Developments in Dar al-Islam (1200-1450)

Flashcards testing core historical facts, figures, dates, and concepts from Unit 1 Topic 1.2 Developments in Dar al-Islam (1200-1450).

What are the Five Pillars of Islam as outlined in early Islamic history?

Profession of Faith (shahada), Prayer (salat), Alms (zakat), Fasting (sawm), and Pilgrimage (hajj).

How is a caliphate defined in the transcript?

The rule or reign of a caliph or chief Muslim ruler following the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

What historical event in 642 CE marked the beginning of Islamic expansion into North Africa?

The Muslim conquest of Egypt.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Talas in 751 CE?

The Abbasid Empire stopped invading Tang Chinese forces.

Who were the Seljuks, and when did they take control of Baghdad?

Nomadic Turkic peoples from Central Asia who took Baghdad in 1055 CE.

Who was Shajar al-Durr, and why did she yield rule to her husband?

She was a former concubine who became the first ruler of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt; she transferred rule to her husband Izz al-Din Aybak after three months because the Abbasid Caliph would not recognize a female sultan.

What major military event occurred in 1258 CE that affected the Abbasid Caliphate?

The Mongol Siege of Baghdad.

How was the Delhi Sultanate established, and who was its first ruler?

It was formed when Qutb al-Din Aibak, a slave of a Muslim warlord, became the first Sultan of Delhi, founding the Mamluk Dynasty.

What were the four successive dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate between 1206 and 1556?

Mamluk Dynasty (1206-1290), Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320), Tughluq Dynasty (1320-1414), and Sayyid and Lodhi Dynasties (1414-1556).

Why did Sufi missionaries appeal more to Hindus in India than traditional orthodox Islam?

Sufism emphasized personal experience of the divine and was less rigid, allowing Sufis to blend in with local beliefs.

What was the Translation Movement, and what technology made it possible?

The movement to translate ancient Greek texts (such as those by Plato, Aristotle, and Hippocrates) into Arabic, which was made possible by paper-making learned from the Chinese.

Who was Hunayn ibn Ishaq?

A leading translator at the House of Wisdom who lived from 809 to 873 CE.

Who was Lubna of Córdoba?

A 10th-century Islamic mathematician.

How is Ibn Battuta described in the lecture notes?

As the 'Islamic Marco Polo' (1304-1369).

What tax was required of Christians and Jews living under early Islamic states?

The 'jizya' tax, which was levied on 'people of the book' and encouraged conversion to Islam.

By what primary mechanism did Islam spread to West Africa?

Through Trans-Saharan trade routes rather than through military conquest.

What specific figures describe Mansa Musa's pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca?

A $2700\text{ mile}$ ($4300\text{ km}$) journey involving 12,000 slaves carrying gold, 60,000 men dressed in fine silk, and 80 camels carrying gold.

Who was Zheng He and what religious background is noted for him?

A famous Chinese explorer from Yunnan born into a Chinese Muslim family who also worshipped Tianfei, the Chinese patron goddess of sailors.

What factors led to the decline and eventual fall of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt?

The Black Plague, a weakening political structure, loss of control over the spice trade, conflicts including the Ottoman-Mamluk War (1485-1491) and Portuguese-Mamluk War, and ultimate defeat by the Ottomans in 1517.