Middle Ages: Byzantine & Islamic

(Saracenic) Civilizations

The Byzantine Civilization

The Byzantine civilization was

founded by Emperor Constantine

when he established a New Rome
at Byzantium (Constantinople).

The Byzantine civilization

The Byzantines excelled in trade &

banking practices; textile production

(including silk); gun powder; mosaics,
woodcarvings & tapestries.

The empire lasted until 1453.

Islamic Religion
The Islamic Religion & Civilization

was founded by Muhammad who was

born in 570 AD at Mecca.
Mecca had already been a religious

and trading center for Bedouin tribes

of Saudi Arabia.

Islamic Religion

Bedouins before Muhammad believed in

many gods that were housed in the Kaaba
black stone shrine.

Muslim Mosque in Mecca

Kaaba, sacred shrine to Allah in

Mecca

D144Kaaba

Islam Submission to God

Muhammad was orphaned as a child

and raised by his uncle who was a

merchant.
On one of his many trading trips to
Palestine, Muhammad met Khadija, a
wealthy merchant widow.
On these trips he became acquainted
with Judaism and Christianity.
He eventually received revelations
which constitute the Islamic religion.

Islam Submission to God

Beliefs include:

One God - Allah; A

last judgment; hell & paradise.

Obligations include:

Prayer;
almsgiving; Kindness to orphans &
widows.

Islam Submission to God

Recommended practices include . . .
A pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) once in a
lifetime (if possible).
Forbidden practices include drinking
alcohol, & gambling.

Mosque in Medina

In 619 Muhammad fled

to Medina because his
teachings were not
accepted in Mecca.
In 629, after converting
the people of Medina
to Islam, Muhammad
led them in the
conquest of Mecca.

Hajj
Muslims performing
the Hajj (a pilgrimage
to Mecca).
The simple white
garments symbolize
the equality of
believers.

Muslim Pilgrimage

Muslims in Mecca

Muslims at Prayer

Muslim obligations: Almsgiving

Koran

The Koran is Islams Holy Book.

It was written after the death of
Muhammad.
It is believed to contain the word of God.
The definitive version of the Koran was
established in 652 A.D.

Koran

Islams Holy Book

Caligraphy became
a highly developed
art form.

Caliph

Caliph or Deputy refers to the Islamic

rulers after the death of Muhammad.
The next four caliphs expanded the
kingdom still further.
Caliphs have both religious & civil authority.

Jihad

Jihad among extremists refers to Holy

Wars against the infidels or of Territorial
expansion.

Among moderates, Jihad refers to

Defense of ones faith; and or an inner
struggle to rid oneself of evil and submit to
Allah.

Eras of Islamic Civilization

570-632: Muhammad-Founder
632-661: First four Caliphs: -

Expansion in Mideast

661-750: Ommayad Dynasty-

Expansion in N.Africa & Spain

Eras of Islamic Civilization cont.

750-1000s: Abbasid Dynasty, Golden Age

at Baghdad

1000s-1400s: Seljuks &Mongols

1453-WW I: Ottoman Empire; &

Fragmentation

D162Muslim Exp.Map

Historic Contributions of the

Islamic Civilizations
Rhazes: Medical expert of the

Abbasid Dynasty who studied optics;

Caesarian operations and more.

Historic Contributions of the

Islamic Civilizations

Avicenna: A Muslim scholar of the

Abbasid Dynasty who excelled in both
Medicine and Philosophy

Historic Contributions of the

Islamic Civilizations
Aveorres: Philosopher of the Abbasid

Dynasty who tried to harmonize

Islamc faith with Aristotelian logic.

Astrolabe

Used for astronomy & for

navigation.
It is believed that the
Muslim al-Fazari
(d.777A.D.) was the first
scientist in the MidEast to
make an astrolabe,
following the arrival of an
Indian mission to
Baghdad.

Muslim Medicine

Muslim physicians
were active in the
advancement of
surgical techniques,
and were among the
first to use narcotic
and sedative drugs in
operations.

Omar Khyyam
Of the Abbasid Dynasty was the

author of the Rubaiyat and the Book

of 1001 Nights.

Harun Al Rashid (800s)

An esteemed ruler of the Abbasid

Dynasty who exchanged gifts, and

established friendly relations with
Charlemagne (ruler of the greatest
Christian Kingdom in Europe at that
time).

162MMap

Cordoba, Spain

From 756 - 1031,

Cordoba was a
political and
cultural center for
the Muslims.

Muslim Art & Architecture

The Muslim religion

prohibited the picturing of
human and natural forms.
Muslim art was thus
channeled into artistic
displays of great
geometric complexity and
abstract ornamentation.

Muslim Art & Architecture

This Muslim
mosque in Seville,
was built in 1172.
It was converted to
a Chrisitan
Cathedral in 1248.

Muslim architecture

F320Ottoman Map

End
Middle Ages: Byzantine &
Islamic (Saracenic)Civilizations

Middle Ages: Russia

Russia

Russian civilization was slower to develop

and less creative than some of the other
European and Asian civilizations studied in
History 151. A general outlined of Russias
evolution is as follows:

500s, tribal slavic people.

800s, besieged by Swedes & other
Norsemen.

Russia
1000s, Byzantine influences: Hagia

Sophia Cathedral & Greek alphabet.

1200s, Mongol influences.
1400s, Tsars: Ivan the Great & Ivan
the Terrible
1600s, Romanov dynasty until 1917.

Russia
1917-1990s Communism
1990s - present: Democracy &

capitalism emerging.

End

Middle Ages: Byzantine,

Islamic and Russian
civilizations