Creation of an Arab empire

1. Creation of an Arab empire • Muhammad was a religious & political leader. He had no son to fill in for him after he died. After his death, his father in law, Abu Bakr, a wealthy merchant, became caliph • Islamic movement grew under Abu’s rule. In 636 Arabs defeated Byzantine army in a dust storm at Yarmuk. 4yrs later they took control of Syria. Egypt and northern Africa was added to Arab empire by 642 • After Abu's death in 656 Ali, Muhammad's brother in law, became caliph. He was assassinated 5yrs after ruling.

3. The Umayyad • General Mu’awiyah- known for outstanding virtue: only used force when necessary. He established the Umayyad dynasty. • Arab armies- conquered and converted Berbers. (pastoral people living along the Mediterranean coast of northern Africa) • 710- Berbers and Arabs combined forces, and crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and occupied southern Spain • 725- most Spain became Muslim • 732- Arab forces defeated at the battle of Tours in Gaul (now France) • 717- Muslim force launched attack • Non-Arab background- Persians, Byzantines • Hussein- 2nd son of Ali & son in law of Muhammad. Led important revolt that took place in present day Iraq early in the Umayyad period. • Shiite Muslims- accepted only the decedents of Ali as the true ruler of Islam. • Sunni Muslims- didn’t agree with Umayyad rule but accepted the Umayyad as rulers

5. The Abbasid dynasty • In 762, the Abbasid built a new capital city at Baghdad, on the Tigris River, far to the east • In 750, Abu al-Abbas, a descendant of Muhammad’s uncle overthrew the Umayyad dynasty & set up the Abbasid dynasty, which lasted until 1258 • The Abbasid dynasty experienced a period of splendid rule

7. The Seljuk Turks • Seljuk Turks- nomadic people from central Asia that had converted to Islam and prospered as soldiers for the Abbasid caliphate • 1055- Turkish leader captured Baghdad and took command of the empire • His title was sultan, or holder of power • 1071- Byzantines foolishly challenged the Turks and the Turks took over most of the Anatolian Peninsula

9. The crusades • The Christian states and the Islamic world feared and disliked each other, many Europeans agreed beginning a series of crusades. • 1169- Saladin, a new Muslim ruler took control over Egypt and made himself sultan, thus ending the Christian states in the area. • 1187, Saladin’s army invaded the kingdom of Jerusalem and destroyed the Christian forces there.