Week 2:
The First Islamic Caliphates
I structured this summary by following the subchapters of ‘By Steppe, Desert and Ocean’ (each
marked like this). Subsequently I inserted information from the lectures and web lectures in a
chronological order. I coloured the different pieces of text, so the source is easily traceable.
Black: Summaries from Cunliffe, B. (2017). By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean: The Birth of Eurasia. Oxford
University Press. All mandatory literature of week 2 on Islamic caliphates is covered.
Blue: Added information from lecture 2 “The First Islamic Caliphates”
Orange: Added information form the web lectures on Islamic Caliphates, parts 1 and 2.
Not covered: Crusader archaeology, web lecture on Islamic caliphates part 3, and the mandatory
reading “After Rome: Empire, Christiany and Islam” (Chapter 3 of “Empires in World History”).
The Arab Advance
Last two years of Muhammed’s life: degree of unity to Arabia among highly individualistic tribes.
AD 632: Death Muhammed: No successor appointed → wars of riddah (apostacy).
One leader for the ummah (kinsman or close follower?), or each tribe their own leader (imam)?
In the end Abu Bakr, friend of Muhammed, appointed caliph of the ummah.
➔ End of tribal war of AD 633
Still competing tribes: in their nature, resource-poor environment, social system based on raids.
Prophet had forbidden Muslims to fight each other.
Solution: direct aggression on non-Muslim neighbours.
Conquests began.
- Partly individual initiatives
- Partly encouragement of new caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (rule 634-644)
Young males went outwards → relief of restricted holding capacity, harmony in the centre, and new
lands for the taking:
In the East: Persian Empire (Sasanian dynasty)
In the West: Byzantine Empire (Syria to Egypt)
Success at least partly due to:
- Early decades 7th century: Sasanians and Byzantines exhausted from warfare along their
common frontier.
- Arab armies very well led, very disciplined soldiers.
Caliph Abu Bakr had unified the whole Arabian Peninsula.
Umar’s caliphate: conquest of west Damascus, Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt. Battle of Qadisiyah in 637 (
(collapse of Sasanian power) and conquest Ctesiphon (Sasanian capital) → Arab rule extended to
Zagros Mountains.
Initial conquests driven by demographical and social factors: no religious jihad.
The First Islamic Caliphates
I structured this summary by following the subchapters of ‘By Steppe, Desert and Ocean’ (each
marked like this). Subsequently I inserted information from the lectures and web lectures in a
chronological order. I coloured the different pieces of text, so the source is easily traceable.
Black: Summaries from Cunliffe, B. (2017). By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean: The Birth of Eurasia. Oxford
University Press. All mandatory literature of week 2 on Islamic caliphates is covered.
Blue: Added information from lecture 2 “The First Islamic Caliphates”
Orange: Added information form the web lectures on Islamic Caliphates, parts 1 and 2.
Not covered: Crusader archaeology, web lecture on Islamic caliphates part 3, and the mandatory
reading “After Rome: Empire, Christiany and Islam” (Chapter 3 of “Empires in World History”).
The Arab Advance
Last two years of Muhammed’s life: degree of unity to Arabia among highly individualistic tribes.
AD 632: Death Muhammed: No successor appointed → wars of riddah (apostacy).
One leader for the ummah (kinsman or close follower?), or each tribe their own leader (imam)?
In the end Abu Bakr, friend of Muhammed, appointed caliph of the ummah.
➔ End of tribal war of AD 633
Still competing tribes: in their nature, resource-poor environment, social system based on raids.
Prophet had forbidden Muslims to fight each other.
Solution: direct aggression on non-Muslim neighbours.
Conquests began.
- Partly individual initiatives
- Partly encouragement of new caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (rule 634-644)
Young males went outwards → relief of restricted holding capacity, harmony in the centre, and new
lands for the taking:
In the East: Persian Empire (Sasanian dynasty)
In the West: Byzantine Empire (Syria to Egypt)
Success at least partly due to:
- Early decades 7th century: Sasanians and Byzantines exhausted from warfare along their
common frontier.
- Arab armies very well led, very disciplined soldiers.
Caliph Abu Bakr had unified the whole Arabian Peninsula.
Umar’s caliphate: conquest of west Damascus, Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt. Battle of Qadisiyah in 637 (
(collapse of Sasanian power) and conquest Ctesiphon (Sasanian capital) → Arab rule extended to
Zagros Mountains.
Initial conquests driven by demographical and social factors: no religious jihad.
