HUMN1101 Islamic Golden Age Terms

Abbasid Caliphate: Abbasid empire; was established after a revolt against the Umayyad dynasty, leading to significant shifts in power dynamics within Islamic world

algebra: Muslim mathematicians developed it to simplify Islamic inheritance law

algorithm: Muhammad Al-Kwarizmi developed the concept of step-by-step procedures for calculations

Al-Khawrizmi: influential in mathematics, astronomy, and geography; considered the father of algebra

Al-Razi: the “original protrayer” of smallpox; he was the first to describe smallpox & differentiate it from measles

Baghdad: the center of the Islamic Golden Age and the capital of modern-day Iraq; important crossroads for trade routes

Caliph al’Mamun: the 7th caliph; prominent figure in Abbasid Caliphate known for his patronage of science, philosophy, and the arts, particularly thru his support of the house of wisdom

Crusades: a series of religious wars in the High middle ages

Genghis Khan: first Khan; expanded the Mongol empire across Eurasia which reached the borders of the Islamic world by unifying Mongol tribes

House of Wisdom: a renowned intellectual center in Baghdad where scholars gather to translate texts, do research, and foster learning; destroyed by the Mongols

Ibn Al-Nafis: an Arab scientist who made a significant contribution to understanding pulmonary circulation

madrasas: “schools”; played crucial role in development of Islamic education & scholarship, fostering advancement in fields of knowledge

Mansa Musa: ruler of the Mali empire during the Mali Golden age; described as the richest person in history due to his control of gold and salt; controlled key trading cities

Mongols: citizens of the Mongol empire; fought alongside Gebghis Khan in conquering land

polymath: person of wide-raniging knowledge/learning

Sack of Baghdad: Baghdad fell under the Mongols and was sacked

Sufism: mystical branch of Silam that emphasizes direct persona; experience of God thru practices like introspection, spiritual purification, and devotion

Timbuktu: located in Mali; served as a major intellectual and cultural hub of Islamic civilization

Translation Movement: saw the translation of Greek, Latin, and other languages’ texts into Arabic, preserving & advancing knowledge in science, philosophy, mathematics, and medicine