Developments in Dar al-Islam (c.1200 - c.1450 CE)

Flashcards covering key developments, spread, and cultural interactions of Dar al-Islam from approximately 1200 to 1450 CE, including regions like India, West Africa, and Spain.

What major political event occurred in 1258 CE that ended the Abbasid caliphate?

The Mongols sacked Baghdad and killed the last Abbasid caliph.

How did Islam primarily arrive in India?

Turkic-speaking invaders brought Islam to India, beginning around 1000 CE.

What stable Muslim regime was founded in India in 1206?

The Sultanate of Delhi.

Why did some Buddhists and low-caste Hindus find Islam attractive in India?

They found Islam attractive and could convert to lighten taxes.

What was the 'Jizya' tax?

A tax levied on non-Muslims in Muslim-ruled territories.

What are Sufis known for in the context of religious overlap in India?

They were holy mystics who embraced a 'popular Islam' with Hindu overlap.

What is syncretism?

A blending of religious traditions.

Who founded Sikhism and when?

Guru Nanak founded Sikhism in the 16th century.

What type of religion is Sikhism?

A syncretic religion with elements of both Hinduism and Islam.

How did Islam spread to West Africa?

It came peacefully via traders, rather than through conquest.

What benefits did Islam provide to West African urban centers?

It provided links to Muslim trading partners, literate officials, and religious legitimacy to the state.

What was a significant intellectual city in West Africa by the 16th century?

Timbuktu, known for its numerous Quranic schools and extensive libraries.

What language became prominent in West Africa due to the spread of Islam?

Arabic, used for trade, religion, administration, and education.

What was characteristic of the spread of Islam into the West African countryside?

There was no significant spread into the countryside, and rulers made little effort to impose Islam or Islamic law there.

When did the Moorish conquest of Spain largely occur?

Between 711 and 732 CE.

What was the nature of religious interaction in early Islamic Spain?

There was a high degree of interaction and often religious tolerance between Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

What event marked the end of sustained Islamic rule in Spain?

The Reconquista, completed by Christians in 1492, which led to the expulsion of Muslims and Jews.

According to Cohen & Douglass, when did Islam spread most widely and rapidly?

When Muslim political regimes were decentralized, disunited, or completely absent.

According to Strayer & Nelson, why was Islam readily accepted by some non-Muslims?

Its elements were familiar to Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians, and it was associated with the sponsorship of a powerful state.