Untitled timeline

Was secretary under Uthman

by Abu Ayub

By Leo the Isauman

Freed berber mawali

North central France - Frankish/Burgundian forces under Austrian Mayor Charles Martels Vs Umayyad army under Al Gafiqi
Charles Martel victorious
Muslim sack of Abbey of Saint Martins of Tours (holiest european shrine)

'the generous'
Kufa as new capital
Jews, Nestorian Christians, and Persians well represented in government and in succeeding Abbasid administration
Betrayed muslim shia supporters, having promised their imam as head of caliphate

Had led victory of Abbassids forces against Umayyad in Third Fitnah
Assasination arranged by Al Mansur
Motive: to preclude a power struggle in the empire

'the victorious'

Leading brothers: Muhammad 'the pure soul' revolt Medina (September) and Ibrahim revolt Basra (November)
Abbassids (under al Mansure) lacked organization and coordination
Dissent among rival shia for future political objectives
Ibrahim's forces defeated at Bakhamra

'City of Peace'
North of Persian capital Ctesiphon
Commissioned by Al Mansur
Supervised by the Barmakids
control over strategic and trading routes (along Tigris)
Abundence of water (both SOuth and North ends) and dry climate
18mm bricks counted by Abu Hanifa - also developed a canal system
framework: two semicircles 19km in diameter
single ring of residential and commercial structures, later added ulterior ring
Parks, gardens, villas, and promenades
Centre: mostue + headquarters for guards
circular design, 'the round city': reflection of the traditional Persian Sasanian urban design (Sasanian city of Gur in Fars identical, 500 years before)
Combine the hegemony of Arabic tribe with the imperial, court, ceremonial, and administrative structures of the Persians
House of Wisdom: ancient Greek, Middle Persian and Syriac texts translations, representative of Arab Islamic - centre of learning and commerce
Surraounding walls: name Basra, Kufa, Khurasan and Damascus because gates (double doors made of iron, heavy) facing cities, 30m high with merlons, embattled parapet pierced with embrasures, surrounded by further thicker wall with towers and rounded merlons, protected by solid glacis and water filled moat

Golden Gate Palace: residence of the Caliph and family, centre: green dome 39m high, surrounded by esplanade, built by Naubakht, a Zoroastrian, and Mashallah, a Jew.

Al Mahdi contract for succession of sons Al Hadi and Harun

Established the House of Wisdom
Artistic, musical, scientific, cultural and religious prosperity
Intellectually, politically and militarily resourceful

Harun's contract for sons Amin and Mamun sucession (see Al Amin Caliph VI)

Culminated with Jafar's death, Caliph Harun

Pledge during hajj to Mecca that he would respect father's (Harun) will: Al Amin would be Caliph, brother Al Mamun would be governor of Khurasana (Eastern Iran) granted autonomy, on Al Amin's death, Al Mamun would be caliph
Sought to: turn Mamun's financial agent in Rayy against him and ordered him to aknowledge his son Musa as heir to caliphate and to return to Baghdad
BUT: Mamun refused orders, replaced agent + had strong support from Iran
Destroyed succession documents of father Harun
Amin: interferring minister Al Fadl
811: dispatched army under Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan against Mamun but defeated by capable general Tahir bin Husain (killed Ali)
Uprising in Baghdad by Ali ibn Isa's son Husayn but quelled (Husayn dead)
Basra, Kufa, Mecca (Dawud, then confirmed governor of Mecca and medina) allied to Mamun
Mother Zubaida to arbitrate succession (as Aisha had), refused - caliphate to Mamun

Ali bin Isa (Amin's general) dies

Mamun's army under Tahir near Anbar Gate
Worst effects by jail prisoners outbreak
Amin negotiated freedom on condition he would resign caliph position and turn over documents. Left on boat as caliph, rejecting warnings to wait, reached by Tahir, thrown into water, captured on shore and executed
Mamun new caliph

Alchemy developed: pioneers Jabir Ibn Hayyan and his student Yusuf Lukwa
House of Wisdom - center of tanslation for greek, rediscovery of Hellenism (Islamic renaissance)
centralization of power and the certainty of succession
Ulama (arbitrers of Sharia law - class of muslims scholars engaged in islamic studies) as political force Vs Mihna (initiated by Mamun - inquisition where religious scholars would be punished, imprisoned, killed if not conceding to Quran doctrine, with intention to centralize religious power in the caliphal institution and test the loyalty of his subjects, central question was about the createdness of the Qur'an, state Quran to be created to be released, controversial for traditionalist-Sunnis believing Quran is coeternal with God. Served two caliphates until abbandoned by Al Mutawakkil (848))
Tahrid named governor of Khurasan to assure his loyalty BUT became increasingly powerful and entrenched in iranian politics, contrary to Mamun's desire to centralize and strengthen caliphal power: Tahrid dynasty threath
Win over Shia: named Ali ar Rida, eighth Imam, as successor but empty gesture as he was too old as to die before succession, in fact poisoned and died: episode further alienated Shia from Abbassids (had already been promised and denied caliphate by Al Abbass)
Personality: concisive and eloquent speaker, generous, respectful for Muhammad and religion, just and love of poetry.

Under genreal Al Afshin defeated uprising of Babak Khorramdin (had overcome several caliphate forces) and executed after glorious entrance in Samarra
Battle of Anzen (838): Al Afshin response and victory after Byzantine emperor Theophilus launched attack
Aware of conspiracy by Mamun's son Al Abbass bin Al Mamun and thus ecxecuted
Ghilman introduced to caliphate: slave-soldiers taken as prisoners of war from conquered regions and made caliphal guards
Tahrid dynasty received governship of Farghana, Samarquand and Herat: provinces exempted from many tributes and oversight functions
support for heretical sect of Mutazila, applying brutal methods for torturing imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Under al Mutasim, until 892

great patron of scholars, artists.
Renowned for his own musical talents, composed over one-hundred songs.
Revolts in Syria and Palestine caused by arge gap between Arab populations and the Turkish armies

Put end to the Mihna "ordeal", the Inquisition-like attempt by his predecessors to impose a single Mu'tazili version of Islam
Revolt by Bujah (african descent people): ceased paying tax on gold mine, drove muslims away around Egypt. Mutawakkil sent al Qumma to restore order
Death, said to be platted by son, and begginning of 'Anarchy at Samarra'

Reigned during the period 'Anarchy at Samarra'
Accused of having plotted against murder of father (Al Mutawakkil) by Turkish soldier, while Turkish party helping him
Turkish party and caliph prevailed on removing brothers to succession and appointing his son, fearing revenge on murder of his father
House of Shia favourer: removed ban from pilgrmage to tombs of Hassan and Hussayn

Anarchy at Samarra : People blamed the Turks that had brought disaster on the faith, murdered their Caliphs, and set up others at their pleasure.
rebellion by the Alid Yahya ibn Umar.
escaped from Samarra, al Mutazz caiph, brought back and executed

Last Abbassid Cantil until sack of Baghdad by Mongols

Executed by Mongols with sack of Baghdad

Founder of Fatimid caliphate
Only major Shia caliph
Established rule throughout north africa
Father (Imam al Husain al Mastoor) Dais to Yemen and Western Africa to found fatimid Caliphate
Expansionistic policy
City named after him: Al Mahdiyya
916 Great Mosque of MAhdia

Convinced by his divinity