ARAB EMPIRE UNDER
THE ABBASIDS
Chapter 7
LESSON SUGGESTIONS
Peoples Analysis
Abbasid Empire
Conflict Analysis
Crusades
Change Analysis
Position of women in Abbasid society, India before and after Islamic spread
Societal Comparison
Abbasid Empire and nomadic groups
Document Analysis
Ibn Khaldun on the Rise and Decline of Empires
Dialectical Journal
Islamic culture
Inner/Outer Circle
In Depth: Conversion and Accommodation in the Spread of World Religions
Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 BCE)
Referred to as the Golden Age of Islam
Broke down distinctions between Arab and non-Arab
Muslims
Moved caliphate capital to Baghdad (762 C.E)
Became commercial center for trade between
Europe, Asia, and Africa
Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 BCE)
Government
Caliph became more of a king than a spiritual
leader
Diwan – council for advising caliph (did
not speak directly with leader)
Vizier – Prime Minister of the diwan
Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 BCE)
Important rulers (Caliphs)
Abu al- Abbas – founder of the Abbasid
Harun al-Rashid (r.786-809 C.E.) – moved
dynasty in “Golden Age”
Al-Ma’mun (r.813-833 C.E.) – built astronomy
observatory in Baghdad and established
foundation to translate classical Greek
works
Golden Age of Islam
Society
Considered the most egalitarian of its time
Ideal citizens – judges, merchants, and gov’t
officials v. warriors
Slavery was widespread – could not be
Muslim. Most slaves served in the army
Golden Age of Islam
Culture
Arabs considered the heirs to remaining
Greco-Roman culture
Greek, Syrian, and Persian scientific and
philosophical works were translated into
Arabic and eventually found their way
back to Europe
Arabic became an international language
