Middle Eastern History Midterm 2

Islamicate

• Cultural, social, and artistic traditions that developed in regions influenced by Islamic civilization, regardless of religious affiliation.

• Significant because highlights diversity in Middle Eastern history

Berber Revolt

• Uprising of North African Berber tribes against the Umayyad Caliphate 

• Started because of taxation and discrimination

Medina al-Zahra

• Lavish city near Cordoba, Spain

• Served as the administrative center to the caliphate

• Destroyed in 11th century during a civil war 

Mozarab

• Christians living under Muslim rule who adopted Arabic language and Islamic practices while still maintaining their faith 

Sijilmasa

• Vital trading hub in Medieval Morocco

• Key role in gold/salt trade 

Nilometer

• Device used to measure the Nile River’s water levels 

• Used to predict agricultural yields to prepare for famine or surplus

Ahmad ibn Tulun

• Founder of Tulunid dynasty in Egypt 

• One of the first autonomous Muslim states outside of the direct control of the Abbasid Caliphate

• Strengthened Egyptian independence 

• Architectural legacy, Mosque of Ibn Tulun 

Isma‘ili Shi’ism

• Branch of Islam 

• Recognizing Isma`il ibn Ja’far as the rightful imam

Cairo

• Capital to many dynasties 

• Center of trade, learning, and culture

Antinomianism

• Religious movements that rejected conventional norms

• Contributed to diverse interpretations of the Islamic faith 

• Played a role in the broader discourse on religious authority and personal piety

Zagros Mountains

• Natural barrier between Iranian Plateau and Mesopotamia that provided refuge for various ethnic groups

• Influenced military campaigns 

Babak Khurramdin

• Persian revolutionary leader who led the Khurramite rebellion 

• Advocated for a blend of Zoroastrian and Shi’a beliefs

Sogdians

• Played a crucial role in trade and cultural exchange along the Silk Road during antiquity and early medieval period

• Renowned merchants, diplomats, and translators who facilitated commerce between China, Persia, and the Islamic world.

Battle of Talas (751 CE)

• Between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty of China

• Captured Chinese papermakers which led to the spread of papermaking technology across the Islamic world 

• Enabling mass production of books and preservation of knowledge

Afshin

A title used for a dynasty of Iranian rulers from Usrushana, a region in Central Asia, during the Abbasid era.

Shahnameh

• “Book of Kings” is an epic poem written by Ferdowsi 

• About the mythical and Historical past of Persia 

• Preserved Persian literature and identity

Mahmud of Ghazna (971–1030 CE)

• First ruler to take the title of Sultan 

• Known for military campaigns into India, brought wealth and facilitated the spread of Islam into the Indian subcontinent

• His reign marked the rise of Turkic and Persian influences in Islamic governance

• Starts pillages to India, pattern that lasts until 1900s

Caliphal Fiction

• Ideological and propagandistic portrayal of the Abbasid caliphs as rulers ordained by God 

• The concept was crucial in maintaining legitimacy of the caliphate

Mamluk (not the Mamluk Sultanate)

• Enslaved soldiers of Turkic or Circassian origin, trained for military service in Islamic states

• Backbone of the armies 

• Over time gained power and established their own ruling dynasties

Al-Muwaffaq (Tana)

• Played a crucial role in suppressing the Zanj Rebellion (allegations)

• Helped stabilize the Abbasid Caliphate (TanaCon) during a period of internal fragmentation

Zanj

• Slaves and laborers who worked in plantations and salt flats under the ABbasids 

• The Zanj Rebellion was one of the largest slave revolts in the world 

  • Weakened the Abbasid Caliphate 

`Imad al-Dawla

• Founder of the Buyid dynasty 

• His reign marked the rise of Persian Shi’a power within the Islamic world 

Darb Zubayda

• Network of pilgrimage routes to Mecca

• Promoted trade and settlement in the Arabian Peninsula 

Aflaj

• Ancient irrigation systems used in Arabia 

• Allowed for agriculture in arid regions 

• Crucial for sustaining populations in the Middle East’s desert landscapes

Ibadism

• Sect of Islam in Oman and North Africa 

• Emerged from the Kharijite movement 

• Ibadis emphasize non-sectarian governance, distinguishing them from other Islamic groups

Al-Hadi ila ‘l-Haqq

• Founder of the Zaydi branch of Shi’ism in Yemen 

• Paved the way for Yemen’s religious and political landscape

Qarmati

• Radical Shi’a group that established a breakaway state in Bahrain and Eastern Arabia

• Known for their attack on Mecca where they took the Black Stone from the Kaaba

• Challenged the mainstream Islamic order demonstrating the diversity of Islamic movements during the medieval period 

Syncretism

• Taking aspects of different religions and combining them (old beliefs with new ones/spread of new religions)

kurultai

• Council of tribal elders 

  • Agree on the next emperor 

• Rig winning by killing uncles and brothers 

Battle of Manzikert

• Islamization of Anatolia after the conquering of Asia Minor 

• Showed threat of Islam