Important People to Know Unit 1

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An Lushan

Former military commander who led rebellion against Tang Dynasty in 755 CE. Although Chang’an was captured, rebellion was crushed by 763 CE.

Song Taizu

First emperor of Song Dynasty who ruled from 960-976 CE. He was a former military leader who was made emperor by the toops, and he instituted a policy of imperial favor for civil servants as well as expanding meritocracy.

Wu Zhao

Ruling from 626-706 CE, she was the only lady emperor and strengthened the civil service system.

Muhammad

Born in 570 CE to merchant family in Mecca, he began having visions around 610 CE enlightening him with the idea of Allah being the only god (monotheism). He attracted many followers in Mecca, and led his movement into converting the city to Islam. Since his death in 632 CE, his teachings have been recorded in the Quran, and he is considered the final prophet.

Abu Bakr

He was chose to lead as caliph after no clear successor to Muhammad was identified. During his governance, he led war against villagers who abandoned Islam after the death of Muhammad.

Ali

Although there was a disagreement over the selection of a caliph, Ali passed over for Abu Bakr from 656-661 CE. However, he was assassinated along with most of his followers, leading for those remaining to organize a seperate party called “Shia”.

Abu Al-Abbas

He was a Sunni Arab who allied with Shia and non-Arab Muslims and seized control of Persia and Mesopotamia. Additionally, he defeated the Umayyad army by inviting them to a banquet and then killing them. After that, he founded the Abbasid dynasty, where he was the principal authority in dar-al-Islam until 1258 CE.

Harun al-Rashid

Ruling from 786-809 CE, he was the caliph during the high point of the Abbasid Dynasty. Under him, Baghdad was the center of baking, commerce, crafts, and industrial production. There was great cultural activity, as well, and artists and writers were given a large amount of support

Al Ghazali

He was a major Sufi thinker from Persia who believed human reason was too frail to understand the mysteries of the world, and that through devotion as well as guidance from the Quran could humans appreciate the power of Allah.