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

Flashcards covering the developments in Dar al-Islam from c. 1200 to c. 1450, including the rise and fall of Islamic states, challenges faced, cultural and social life, and intellectual achievements.

What was the renowned center of learning in Baghdad during the Abbasid Empire?

The House of Wisdom

What major challenges did the Abbasid Empire face in the 1100s and 1200s?

Conflicts with nomadic groups in Central Asia and confrontation with European invaders (Crusaders).

Who were the Mamluks, and what state did they establish in Egypt?

Enslaved people, frequently ethnic Turks from Central Asia, who served as soldiers and bureaucrats. They established the Mamluk Sultanate (1250-1517).

How did the Mamluk Sultanate initially prosper?

By facilitating trade in cotton and sugar between the Islamic world and Europe.

Who were the Seljuk Turks, and how did their leader impact the Abbasid Caliph?

Central Asian Muslims who conquered parts of the Middle East. Their leader called himself sultan, reducing the Abbasid caliph's role to chief Sunni religious authority.

Why did European Christians organize the Crusades?

To reopen access to their holy sites in and around Jerusalem after the Seljuk Turks limited travel.

Which famous conquerors attacked and conquered the remaining Abbasid Empire in 1258?

The Mongols

What largely contributed to Baghdad's decline as a great city?

A shift in trade patterns to routes farther north, causing Baghdad to lose wealth, population, and its ability to maintain infrastructure.

What were the three large Islamic states with roots in Turkic cultures by the 16th century?

The Ottoman Empire (Turkey), the Safavid Empire (Persia), and the Mughal Empire (India).

What were some key cultural continuities promoted by Islamic scholars?

They translated Greek literary classics into Arabic, studied mathematics texts from India (transferring knowledge to Europeans), and adopted paper-making techniques from China (transferring knowledge to Europeans).

Who was Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, and what were his notable contributions?

One of the most celebrated Islamic scholars (1201–1274), who contributed to astronomy, law, logic, ethics, mathematics, philosophy, and medicine; he laid the groundwork for trigonometry as a separate subject.

Who is acknowledged as a founder of historiography and sociology due to his historical accounts?

Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

Who was 'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah, and what was unique about her writings?

A prolific female Muslim writer, Sufi poet, and mystic (1460-1507) whose works described her journey toward mystical illumination and reflected her broad learning.

What did Sufis emphasize in their religious practice, distinguishing them from most Muslims?

Introspection to grasp truths that they believed could not be understood through learning.

Why did Islamic society view merchants as prestigious?

Muhammad himself was a merchant, and merchants were esteemed for maintaining fair dealings and giving to charity.

Under Islamic law, who could not be enslaved?

Other Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians.

How did Muhammad's policies raise the status of women?

He insisted dowries be paid to the wife, forbade female infanticide, treated his wives with devotion, and his first wife's status as an educated business owner set a pattern.

What were some rights Islamic women had that were greater than Christian or Jewish women?

They could inherit property, retain ownership after marriage, remarry if widowed, receive cash settlements if divorced, initiate divorce under some conditions, and practice birth control.

What marked the limit of rapid Islamic expansion into Western Europe in 732?

The Battle of Tours, where Islamic military forces lost to Frankish forces.

What was al-Andalus, and what was its significance?

The Islamic state in Spain, which became a center of learning, promoting a climate of toleration and scholarly transfers, including the works of Ibn Rushd (Averroes).

How did Islamic scholarship in al-Andalus contribute to Europe's intellectual development?

Islamic scholarship, scientific innovations, and knowledge transferred from India and China (e.g., paper-making) laid the groundwork for the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution.