Spread of Islam and Islamic Culture Unit 5 Topic 2

Umayyds

• Succeeded by Abbasid Empire 

  • Abbasids move their capital to Baghdad

Math and Science

• Reliance on scientific observation and experimentation

• Translated and studied Greek texts

• Created algebra

• Charted stars, comets, and planets

• Concept of 0

  • I, IV, XXIII (Arabic Numerals)

Art and Architecture

• Images of living things discouraged (only Allah could create life)

• Calligraphy - art of beautiful handwriting

• Combined architecture with that of the region

Turkish Empires Rise in Anatolia

• Abbsaids (Islamic Empire) struggled to maintain control of their empire

  • Spain broke away 756

  • Persian armies moved into Baghdad and put an end to power of caliph

• Anatolia = modern-day turkey

Seljuk Turks 

• Conquered parts of Byzantine Empire, Persia 

• Persian importance 

  • Vizier (top advisor) was Persian

  • Capital was in Persia

  • Seljuk rulers called “Shah” from Persian word for king

• Defeated by Mongols in 1258

The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire

• Anatolian Turks saw themselves as Ghazis - warriors for Islam

  • Most successful ghazi was Osman

  • Followers called Ottomans

  • Among first to use muskets and cannons as weapons in military 

  • Eventually expanded to include:

  • Constantinople

    • Became Istanbul

  • 1512 - Captured Mecca, Medina, and Cairo

Safavids

• 1500’s

• Located in Persia 

• Shi’ite Muslims

• Modeled government on that of the Ottomans

  • New capital - Isfahan

    • Center of silk trade, art and culture

• 1722 - last Safavid shah abdicated

Abdication

• When a monarch steps down/resigns from the throne