Islamic Empires Time Travel Guide

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Umar died Caliph Uthman ruled although his rule was controversial as people were often promoted within his own tribe

• During the Umayyad Caliphate North Africa and Spain were encompassed

• In 713 the Muslims captured Spain and renamed it Andalusia.

• The Islamic spread into Europe was stopped in Southern France at the Battle of Tours where the Christians banded together to defeat the Muslim invaders

• The Umayyads adopted a similar style of ruling as the Byzantines eventually establishing palaces and cities instead of the desert nomadic lands they had previously settled in

• Not only did Islam spread throughout the empire but Arabic the language of revelation was made the official language and was widely promoted

• In 747 a revolution occurred which resulted in the Abu al-Abbas proclaiming himself caliph, subsequently he captured Damascus gaining control over the Islamic Empire

• Abu al-Abbas was famous for his cruelty, in one famous incident he called upon whoever has disagreements with him to meet him in a courtyard in Mosul, Iraq, when 10,000 people arrived (they were guaranteed safety by the caliph) to complain of his tyranny he ordered his army to slaughter them

• Trade largely contributed to the success of the Islamic Empire as leaders used conquest to secure and control trade routes

• The Abbasids established a currency and a banking system that was instrumental in promoting commerce

• Caliphs were viewed as “the shadow of god on earth”

• Caliphs appointed viziers to handle civil matters on top of all would be the grand vizier

• The caliph was also responsible for military matters and judicial matters

• The caliphs had court executioners who would be prepared at any moments notice to behead anyone who the caliph demanded, this often led to people intentionally losing at chess to avoid death

• The taxes collected from peoples all across the empire allowed the Abbasids to live lives of luxury

• Postal Service was important and relay stations were set up across the Empire

• Police force was in charge of prosecuting crime as well as insuring moral order

• Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus said of the Arab armies “ They are powerful and warlike, so that if only a thousand of them occupy a camp it is impossible to dislodge them”

• The city of Baghdad was a glorious advanced city that became the capital of the empire

• Baghdad was an important cultural and economic centre of the empire which had a population of 500,000 people

• Baghdad was the richest city in the world at the time

• A Fatimid caliph started instituting discriminatory policies towards Christians and Jews forbidding them from riding horses

• A precursor to the crusades was the destruction of Christian churches by the Fatimids