and defend him!”
Toledo Synagogue interior
“Party Kings” (reyes al-taifas)
Collapse of Great Saljuqs
Brief revival of Abbasid caliphate
Khwarazm-Shah aims at empire
Isma`ili Imam at Alamut declares Resurrection (1164); successor becomes a Sunni
Mongols avenge an insult by invading (1219)
Chinggis Khan
• descendants in Iran – “Il-Khans” – become Muslims
• Destruction of caliphate, Assassins
• Artisans preserved
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