Byzantium and Islam 7/20/07 2:22 PM← http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1020Avicenna-Medicine.html ← http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/byz-arabambas.html ←← Byzantium

began as the eastern half of the roman empire did not suffer of barbarian invasion it stayed in place relatively safe capital in Constantinople in the 4th century during the 5th and 6th centuries you had the Circus Factions

o groups fighting each other o chariot raceso the green and the blue factions

banners they carried during chariot races wealthier and more organized than the western counter-part also had a powerful centralized government

o this kept it from disintegrating like the west diverse population

o ruling over a wide array of peopleo Syrians, Arabs, Egyptians along with others

divided church

o Christian empireo priests were divided over what the proper interpretation of

scripture and church doctrine←← Justinian (527 – 565)

emperor of Byzantine laid the foundation for the empire after the collapse of Rome in the

wet called the emperor that never slept ruthless and ambitious chief goal was to restore the glory of the old empire in his service he had two generals and together recaptured Italy,

southern Africa, and southern spain and place them back into the empire

in the 6th century was the last time that the Romans or descendents would ever reach or recapture the glory under their previous empire

enforced political unity o suppressed the Circus Factionso suppressed riots in Constantinople that left 30,000 dead

Hagia Sofiao one of the most innovative cathedrals of its timeo architecture had a lasting stance in mosques and western

society Justinian Code

o lays today as the foundation of most of Europeans legal system

Harsh Legacyo did a lot for the empire

o the wars and conquests left the empire virtually bankrupto the religious disputes did not settle under his rule

unable to do soo left the empire vulnerable to Sassanids and to the spread of

Islam Byzantine Foundation

o Left a powerful legacy for Byzantiumo had a strong centralized government

allowed it to maintain cohesion for much longer than the western roman empire

o remained the Bulwark of Christianityo preserved the heritage and culture of ancient Greece and

Rome when western Europe started to get back together they

look to Byzantium for documents about ancient Rome←← Emperors & Individuals

“Individualism without Freedom”o everyone was an individualo part of the empire then part of the Churcho everyone was a direct subject of the emperor

Autocracyo Power –based succession

based on political and military powero Absolute and total authority

o Women could take the thrown of the empire unlike other empires

Irene became emperor then her son became emperor Zoe Theodora

ruled from 1042 – 1056 Senate and Circus

o It still had a senate Over time the senate became less powerful became a ceremonial body

o the circus factions were also stripped of their power keeping praise of the new emperor during coronations

o in the 9th century the senate was disbanded entirelyo what was once an intense political struggle became a past-

time of the elite Administration

o Themes provinces ruled by Strate-Goi

military commanders great deal of practical power oversee the administration of their themes as

they saw fit however, they served entirely on the whim of the

emperor

the central administration in Constantinople the Eunuchs controlled it they were castrated so they could not have

children and their rules did not get passed down still carried a great amount of power the thrown demanded physical perfection and

because of that the Eunuchs could never become Emperors

←← Families & Villages

Isolationo All of the subjects were equally powerless under the

emperor’s rule Household

o The main social and economic unit You worked and slept there were associations but purely for collecting taxes

and such basic unit of social life in the west the household was the central unit of social

and economic life in the east it was because the emperor made it so

unlike the west Countryside

o Villages Took orders directly from Constantinople Sent taxes back to Constantinople

o Family Farms

Shared resources, livestock, land this DID NOT happen in this empire everything was separated

o "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” the attitude in the Byzantine Empire

Towns & Tradeo Centers of business

But also isolated as well very rocky and difficult terrain primary means of commerce and trade was oversea

o Constantinople Economic and cultural center of the empire and the

center of trade for the rest of the world situated in the Bosporus

thin strip of land that separated the Mediterranean and the Black Seas

the gate to the east and the westo Luxury Goods

Sneaked silkworms out of china Precious metals from china Amber from the Baltic and Silk

o Maritime Commerce They did not like the sea

merchants worked in the seas called it a dangerous and unwelcoming place

preferred to contract the transportation of goods to other subjects of the empire

primarily the slabs, Syrians, and Italians←← Orthodox Christianity

Undisputedo Barbarian kingdoms had weakened

The official state religion Ecclesiastical Structure

o the highest ranking of the church was the patriarch in theory elected by other officials of the church was

actually appointed by the emperoro recruited by church officials (priests)

told to marry and live in the area where they preachedo monasteries

monks were told to stay celibate Liturgy

o The practice of the Church was called Liturgyo order of doctrines and ceremonies that praised god and the

emperoro provided a sense of ritual and order throughout the empire

contributed to the long term stability of Byzantium international Influence

o scholars from all over the world traveled to Constantinople to witness the liturgy first hand

o resulted in a number of wide-spread conversionso the Slavs converted to Christianity and translated the Liturgy

to slavish alphabeto the Bulgars and Russians also converted to 8Christianity

←← Iconoclasm

Monasterieso Became very wealthy and powerful entitieso Had a degree of independence from the emperor

Brought from the broad public appeal Public appeal came from the religious icons

They thought they were not paintings but rather intermediaries to god

Iconoclastso Leo III comes back from attacking the Muslims and believes

the Monasteries were a threat to himo he sees the icons as the key to the power of the monasterieso begins a period of more than 100 years of persecution

monks are forced to marry monasteries are destroyed

o support from bishops who fear they are not under their control anymore

Iconoduleso Those that resisted the iconoclasts

o liberators of the iconso tortured of executed

Restorationo Emperor Irene says that icons are not a threat to the Empireo after Irene leaves the thrown Iconoclasm comes back for

another 45 years Theodora restores the veneration of icons

Relationship with Romeo Pope did not like iconoclasmo led in part to the coronation of Charlemagne to be away from

the Byzantine Empire and iconoclasm←←←←←←← Rise of Islam

“submission to the will of God” began with Muhammad combined traditional Arab worship with Judaism and Christianity united the Arab tribes within a short time formed a vast empire from Persian to the

western border of china and into southern France

also created a thriving and vital civilizationo combined scholarship and traditions

Arab scholarship and Greek traditions←← Arabia before Islam

The Assimilated Peripheryo Little difference between Arabs and other subjects of the

empire The Desert Interior

o Vast stretches of deserto forbidden terrain for invaders

more or less independent Bedouins

o Dominant people in the interioro nomadic tribeso a system of kinshipo had chiefdoms called Sheiks

more as arbitrators of disputes and led tribal consensus Towns & Caravans (lower peninsula)

o They had towns and economic centers Religion

o Many of the southern peninsula were Jews and 10Christians

o They also had a tribal god Allah Haram

o Sacred land Violence was prohibited were tribes came together to settle disputes and

arrange commerce Mecca

o One of the largest Harams Established by a religious leader called Qusayy

o Caravan Hub←← Mohammed

Descendant of Qusayy he was an orphan God’s Messenger

o He would go on long period of meditation and on one occasion received a message from God

Last Propheto God spoke through him

Muslim: True Believer Koran

o focuses on praise on Allaho totality of Allah's will

o provides fundamental laws for Islamic societieso he wrote the Koran

Cold Receptiono The powers that be in Mecca did not really pay attention to

himo He critized Mecca saying that it was created as an economic

area and was corrupt← Triumph of Islam

Mecca elites expel Mohammed from the city He then goes to medina Hijra (the travel to medina was called Hijra)

o Medina Comes to medina to settle disputes He establishes the Umma

The beginning of a broad Islamic community A tribe based on Islamic faith All were united in their submission to the will of

God Mohammed had absolute rule over the community Christians and Jews were expelled or executed

While he consolidates his power, Islam rises throughout the world

Gains a larger and larger following In 629 he creates an army and attacks Mecca

Return to Mecca

o Mecca does not put up too much of a fighto Relatively quickly and bloodlessly he takes overo Islam spreads further along the peninsula

Rule of Mohammedo Undisputed rule of Mohammed

Why did Islam spread so fast?o Appeal of Islam

Afterlife Great comfort and luxury if you summit to the will Fear of the bad afterlife

Economic Prosperity Merchant elite and convert to Islam

Mohammed allows you to proceed without change

As Islam spread the influence as merchants spread as well

Conquest People were encouraged to expand outward

Women New Status

They were still subordinated to men But they had some rights that did not have

before hando Before converting to Islam

Rights in Marriage The husband was bound by law to take care

of her wife If the women felt he was not taking care of

her she had the right to leave him or grievance

Veils Expansion

Expanded in two ways Conversion

Muslims appealed to the economic elites Jihad

Expansion of the Islamic faith Islamic faith forbade Muslims from attacking

another Muslims Islam spread through the peninsula through

a combination of things Christians and Jews

They could leave peacefully but had to pay a tax← Spread of Islam

Death of Mohammedo Dies in 632 ADo He leaves his kingdom with no clear successoro Islamic kingdom enters a time of turmoil that his successors

have great difficulty trying to settleo The elites of Mecca and Medina

Dispute of whom has a greater status

o A lot of the tribes leave the fold once he dies They had their loyalty to Mohammed

Once he dies there is no reason to stay From Re-conversion to Expansion

o Caliphs (ruler of kingdoms)o Mohammed’s first successor was Abu Bakr

He felt that a war of re-conversion was the most effective means to reunite the peninsula over Islam

This began a cycle In order to use force to raising an army He relied on the loyalty of the tribes In order to keep the loyalty of the tribes they

needed an incentive The incentive was the conquest of areas

They conquered and sent the resources back to the tribes and the kingdom

They then moved on to another area Vulnerable Opponents

o They are not able to mount an assertive defense Willful Subjects

Syria & Egypt Christians in here convert to Islam (many) Those how don’t convert live more peacefully than

under the Byzantine Empire They could worship as they pleased as long as they paid

a tax

Byzantine Eclipseo The Islamic expansion was the beginning of the end for the

Byzantine empireo In two incidents the Islamic armies threaten to take over

Constantinople Byzantine was reduced to Greece, turkey, parts of the

Balkan and small parts of southern Italy←← Government and Administration

Multinational empire Arabs become minority Two traditions

o Tribal By the kinship relationships

o Spiritual The spiritual kinship of the Umma

Byzantine & Sassanido Adapt the bureaucracies and structures

Officials did not have to convert Social & Economic Structures

o Very little change in day to day lifeo Monasteries stayed intact (just tax)

Along with temples and other religious places Spoils of War

o Bitter conflict over the wealtho The earliest followers in the interiors of the peninsula and

descendents saw themselves as the origins of the Islamic faith they thought they should get a greater share

The people DOING the conquests thought THEY should get a greater share

o Uthran came up with a solution The political privilege of the Mecca elite would be

reduced but in exchange they gained a little bit more money

This made no one happyo Ali was the successor and people thought he was involved in

his murder He left Mecca and traveled to Baghdad There he decided to change the role of Caliphs Emphasized the religious authority of Caliphs over the

day to day authority The Mecca elites did not like that, they wanted to

remain in power The Mecca elites murdered him and took the capital

backo The followers of Ali saw themselves as the true followers of

Islam and formed the Shi’ite Islam←← Umayyad & Abbasid

After the murder of Ali the Mecca elite become the Umayyad They relocated the capital and attempted to reshaped the empire

under the banner of unityo Emphasizing their own rule as secular leaders

Expansiono During this period the Islamic empire expands the mosto By the end of the Umayyad the empire had expanded through

west of china, north Africa, moving north taking two thirds of Spain

Spiritual Mandateo Arabs were a minorityo The subjects of the caliphate wanted a return to the secular

rulerso They wanted somebody they could relate to

This led to the establishment of the Abbasido They overthrew the Umayyado They relocated the capital to Baghdado And returned to the old systemo Where the caliphs was both a ruler and a secular leadero The empire was no longer based on Arab unity, but Islamic

unity Emirs

o The caliphate was extensively largeo So they had to create governors called “Emirs”o It became increasingly more difficult to wield central power so

the Emirs grew in powero As they had more power they also demanded a greater deal

of independenceo They eventually had de-facto power over the areas and the

caliphate became just for show Sunnis

o The Muslims that accepted the compromise became the Sunni Muslims

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7/20/07 2:22 PM←