The Islamic Caliphates

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key caliphates, historical events, geographic centers, and political shifts in early Islamic history from Period 1 of AP World History: Modern.

Rashidun Caliphate

The early Islamic caliphate (632-661) that conquered the Persian Sassanid Empire and roughly half of the Byzantine Empire, but suffered from internal instability and factional disputes.

Umayyad Caliphate

The caliphate ruling from 661 to 750 CE with its capital in Damascus, Syria, which expanded Muslim territory to the borders of France and Morocco in the West and India and China in the East.

Damascus

The capital city of the Umayyad Caliphate for the majority of its existence.

Mamluks

Non-Arab warriors relied upon by Arabs who eventually inherited the title of caliphate in Egypt after 1258.

Abbasid Revolution

A 750 CE revolt by a faction of Arabs supported by non-Arab Muslims against the Umayyad Caliphate due to its preferential treatment of Arab Muslims over others.

Abbasid Caliphate

The caliphate established in 750 CE that reformed state administration along a Persian centralized model and presided over Islam's Golden Age.

Baghdad

The capital city of the Abbasid Caliphate, which served as the hub for Islam's Golden Age of cultural, scientific, astrological, mathematical, and literary accomplishments.

Sunni and Shi'a Split

A violent religious split in the Muslim world caused by ongoing disputes over the rightful caliph following the death of Muhammad.

Seljuk Turks

The force that destroyed the Abbasid military power in the 11th century.

Mongols

The group that invaded and destroyed the Abbasid capital city of Baghdad in 1258.

Fatimid Caliphate

The caliphate located in Egypt from which the Abbasid caliph continued to exercise religious authority until 1517.

Ottoman Empire

A Turkish Sunni Islamic State that became the primary military and religious force for Islam following 1517.

Safavid Dynasty

A Persian Shi'a state that emerged as a primary power alongside the Ottoman Empire.