...to territories thus far dominated by powerful states and cultures throughout Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe? What do you think contributed to the relatively rapid success of Islamic expansion in these parts of the world from the middle of the seventh century on? For more than fourteen centuries ago, Islam has started by prophet Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula, and since that time, Islam has faced so many difficulties either with spreading the religion or fighting against the enemies who were against the religion, but because of the unity of the Muslim community during that time, Muslim people were able to avoid defeat at the hands of the enemy. After the death of prophet Muhammad in 632AD, Islam spread widely around the Arabian Peninsula during the caliphs’ leadership and during the Islamic empires. The expansion of Islam would not have succeeded with its prophet, Muhammed, who was able win some support for his spiritual and political status within Arabia in the early seventh century. There were so many conflicts between Quraysh and Muslims, and in 630, the Quraysh broke an earlier treaty that had been established. After the broke of the treaty, prophet Muhammed march upon Mecca with 10.000 men and take the city without any fighting. In less than one century after the death of prophet Muhammed, Muslims ruled more of the earth than the Roman Empire had at its peak. The first caliph, Abu Bakr, had so many difficulties with uniting all the tribes in the Arabian...
Words: 1078 - Pages: 5
...Jotham Kim Crusader Essay 9-3 Word Count:1,452 In ancient Europe, around the 11th century, there were three major kingdoms/empires. The three major kingdoms/empires were the Catholic kingdom, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic Caliphates. The Catholic kingdom was located in Western Europe. In the Catholic kingdom, religion was very important and organized. First, their religion was the Catholic Christianity, and in the church hierarchy, there were different classes. The highest class was the pope, the second was the bishops, and lastly was the priests. Basically, the pope was considered to be the ruler of the Christian world (Ellis 193). Just how the Catholic religion was organized, so was the feudal system in Western Europe. The feudal systems contained social hierarchy, and the highest class was the king. After the king, the next powerful class was the lords, knights, and then finally the vassals (peasants and serfs)(Ellis 188). Although the conditions of the king’s and lords’ environments were luxuries, the vassals’ environment was really poor. They had to live in a manor, with less food, and hard labor (Ellis 190). The most beneficial advantage for the vassals was to live near the river (Class notes December 17, 2013). The reason is because they can catch fish at sometimes, and have additional food than others. Most of the vassals were serfs (slaves that were bound to the land, and can be sold and bought). Other vassals were peasants (people with rights that got...
Words: 1481 - Pages: 6
...comparing European, Russian, Islamic, Chinese, and Japanese uses of gunpowder weapons and explore how these powers fit guns into their political, military, and cultural systems. One of the recurring things in history is the nature of nations and empires. Civilizations are born, reach their potential under extraordinary leaders, and over time lose their vitality and strength. The remarkable feature in this cycle is that new civilizations emerge out of there fallen leaders, regenerated by new leaders and by outside cultural influences, often resulting in cultural power. Such were the circumstances under which the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires emerged between 1300 and 1650. Coming on the heels of the Mongol and Timurid conquests in Southwest Asia and Anatolia, new Muslim dynasties began the process of extending their realms with military might enhanced by the use of gunpowder weaponry. Conquering an empire is not the same as establishing imperial authority, and the rulers of the new empires faced a monumental task in establishing an effective governing structure for their domains. Built upon the foundations of preexisting cultural ideas, the most outstanding emperors realized that the vitality of their empires required a considerable degree of toleration for their non-Muslim subjects-an ideal that stood in sharp contrast to the policies adopted by their contemporary counterparts in Christian Europe. In the sixteenth century, the Asian empires were clearly aspiring, controlling...
Words: 947 - Pages: 4
...Contention between the Islam and the west The Islam world and the west are two civilizations that have been closely entangled in the last fourteen centuries. It is a history full with disagreement and conflict, antagonism and dispute, approval and detestation, recognition and denunciation among other conflictings. Despite the perceptions of Islam and the west, the opinions of those in both Muslim and western worlds have been shaped by these histories. That’s why relations between Islam and the West never lose significance in our world. A short synopsis of this extensive history discloses three facets of interaction; religious, cultural, and political. 1. The Religious Dispute. Islam describes itself to be the last of the three immense Abraham faith societies. The Qurʾān and ḥadīth which are the two lawful foundations of Islam and the scholarly traditions disclose a sharp understanding of Judaism and Christianity. They depict passion for Jews and Christians to unite in monotheism against Meccan polytheism and its decadence. Having from a multi-religious and multicultural environment, the early Muslims were in touch with the diverse Jewish and Christian societies of the East in the 8th and 9th centuries. Subsequently, the belief of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153) and Ramon Llull (d. 1315), John of Segovia (d. 1458) , the first missionary to Muslims, believed that opposing the threat of Islam was not by just building armies, which they couldn’t at the time but persuading...
Words: 536 - Pages: 3
...decline of the Seljurk Turks’s empire. The arrival of the first Ottomans, alias ghazis (Turkish warriors or raiders), to Anatolia (formerly called Asia Minor) was intended to evade the forces of Mongols. At first, the Turkish tribes were nomadic pastoralists but when the Seljuk Empire’s power was slowly falling apart, the Turks, under the rule of Osman (1280-1326), command the ghazis to begin the occupation and invasion of other territories for power and wealth thus he founded the Osmanli dynasty, with Bursa at its capital. The Osmanlis were later known as the Ottomans. The Ottoman’s power and dominion became stronger after capturing Bosporus and Dardanelles. Though...
Words: 1513 - Pages: 7
...Byzantium and Islam The Age of Justinian In 527, Justinian became the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. He succeeded his uncle from the throne. A strong-willed and ambitious leader, he was determined to restore the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean. After a series of campaigns, Justinian finally achieved his goal. Through his prominent general, Belisarius, he has conquered Italy, part of Spain, North Africa, Asia Minor, Palestine, and Syria. However, Justinian’s campaigns had resulted to victories and defeats. Because the barbarians were consistent in attacking and raiding the cities and lands they conquered. And due to the fact that the reclaimed territories were heavily taxed that resulted in revolts and riots. As Justinian’s generals fought to reclaim territory, Justinian ruled as an agent of God, enjoying supreme authority on both church and state. Beginning in the seventh century the emperor styled himself as “basileus”, or “ruler of the world” in addition to the title autocrat, or “sole ruler” to emphasize his absolute power. Justinian launched the most ambitious public building program ever seen in the Roman world. He rebuilt fortifications and constructed a wall along Constantinople’s coastline. He superbly rebuilt the Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom in Greek, the unrivalled monument to his reign and name. Justinian preserved much of the Greco-Roman culture. Byzantine students focused on Greek and Latin grammar and Philosophy. The Byzantine scholars were...
Words: 2034 - Pages: 9
...Anywhere you went in the Islamic World during the Golden Age of Islam, you would always feel the cosmopolitanism of the people and rulers. The Golden Age of Islam began in 750 as Islam spread throughout the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion, meaning the religion believed in one God and those who believed in Islam were part of Abraham's family. The religion revolves around the teachings of Muhammad, who was the founder of Islam. The land which the Muslims controlled during the Golden Age of Islam was called the Dar al'Islam, which is Arabic for the "Islamic World". During the Golden Age there was a great increase in economic prosperity and great religious, literary and scientific development in the...
Words: 1115 - Pages: 5
...Thuy Tran 10/19/15 101-0032 Outline: History of Middle Ages Introduction: Middle Ages began when Western Roman Empire collapsed. Byzantine and Islamic appeared before the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages is the middle period of three traditional division of Western history: early, the high, and the late Middle Ages. Middle Ages is an important part of Western Civilization. It through many different period of time of the Middle Ages helps Western Civilization development economy and political. Each period of Middle Ages affect to how Civilization changes and growth. Western Civilization had more strong and created many intellect men. Also, the last Pagan Europe was converted to Christianity with the Baltic people in the High Middle Ages, bringing them to Western Civilization as well. I. Byzantine and Islamic influence A. Byzantine influence In the textbook Humanities in the Western Tradition, First Edition Marvin Perry, Baruch College, City University of New York, Emeritus J. Wayne Baker, University of Akron Pamela Pfeiffer Hollinger, the University of Akron that discussion Byzantine and Islamic their cultural contribution to Western Civilization. * “The Byzantine and Islam have in common” by contributing writer that almost 700 years Byzantine and Islamic cultural fought the remains of the Roman Empire, but they also hared many cultural political and artistic that shape their societies in many ways. * Advantage: * Byzantine cultural contributions...
Words: 1882 - Pages: 8
...Western Europe. The barbarian invasions during the fifth and sixth centuries had obliterated the Roman Empire in the West. The wisdom of the lost Empire was nothing more than a memory. The Crusades offered endless opportunity and provided exposure the knowledge, culture, and resources that fueled the European progression into the Renaissance; a fortuity that shifted both cultural and religious power in the modern world. By the end of the 10th century, Western Europe was destitute. The inhabitants could not farm their land properly, and soon a cycle of famine, flood, and disease began to dictate the lives of the people. The only surviving institution was the Western Church in Rome. Roman popes soon began to challenge the Byzantine emperors for ultimate control of the church. Tension grew between the two branches of Christianity, which lead to cultural, theological, and irreconcilable differences between the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe and the Greek Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire (Stalcup, 2000). This event, known as the East-West Schism in 1054, was a precursor to the Protestant Reformation (Stalcup, 2000). Meanwhile, a holy war in Spain between Christian Europeans and Muslims terrorized the outskirts of Rome during the tenth and eleventh centuries. Western Europe became very accustomed to religious war as battles between themselves and against Muslims seemed to plague the Medieval Era. Finally, a plea for help came from the Byzantine Empire. A Turkish...
Words: 1802 - Pages: 8
...the intellectual center for science, education, philosophy and medicine not found anywhere else in the world. “The Medieval Islamic world…offered vastly more freedom than any of its predecessors, its contemporaries, and most of its successors,” said Bernard Lewis, a historian of the Middle East. (Akoyl) Islamic scholars and teachers lit the flame that would spread to Europe and ignite the fire which brought forth the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment. For centuries, Islam was at the forefront of human civilization and achievements. The Golden Age of Islam was extraordinary, ground breaking and original, but like many things throughout time, it came to an end. Contemporary Islam no longer...
Words: 1772 - Pages: 8
...between the Ottoman Empire and European crusaders. The battle was a large international effort intended to bring a halt to rapid Turkish expansion into the Balkans but ultimately failed. But what if the Ottoman Empire lost the battle of Nicopolis? If they did we would see very big changes on world history. The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by Osman the first. The Ottoman empire had a great impact on history if it was not for them most of World War 1 would not have happened. The Ottoman empire also created the Muslim population in Europe. The Ottoman Empire also is a Muslim country so the population was mainly Muslim. The Ottoman Empire was disbanded in 1923 because of a revolution...
Words: 1045 - Pages: 5
...Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire in 1206. The Mongols was a tribe that spread through China. As Genghis came to power he was able to improved writing and brought religion to the new empire. He had one of the greatest armies which help with their invasion including Europe and Asia. After the death of Genghis Khan, the slit up the empire between his sons and they continued his legacy. The Mongols had a lot of legacies in the Islamic world. A couple of their legacies including the victory in Khwarezm, the stability of the Silk Road and incredible army. Without his army, he would have been able to do as much as he did. The idea of them fighting on horses made it easier for them to go fight and win so much territory. There were...
Words: 324 - Pages: 2
...Turkey resides. This was the heartland of the Byzantine Empire. The Turks transformed Anatolia from a Greek speaking, Christian land into a Turkish Islamic land. They had excellent horsemen and warriors which gave them an edge in most conflicts. Osman the founder of the Ottoman Dynasty and was able to consolidate a large amount of lands around 1300. By the 16th Century the Ottoman Empire had reached...
Words: 633 - Pages: 3
...The history of the world is the history of humanity, beginning with the Paleolithic Era. Distinct from the history of Planet Earth (which includes early geologic history and prehuman biological eras), world history comprises the study of archeological and written records, from ancient times on. Ancient recorded history begins with the invention of writing.[1][2] However, the roots of civilization reach back to the period before the invention of writing. Prehistory begins in the Paleolithic Era, or "Early Stone Age," which is followed by the Neolithic Era, or New Stone Age, and the Agricultural Revolution (between 8000 and 5000 BCE) in the Fertile Crescent. The Neolithic Revolution marked a change in human history, as humans began the systematic husbandry of plants and animals.[3][4][5] Agriculture advanced, and most humans transitioned from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle as farmers in permanent settlements. Nomadism continued in some locations, especially in isolated regions with few domesticable plant species;[6] but the relative security and increased productivity provided by farming allowed human communities to expand into increasingly larger units, fostered by advances in transportation. World population[7] from 10,000 BCE to 2,000 CE. The vertical (population) scale is logarithmic. As farming developed, grain agriculture became more sophisticated and prompted a division of labor to store food between growing seasons. Labor divisions then led to the rise of a leisured...
Words: 3787 - Pages: 16
...One of the longest reigning empires to rule belongs to the Ottoman Turks. It was called the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1301 A.D. by Osman the First and ended on the seventeenth of November 1922 A.D. with the abolishment of the sultanate. There were many rulers during the six hundred and twenty one years of the empire. But there was only one that was considered Magnificent, and that is Suleiman the First. Suleiman the Magnificent was born on the twenty seventh of April in the year 1496 A.D. in modern day Trebizond, Turkey. He is the only son of Sultan Selim I and Crimean Tatar princess Hasfa. When he turned seven years old, Suleiman was sent to study history, literature, military tactics, science, and theology in the schools of Topkapı Palace in Constantinople. There he studied until he was appointed governor of the city Kefe, modern day Fedsiya, then of Manisa. In the years 1514- 1515 A.D., Suleiman acted as regent of the empire as his father, Selim I, led a military campaign against present day Iran. He then oversaw the defense of Edirne in the year 1516-1517 A.D. while his father was campaigning against the Mamluks in Egypt and Syria. Before Suleiman succeeded the throne, he had a better education and more military experience than any other European...
Words: 1971 - Pages: 8
