Western Civilization

caravan route from the Mediterranean to Central Asia.

The move eastward allowed Persian influence to come

to the fore, encouraging a new cultural orientation.

Under the Abbasids, judges, merchants, and govern-

ment officials, rather than warriors, were regarded as

the ideal citizens.

The new Abbasid Dynasty experienced a period of

splendid rule well into the ninth century. Best known of

the caliphs of the time was Harun al-Rashid (huh-ROON

al-rah-SHEED) (786–809), whose reign is often described

as the golden age of the Abbasid caliphate. His son al-

Ma’mun (al-muh-MOON) (813–833), a great patron of

learning, founded an astronomical observatory and cre-

ated a foundation for translating classical Greek works.

This was also a period of growing economic prosperity.

The Arabs had conquered

many of the richest provinces

of the old Roman Empire,

and they now controlled the

trade routes to the East.

Baghdad became the center

of an enormous trade empire

that extended into Europe,

Asia, and Africa, greatly add-

ing to the wealth of the Is-

lamic world.

Despite the prosperity, all

was not quite well in the

empire of the Abbasids.

There was much fighting

over the succession to the

caliphate. When Harun al-

Rashid died, his two sons fought to succeed him in a

struggle that almost destroyed the city of Baghdad. As

the tenth-century Muslim historian al-Mas’udi wrote,

“Mansions were destroyed, most remarkable monu-

ments obliterated; prices soared.... Brother turned his

sword against brother, son against father, as some

fought for Amin, others for Ma’mun. Houses and pal-

aces fueled the flames; property was put to the sack.”^9

Vast wealth also gave rise to financial corruption. By

awarding important positions to court favorites, the

Abbasid caliphs began to undermine the foundations of

their own power and become figureheads. Rulers of the

provinces of the empire broke away from the control of

the caliphs and established their own independent

dynasties. In the eighth century, Spain had already

established its own caliphate when Abd al-Rahman (ub-

duh-rahkh-MAHN) of the Umayyad Dynasty had fled

there. In 756, he seized control of southern Spain and

then expanded his power into the center of the penin-

sula. He took the title ofemir, or commander, and set

up the emirate of al-Andalus (the Arabic name for

Spain), with its center at Cordoba (KOR-duh-buh).

Under Abd al-Rahman’s successors, a unique society

developed in which all religions were tolerated. The

court also supported writers and artists, creating a bril-

liant and flourishing culture.

The fragmentation of the Islamic empire accelerated

in the tenth century. The Fatimid (FAT-i-mid) family

Red Sea

Arabian

Sea

Atlantic

Ocean

Mediterranean (^) S
ea
SPAIN
ALGERIA
TUNISIA
LIBYA
SYRIA
PALESTINE
FATIMID
EGYPT
IRAQ PERSIA
INDIA
ARABIA
TRANSOXIANA
AFGHANISTAN
HEJAZ
ANATOLIA
(^) BY
ZAN
TINE
(^) E
MPI
RE
Sahara
Constantinople
Tripoli
Cairo
Antioch
Beirut
Acre
Jerusalem
Medina
Mecca
Aden
Baghdad
Basra
Tiflis
Baku
Isfahan
Shiraz
Bukhara Samarkand
Kabul
Lahore
(^) Caucas
us (^) Mts.
0 500 Miles
0 750 Kilometers
Abbasid Caliphate at greatest extent
The Abbasid Caliphate at the Height of Its Power
CHRONOLOGYByzantium, the Slavs, and the
Islamic World
The Byzantine Empire
Michael III 842–867
Macedonian dynasty 867–1081
Basil II 976–1025
The Slavs
Cyril and Methodius begin conversion of
Moravian Slavs
863
Founding of principality of Kiev ca. 873–913
Reign of Prince Mieszko; conversion of
Slavs in Poland to Christianity
ca. 960–992
Vladimir’s conversion to Christianity 987
Saint Stephen, king of Hungary 997–1038
Islam
Overthrow of Umayyad Dynasty by
Abbasids
750
Harun al-Rashid 786–809
Establishment of Fatimid caliphate in Egypt 973
The World of Islam 193
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