HIST_1101_becoming_world
HIST 1101 Week 12: Becoming World
Questions from Previous Week
Factors contributing to the swift spread of Islam include trade connections, military campaigns, and cultural exchanges.
Common features of the Islamic world and Tang Empire (600-1000) include advanced trade networks, cultural and scientific achievements, and religious diversity.
Maritime Trade Network: Advancing Transnational Communication
Maritime transportation became increasingly vital to global communication in the 10th century, overshadowing traditional land-based methods.
Key drivers of this transformation:
Sophisticated navigation techniques.
Expanded cartographic knowledge.
Innovations in shipbuilding, improving vessel reliability and efficiency.
Entrepôts: Meeting Points of Trade
Definition of Entrepôts: Key trading cities located between borders or at ports where traders from diverse regions converge.
Purpose: Exchange goods and replenish supplies in a merchant-friendly environment.
Departure: Cairo or Alexandria (1100)
Historical context: North Africa under the Fatima dynasty (909-1171).
Cairo: Home to numerous Muslim and Jewish trading firms.
Alexandria: Critical for trade with Europe, especially for goods like silks.
Journey begins by navigating the Nile Delta into the Red Sea, entering the Islamic world.
Next Station: The Arabic World
Trade and cultural interactions span from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Asia.
Key ports on this route:
Aden: Important hub for incense trade from the 11th to 13th centuries.
Access to Indian Ocean with Arab dhows and Persian vessels trading precious commodities.
Persian Gulf ports like Hormuz, Basra, and Siraf, popular for spices and textiles.
Entering India
Ports of Cambay, Calicut, and Quilon: Centers for diverse goods, including cotton and sandalwood.
India during the Chola Dynasty: Quilon became a major hub of maritime trade connecting multiple regions.
Continuous trade flourishing post-Chola golden age.
Quilon Port under Chola Dynasty (9TH - 13th Century)
Personal relationships were essential for trade relations in Quilon.
The Muslim community was the largest foreign population, involved in horse trade seen as symbols of royalty.
Through the Strait of Malacca
Srivijaya: The most powerful empire in Southeast Asia during 7th to 11th centuries.
Trade sightings: Colorfully dressed sailors, Javanese artisans creating batik, and an influx of traders.
The Riches of China
Final destination: Ports of China, particularly Quanzhou during the early Song period.
Quanzhou: Noted as the largest port, known for premium silks, porcelain, and rare teas.
The Islamic World: 1000 - 1400
Fragmented rule in the Arabian Peninsula, with Sunni and Shi'i dynasties contesting power.
Shiite influences from the Buyid family in Baghdad and the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt.
Control of Baghdad by Buyids from 945.
Seljuk Pressure
1055: Seljuk Turks invaded and toppled the Buyid regime in Baghdad.
Expansion from Baghdad into Syria and Palestine, defeating Byzantine forces in 1071.
Islamic World by the 13th Century
Three regions emerged in the Islamic heartland:
East (Central Asia, Iran): Remnants of Abbasid authority.
Core regions (Egypt, Syria, Arabian Peninsula): Non-Arab military powers governing.
North Africa: Arab rulers influenced by Berber input.
Spread of Islam (Indonesia)
Initial Islamic influence in Indonesia began as early as the 7th century, with significant growth occurring in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
Johan Shah's acceptance of Islam in 1204 marked a pivotal point for broader Islamic adoption.
Developments in Sub-Saharan Africa
Notable integration with Eurasia increasing due to trade.
Mali Empire (1240-1645): Prosperity driven by extensive trade routes connecting West Africa to the broader Muslim world.
Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-1325 highlighted the empire's wealth.
Sufism
Spiritual and communal aspect of Islam emphasizing closer relations with God through rituals.
Sufism's spread attributed to trade routes, brotherhoods, and Sufi orders using art, music, and dance for teachings.
Christendom in Europe
Post-Rome: Rise of Germanic kingdoms and eventual unification under Christianity.
Carolingian dynasty emerged, with Charlemagne's crowning as the "Holy Roman Emperor" by Pope Leo III.
The Rise of Manorialism
Manorialism dominated Western Europe post-Carolingian collapse, centering around manors as economic units.
Structure included lord's fortified home, agricultural lands, and villagers.
Church after 1000
Transition from monastic-centered Christianity to parish churches influencing daily lives.
Clergy gained authority over personal matters, such as marriage and divorce.
Hostility between Christendom and the Islamic World
Hostile relations developing into a series of military campaigns initiated in 1095 to reclaim the Christian Holy Land.
Middle Ages: A Dark Age?
The term "Dark Age" coined by Francesco Petrarca reflects perceived cultural stagnation post-Rome.
Perceptions arguably flawed, as some scholarly achievements continued.
Song Dynasty in China
After Tang's collapse, the Song Dynasty (960) unified China and launched its global economic power.
Agricultural Revolution in Song
Iron plows enhanced agricultural efficiency leading to surpluses, transforming social structures.
Increased cultivation of economically valuable crops post-Tang instability.
Unparalleled Economy
China’s economy boomed under the Song; key sectors included silk, metallurgy, and paper-making.
Revolutionary use of paper money commenced, underpinning commercial growth.
The Legend of Mongols (Late 12th Century - 14th Century)
Mongols rose from Central Asian steppes, with military prowess established under Chinggis Khan by unifying tribes.
Territorially expansive campaigns resulted in the largest contiguous land empire in history.
The Four Khanates of the Mongol Empire (13th - 14th Century)
Geographic spread of the empire detailing key regions: Kiev, Moscow, Golden Horde, Karakoram, Chagatai Khanate, and others.
The Barbarian Stereotype
Western perceptions of Mongols as mere plunderers shaped by historical accounts.
Despite hostile images, the Mongol Empire fostered substantial East-West cultural exchanges upon achieving stability in their regions.