Lesson 7. Islam as a World Empire: Spread and Cultural Influence.

• Religion
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Islam as a World Empire

This learning unit is based on the paintings of Pieter Brueghel. He painted scenes inspired by classical antiquity and biblical scenes. Pieter Brueghel's most famous painting is The Tower of Babel from 1563, which can now be admired at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.

Learning objectives

• You can understand the main events and developments in the Islamic empire from 661 until Atatürk.
• You gain insight into the political, cultural, and religious aspects of this era. 
•   You are able to make connections between historical events and their impact on the contemporary world.

661. Two branches within Islam

Mu'awiya, leader of the Sunnis (a clan member of Uthman)

Ali, leader of the Shiites.

In 661 AD, significant events took place in Islamic history that led to the split into two major branches:

Sunni Islam: After the death of the fourth caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, a schism arose between the followers of Ali (the Shiites) and the majority of Muslims who supported the caliphs Abu Bakr, Omar, and Uthman. The majority, who would later identify as Sunnis, supported the legitimacy of the caliphs and the succession of the caliphs through consensus and elections. They place great importance on the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, known as the Hadith, and the consensus of scholars in jurisprudence.

Shi'a Islam: The Shiites believe that Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, was the rightful successor after his death, and that the leadership line should have continued through his descendants, the Imams. This led to a separate movement within Islam, which is based on the spiritual and leadership authority of the Imams, who are considered the spiritual and political successors of Muhammad.

These historical events led to the formation of the two major branches within Islam, Sunni and Shia, which persist to this day and have distinct theological, legal, and ritual practices.

Important tribe from Mecca. (Sunni)

Damascus becomes the center of power. (It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire).

Expansion of Islam: from India to Spain.

The Umayyad Dynasty 661-750

The Umayyad dynasty was an Islamic dynasty that ruled over an extensive empire stretching from the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) in the west to parts of Central Asia in the east. The main countries and regions that fell under the Umayyad rule included:

The Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus): This included modern Spain and Portugal, where the Umayyads established a prominent Muslim rule that lasted until the rise of Christian kingdoms in the Middle Ages.

North Africa: This included parts of present-day Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, where the Umayyads also exerted authority.

The Middle East: The Umayyads ruled over large parts of present-day Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Saudi Arabia.

Central Asia: Although the control was less direct, the Umayyads had influence over parts of Central Asia, such as parts of Iran and Afghanistan.

What is another name for The Byzantine Empire?

Another name for the Byzantine Empire is the Eastern Roman Empire. This term is often used to refer to the part of the Roman Empire that remained after the split in 395 AD and was located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, with Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) as its capital.

He was the first to use the title caliph ('successor')

Arabic became the official language.

Restoration of the Ka'aba.

The construction of the rock dome mosque in Jerusalem.

Abd al-Malik (685-705)

Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan was an important caliph of the Umayyad Empire. He ruled from 685 to 705 AD and is known for his political and administrative reforms, which made the Umayyad Empire one of the most influential empires of its time.

Coin Reform: Abd al-Malik introduced a significant coin reform within the empire. He introduced a uniform currency with Arabic inscriptions, which helped strengthen the economy and consolidate political power.

Construction of the Dome of the Rock: During his reign, the iconic Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built, a significant Islamic monument that remains a symbol of Islamic architecture and spirituality to this day.

Promotion of Arabic as the Administrative Language: Abd al-Malik promoted the use of Arabic as the official administrative language of the empire, making Arabic an important vehicle for the spread of Islamic culture and science.

Consolidation of the Caliphate: He was responsible for consolidating the caliphate and expanding the political influence of the Umayyads over much of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain.

Abd al-Malik is regarded as one of the most influential caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty, whose policies and reforms laid the foundation for the further development and expansion of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages.

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Overthrow

 

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Decay and downfall.

The Arabic Muslims received more privileges.

 Fight against the Shiites..

The Rise of the Abbasids.

The Umayyad Empire eventually came to an end due to several internal and external factors:

Uprisings and internal division: In the later years of the Umayyad Empire, there were various uprisings and internal conflicts. These uprisings were often fueled by economic unrest, social inequality, and regional tensions. The uprisings were sometimes supported by rival Arab tribes or provincial governors seeking independence.

Abbasid revolution: The Abbasids, a rival Arab clan, managed to gain support among various groups, including non-Arab Muslims and dissatisfied Umayyad followers. They ultimately launched a successful rebellion against the Umayyads and eventually captured Damascus, the capital of the Umayyad Empire, in 750 AD.

Battle of the Zab: A decisive confrontation was the Battle of the Zab in 750 AD, where the Abbasid forces, led by Abu Muslim, defeated the Umayyads. This battle marked the end of the Umayyad Empire and the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate as the new rulers of the Islamic world.

Political instability: After the Abbasid takeover, many Umayyad leaders and their family members were persecuted and executed, leading to political instability and the downfall of the Umayyad dynasty as rulers of the Islamic world.

The fall of the Umayyad Empire and the rise of the Abbasids marked an important transitional period in Islamic history, with significant political, social, and cultural changes in the regions under their rule.

When did the Umayyad dynasty begin and when did it end?

1. 632-760
2. 661-750
3. 661-760
4. 610-632

Baghdad becomes the capital.

2. Abbasid dynasty 750-1258

The Sharia (Islamic law) was further developed.

Longing to return to the origins of Islam.

Great flourishing of art, architecture, and literature.

Expansion to Africa and India.

The Abbasid Empire was an Islamic empire that stretched from the Middle East to parts of North Africa, Iran, Central Asia, and even parts of Southern Europe at its height in the 8th and 9th centuries AD.

The empire was founded in 750 AD after the overthrow of the Umayyad dynasty. The center of the empire was Baghdad, which served as the capital and an important center of political, economic, and cultural activity.

The exact borders of the empire varied throughout its existence due to wars, conquests, and political shifts.

Islamic Golden Age.

The scholars were influenced by Quranic verses and hadiths such as:

"The ink of a scholar is holier than the blood of a martyr."

Het islamitische Gouden Tijdperk verwijst naar een periode van bloei en intellectuele vooruitgang in de geschiedenis van de islamitische beschaving, voornamelijk tussen de 8e en 14e eeuw na Christus. Tijdens deze periode maakte de islamitische wereld op vele gebieden grote vooruitgang, waaronder wetenschap, geneeskunde, astronomie, wiskunde, filosofie, architectuur en literatuur.

Enkele belangrijke kenmerken van het islamitische Gouden Tijdperk zijn:

Behoud en vertaling van kennis: Islamitische geleerden speelden een cruciale rol in het behouden van de kennis uit oude beschavingen zoals Griekenland, India en Perzië. Ze vertaalden en bestudeerden werken in vakgebieden zoals filosofie, wetenschap en geneeskunde.

Wetenschappelijke vooruitgang: De islamitische wereld maakte aanzienlijke vooruitgang op het gebied van wiskunde, astronomie, natuurkunde, scheikunde en geneeskunde. Belangrijke figuren zoals Al-Kindi, Al-Razi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Al-Khwarizmi en Ibn al-Haytham leverden baanbrekende bijdragen aan deze disciplines.

Culturele uitwisseling: Steden zoals Bagdad, Cordoba en Cairo dienden als centra van intellectuele en culturele uitwisseling, waar wetenschappers, filosofen en kunstenaars uit verschillende culturen samenwerkten en ideeën uitwisselden.

Architectonische prestaties: Het Gouden Tijdperk zag ook indrukwekkende architecturale prestaties, zoals de bouw van prachtige moskeeën, paleizen, bibliotheken en andere openbare gebouwen die zowel esthetisch als functioneel waren.

Literaire bloei: Er was ook een bloei in de literatuur, poëzie en historiografie in de islamitische wereld, waarbij werken werden geproduceerd die zowel religieuze als seculiere onderwerpen behandelden.

Het islamitische Gouden Tijdperk droeg bij aan de vooruitgang van de menselijke kennis en cultuur en had een blijvende invloed op de ontwikkeling van wetenschap en beschaving in zowel de oosterse als de westerse wereld.

centrum van de macht?

Which dynasty ruled from 661-750 and made Damascus the center of power?

1. Ottoman
2. Omayyads
3. Abbasids
4. Persian

Literature

Fata Morgana of an amusement park

Fairy Tales of One Thousand and One Nights.

The tales of "1001 Nights," also known as "One Thousand and One Nights," are a collection of stories and narratives from the Islamic Golden Age, although their origin and composition have evolved over the centuries. These stories were collected and compiled in various regions of the Islamic world, and they have their roots in different cultural traditions, including Persian, Arabic, Indian, and Mesopotamian.

Some of the most famous stories from "1001 Nights" include:

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp: The story of Aladdin, a young man who finds a magical lamp with a genie that grants him three wishes, is one of the most popular and well-known tales from the collection.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: This story tells of Ali Baba, a poor woodcutter, who accidentally discovers a secret cave where a band of thieves hides their treasures. He uses the knowledge of their secret to make his own fortune.

Sinbad the Sailor: The adventures of Sinbad, a sailor who embarks on seven voyages and encounters various wondrous meetings and challenges, are a classic example of adventure stories and sea voyages from the medieval period.

What is not a fairy tale from "One Thousand and One Nights"?

1. Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.
2. The girl with the matchsticks.
3. Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves.
4. Sinbad the Sailor from Baghdad.

In 1095, Pope Urban II (French) called for the Crusades to be held. (1096-1099)

The First Crusade was part of the Christian response to the Islamic conquests.

They recaptured Jerusalem in July 1099.

Crusades

The First Crusade, launched at the initiative of Pope Urban II in 1095, was an important historical event that took place during the Middle Ages. Pope Urban II called for a military expedition to the Holy Land, aiming to capture and liberate Jerusalem and other holy sites from Islamic rule.

Key aspects of the First Crusade led by Pope Urban II are:

The call to crusade: In 1095, Pope Urban II delivered a speech at the Council of Clermont in France, calling for a crusade to liberate the Christian holy sites in Jerusalem from Islamic control. He emphasized the holiness of the mission and offered spiritual and worldly rewards to the participants.

Excitement and response: Pope Urban II's speech led to great excitement and enthusiasm among European Christians. Many joined the crusade, inspired by religious devotion, a desire for adventure, and the promise of material benefits.

The military campaign: The crusaders, led by various European nobles and military commanders, began their journey eastward. They faced various challenges along the way but eventually reached the Holy Land.

The capture of Jerusalem: In 1099, the crusaders captured Jerusalem after a siege, taking large parts of the city and carrying out a massacre of the Muslim and Jewish population of the city.

The First Crusade marked the beginning of a series of military expeditions known as the Crusades, where European Christians attempted to gain control of holy sites in the Middle East. It had profound consequences for politics, religion, and cultural interactions between the East and West during the Middle Ages.

Decay and downfall

In 1258, Baghdad was turned into a bloodbath by the Mongols. (horse-riding people)

Small independent caliphates emerged.

The empire had grown too large.

The end of the Abbasid era, which began in 750 AD, was marked by several factors that contributed to the decline and eventual collapse of their political and cultural power:

Internal division: Within the Abbasid Caliphate, internal divisions and conflicts arose between different political factions, such as the Turkish slave armies (Mamluks) and local governors who often became semi-autonomous. This division weakened the central control and authority of the Abbasid caliphs.

Political instability: The caliphate faced long periods of political instability, with various rival factions and dynasties vying for control of central authority. This led to fragmentation and loss of territorial control.

Economic challenges: The Abbasid empire faced economic pressure and challenges, such as declining tax revenues, economic stagnation, and problems with trade routes. This impacted the stability and prosperity within the empire.

External pressure: External threats from neighboring empires, such as the rise of the Seljuks in Central Asia and later the Mongol invasions in the 13th century, caused further weakening and destabilization of the Abbasid empire.

Cultural changes: The rise of regional powers and the increasing decentralization process meant that local cultural and political identities grew stronger, contributing to the loss of unity and the central cultural hegemony that characterized the Abbasid period.

These factors, both internal and external, contributed to the eventual decline and collapse of the Abbasid Caliphate as the central power in the Islamic world, creating space for new political and dynastic entities in the region.

Who called for the Crusades in 1095?

1. Kemal (Ataturk)
2. Suleyman I
3. Pope Urban II
4. Abd al-Malik

Which large empire came after the Umayyads?

1. The realm of the sultans
2. The clan of Mohammad
3. The Byzantine Empire
4. The Abbasids

Turks Islamitisch rijk

Osmaanse rijk

3. The Ottoman Empire (1289-1922)

Turkish Islamic Empire (Ottoman Empire)

One of the longest existing and most influential empires in history.

The Ottoman Empire was one of the longest-lasting and most influential empires in history, and it encompassed a large part of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa during its peak period. Some of the key countries and regions that were under Ottoman rule included:

Anatolia (modern-day Turkey): This was the heartland of the Ottoman Empire and served as its political, economic, and cultural center.

The Balkans: The Ottoman Empire expanded over large parts of the Balkans, including parts of modern Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and parts of Romania.

The Middle East: The Ottoman Empire included parts of present-day Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Saudi Arabia.

North Africa: The Ottoman Empire controlled parts of North Africa, including Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria.

The Caucasus region: Parts of modern-day Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan were also under Ottoman control.

Suleyman 1               (10e sultan)

The Ottoman Empire started small and grew into a world empire.

The empire reached its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries, but then began to decline.

Suleyman 1 (10th sultan)

Conquered Constantinople (1453)

This marked the end of the Christian Eastern Roman Empire.

Entered Arabic script.

The Quran formed the basis for education.

The Ottoman Empire was known for its strong military tradition and had well-trained and disciplined armies, including the notorious Janissaries. It used advanced military technologies and strategies to defend and expand its territory.

Cultural and artistic flourishing: Under Ottoman rule, art, architecture, literature, and science thrived. Famous examples include architectural masterpieces such as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) and the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, as well as literary works like the stories of Nasreddin Hodja.

What is the current name of Constantinople?

1. Alexandria
2. Cairo
3. Ankara
4. Istanbul

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Decay and downfall

At the beginning of the 19th century, many areas broke away from Ottoman rule.

WW1 on the side of Germany.

Driven back at Vienna; the beginning of the decline.

The uprising of the Armenians led to the Armenian genocide in 1915.

Decline and Fall: In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Ottoman Empire fell behind in economic and technological developments in Europe. It suffered defeats in wars, such as the Crimean War and World War I, and underwent internal political and social unrest. After World War I, the Ottoman Empire was divided by the Allies, and Turkey was formed as a republic from its remnants.

The Ottoman Empire left a lasting legacy in the history, politics, and culture of the regions it once ruled, and its influence extended far beyond its geographical borders.

Which empire reached its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries?

1. Abbasid Dynasty
2. Ottoman Empire
3. Persian Empire
4. Umayyad Dynasty

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Bijna goddelijke status.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (Father of the Turks)

The separation of religion and state.

1923: 1st president of the secular Republic of Turkey.

He led a movement for modernization in Turkey.

Western Christian norms and values.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, geboren in 1881 en overleden in 1938, was de grondlegger van de moderne Turkse Republiek en een van de meest invloedrijke figuren in de moderne geschiedenis van Turkije. Enkele belangrijke aspecten van zijn leven en nalatenschap zijn:

Leider van de Onafhankelijkheidsoorlog: Na de Eerste Wereldoorlog leidde Atatürk de Turkse Onafhankelijkheidsoorlog (1919-1923) tegen buitenlandse bezettingstroepen en interne tegenstanders. Hij slaagde erin om de Turkse nationalisten te verenigen en uiteindelijk de overwinning te behalen, wat leidde tot de oprichting van de moderne Turkse Republiek.

Modernisering en hervormingen: Als president van Turkije (1923-1938) voerde Atatürk radicale hervormingen door om Turkije te moderniseren naar Westers voorbeeld. Dit omvatte onder andere het afschaffen van het sultanaat en de oprichting van een seculiere republiek, de invoering van een seculier rechtssysteem (gebaseerd op het Zwitserse model), het aannemen van het Latijnse alfabet in plaats van het Arabische, en het bevorderen van onderwijs en vrouwenrechten.

Sociaal en cultureel beleid: Atatürk voerde een actief beleid om de traditionele en religieuze invloeden in de Turkse samenleving te verminderen ten gunste van een seculiere en nationalistische identiteit. Hij moedigde de afschaffing van het dragen van de fez en de hoofddoek aan, en promootte de verwestersing van kleding en levensstijl.

Economische ontwikkeling: Atatürk legde de basis voor economische ontwikkeling door industrie en infrastructuur te stimuleren, onder andere door investeringen in de mijnbouw, landbouw en infrastructuur zoals wegen en spoorwegen.

Blijvende erfenis: Atatürk wordt in Turkije nog steeds beschouwd als de "vader van de Turken" en zijn portret is wijdverspreid in openbare gebouwen en scholen. Zijn nalatenschap blijft invloedrijk in de politiek, cultuur en samenleving van modern Turkije, waar hij wordt geëerd als een nationale held en visionair hervormer.

What does the word "secular" mean? What does this say about Turkey from that time?

Atatürk wanted to transform Turkey into a secular state where the government was neutral on religion, and where individual freedoms and modern values were central. This secular course has since remained a fundamental aspect of the Turkish state and society, albeit with varying interpretations and challenges over time.

00:44

What became the capital of this empire?

1. Mecca
2. Jerusalem
3. Damascus
4. Bagdad

01:09

How is this period also referred to?

1. Time of war and chaos
2. Islamic Golden Age
3. Time of economic progress
4. Islamic world order

01:47

What doesn't belong in this period?

1. Literature
2. Architecture
3. Infrastructure
4. Medicine

02:29

Which important city was conquered during this period?

1. Mecca
2. Constantinople
3. Jerusalem
4. Amsterdam

03:09

What was the name of the then president of Turkey?

1. Erdogan
2. Demirel
3. Gül
4. Atatürk

en literatuur?

Which empire was known for its great flourishing of art, architecture, and literature?

1. Persian Empire
2. Abbasid Dynasty
3. Umayyad Dynasty
4. Ottoman Empire

Which leader ended the decline of the Ottoman Empire?

1. Ali
2. Moe'awija
3. Suleyman I
4. Kemal (Ataturk)

Learning objectives

• I can understand the main events and developments in the Islamic empire from 661 to Atatürk.
• I have insight into the political, cultural, and religious aspects of this era. 
• I am able to make connections between historical events and their impact on the contemporary world.