Category Archives: Muslim Empire (old series)

The Mad Caliph

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Ruth

By the late 900s, the Fatimid dynasty was in control of all of North Africa, Palestine, and the holy places in Arabia, Mecca and Medina. Sunni Muslims had been the norm in Egypt; now they were pressured to become Ismailis. … Continue reading →

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Fatimid ideology

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Ruth

The IMAM: During the Abbasid years, Shi’ite believers had turned away from secular power in order to survive. Those who challenged the Caliph openly usually died. Those who developed the ability to go undercover while seeming loyal, survived. We hear … Continue reading →

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Religious ideology in the early Middle Ages

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Ruth

When the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyads, theology had been only lightly involved, just enough to get most Shi’ite sympathizers on their side while actually shifting power to Persians. These dynasties had been about pragmatic balance of power and maximizing tax … Continue reading →

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The Shi’ite Revolution: Revenge of Fatima

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Ruth

Ever since the Battle of Karbala, true-believer Shi’ites kept track of a secret line of true Imams descended from one survivor. It was inevitable that someone would emerge to challenge Abbasid power, and to this end, the regime was constantly … Continue reading →

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Mamluks and Seljuks

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Ruth

During the years of white ceramics, mathematics, and water clocks, the Abbasid dynasty was fairly stable. But no dynasty is ever easily stable; the Abbasid ruler had to move east to Samarra once, as power see-sawed. The Central Asia territory … Continue reading →

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Gerbert as Pope Sylvester

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Ruth

I had trouble writing this entry because writerly discipline suggests I should stick with my main subject: the early Pope who attempted to introduce Arabic numbers, but failed. However, he was appointed Pope by his pupil, whom he was apparently … Continue reading →

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Gerbert of Aurillac: early years

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Ruth

In the 960s, a French monk named Gerbert of Aurillac came to Barcelona under the protection of its Count. The Count met him while traveling, stopping in the Benedictine monastery of Aurillac, and was so impressed with the young man’s … Continue reading →

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Mechanical engineering

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Ruth

Baghdad’s House of Wisdom also produced a collection of all of the mechanical engineering devices known at that time. It’s certainly a collection from China, India, Persia and Greece, like the other scientific works. We aren’t sure if the pictures … Continue reading →

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Astronomy

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Ruth

There was always a very strong link between mathematics and astronomy in the ancient world. In Baghdad’s scholarly library, they collected astronomical calculations and theories from Greek literature (bought from Constantinople) that was based on earlier Babylonian work. They also … Continue reading →

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Arabic numerals

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Ruth

Our digital numeral system came first from India, but spent a long time as the dominant system in the Arabic kingdoms before entering Latin and Europe. The numbers aren’t really Arabic in the way a keffiyeh is; but they became … Continue reading →

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