power. However, only a few of these empires were significantly strong and had real staying power. In fact, there were three major dynasties that had the most impact on world events.
The Umayyad Empire, also known as the Umayyad Dynasty, began with the struggle for the Caliphate. This caliphate was crucial in Islamic history and its impact on the Islamic religion. The Umayyads made the city of Damascus their capital. The Umayyad rule lasted just under one hundred years, but it was the largest Muslim empire ever. The Umayyad Islamic Empire ended with its destruction by their rivals, the Abbasids.
Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Abbas. The Abbasid dynasty lasted over 500 years, yet they ruled over a much smaller area than their predecessor the Umayyad Empire.
Abbasid rule that the Crusades took place. The Abbasids made the city of Baghdad their capital. The Abbasid rule was effectively destroyed by the invading Mongol hordes. This is an interesting conflict in the history of empires.
Turkish, not Arab. The Ottomans made their capital in Istanbul, in modern day Turkey. Istanbul was previously known as Constantinople, the seat of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Empire stretched over much of the Arabian Peninsula and Europe. The Ottoman Caliphate fell apart after World War I. Secularist forces within Turkey, led by Kamal Attaturk overthrew the government and eventually abolished the Caliphate. |
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Islamic Empires
| Islamic Learning Materials |