Unit A Terms List

Caliph

The successor to Muhammad as head of the Islamic community.

Sunni

Followers of the majority interpretation within Islam; included the Umayyads.

Shi’a

Followers of Ali’s interpretation of Islam.

Allah

Islamic term for God.

Ramadan

The ninth month of the Islamic year that requires daily fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Saladin

12thcentury Muslim ruler; reconquered most of the crusader kingdoms.

Sufis

Islamic mystics; spread Islam to many Afro-Asian regions.

Sultan

Word meaning “victorious”; came to designate Muslim rulers.

Mali

State of the Malinke people, centered between the Senegal and Niger rivers.

Axum

(1st to 6th centuries C.E.) Developing in the Ethiopian highlands and traded with India and the Mediterranean areas to gain Greek and Arabian cultural influences; conversion of the king to Christianity in 350 C.E. laid the basis for Ethiopian Christian culture.

Songhai

Successor state to Mali; dominated middle reaches of the Niger valley; capital at Gao.

Hausa

peoples of northern Nigeria who formed states after the Songhay, combining Muslim and pagan traditions

Great Zimbabwe

With massive stone buildings and walls, incorporates the greatest early buildings in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mansa Musa

First Muslim ruler of Mali, performed the Hajj, wealthiest leader in history

Ibn Battuta

Traveled along Silk Roads, Indian Ocean trade routes, and Trans

Margery Kempe

English pilgrim who went to Jerusalem and documented her travels. Mystic who wrote about personal relationship and messages with Jesus.

Al-Andalus

Umayyad Islamic empire in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)

Neo-Confucianism

Combination of Daoist and Buddhist ideologies with Confucianism

caravanserai

rest stops along Silk and Trans-Saharan trade routes that allowed travelers to rest and care for their animals

diasporic communities

groups of people who settled new areas to participate in trade networks, creating new relationships and opportunities in their new homes

Theravada Buddhism

form of Buddhism as a philosophy centered on humans and self

Mahayana Buddhism

form of Buddhism that includes religious elements like gods and views Buddha and other spiritual leaders as boddhisatva; more ritualized prayers and ceremonies

Rajput

Hindu kingdoms that failed to centralize in Northern India (present day Pakistan) and were repeatedly attacked by Muslim warriors

Srivijaya

Southeast Asian kingdom (ca. six71 to 1025 CE) centered in Sunda and Malacca Straits between China and India to control trade; heavily influenced by Buddhism

Majapahit

- Southeast Asian empire (1292-1527 CE) centered in modern-day Indonesia to control Indian Ocean trade; heavily influenced by Hinduism

Khmer

 Southeast Asian empire (802-1431 CE) centered in modern-day Cambodia to control trade between India and China; heavily influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism

Sukhothai

Southeast Asia empire (1238 to 1438 CE) that broke away from Khmer and created government influenced by Theravada Buddhism; tribute state of China