Lecture 7: Damascus-Baghdad

Question 1

Sini

Answer 1

Chinese calligraphic style of writing Arabic script developed during the Ming dynasty
- marketing method to supply market with goods in demand i.e appeal to religion

Question 2

Saz style

Answer 2

Dragon and Phoenix figures
- 1550, Found in Turkey and Persia

1514 Selim I captured Tabriz, brought back Chinese Porcelain + artists who used to work for Safavid princes – GUESTS not slaves

1550: 300 workshops in Ottoman Empire producing ceramics shipped to Europe & Asia

1585 decree that forbade exportations

Question 3

Islamic calligraphy on blue and white porcelain

Answer 3

Plates or Tiles with flowers and geometric patterns for the WEALTHY
- 72nd Surah verses
- Trademark: Made during the Zhengde reign of the Great Ming Dynasty

Influence of Muslim eunuchs/Interest of Emperor for Arabic goods

–> Characters referred to Prophet Muhammad , writing box with words from Quran

Question 4

Ersatz

Answer 4

Dupes. Fin de 8eme siecle, locally produced earthenware –> ABBASID EMPIRE market as a dupe to expensice imported Chinese wares

Question 5

Importance of cobalt blue

Answer 5

First used to decorate ceramics under TANG.
- Belitung shipwreck, 830. An Arabian dhow carrying Chinese ceramics sunk in Java sea.
–> most likely commissioned by Basra merchants [China-Abbasid mercantilism] – India –> Bay of Bengal –> Southern China

-Imported from Persia = Muslim blue

Tamerlane conquest: China and Persia under same Empire which facilitated intensive trade, 1370CE

Yuan dynasty: produced at Imperial Chinese kilns —> MING = industrial scale

Question 6

Voyages of Admiral Zheng He

Answer 6

6 voyages. Last one ==> Eastern coast of Africa

Hormuz, discovered shards of porcelains.

Question 7

Hegira

Answer 7

Muhammad travels from Mecca to Medina. Dies in 632 without naming successor

Question 8

Umayyad caliphate

Answer 8

A Meccan clan built this dynasty of Sunni caliphs that will rule the Muslim empire until 750.

Question 9

Caliph

Answer 9

ruler of a muslim community

Question 10

Sufis

Answer 10

Muslim mystics who sought communion with God through meditation, fasting, other rituals

Question 11

Sunni Islam

Answer 11

Followers of Abu Bakr (FIL)

Question 12

Shi’a

Answer 12

Arabs who refused to follow Abu Bakr and followed Ali (SIL) –> Umayyad caliphate

Question 13

Mu’tazila

Answer 13

School of thought that integrated rationality from Greek philosophers

Thrived in Basra, Baghdad under first Abbasid caliph. Does not recognize the hadith tradition

Question 14

Umayyad Empire

Answer 14

• At its peak: covered Spain, North Africa, Arabic Peninsula, Persia, Samarkand
  spread into Central Asia, Fertile Crescent and Iran because Byzantine was weak.

Question 15

Trade in Umayyad Caliphs

Answer 15

Trade was done by ship and camel caravans.

AFRICA: gold/slaves
CHINA: Silk/Porcelain
EAST AFRICA: Gold/Ivory
SEA/INDIA: sandalwood/spices
IRAQ: linen/dates/precious stones

–> Development of banking

Question 16

Diwan

Answer 16

a chief treasury in islamic societies

Question 17

Social Mobility in Umayyad

Answer 17

Encouraged through learning.
- Civil servant = PRESTIGIOUS bc seeking knowledge, traveling the world

• Greek tradition from Byzantine was the base of progresses in sciences, arts, medicine.

-Nestorians were physicians to the caliph but officials: doctors, scholars, translators

Empire provided freedom of worship: religious minorities were able to follow their own laws

Question 18

Umayyad: Rule by Muslims

Answer 18

a. SUNNI: Baghdad, Damascus
b. SHI’A: Persia

Sharia and Islamic Rule provided structure for the society. Characterized by its stability and security + TRADE (taxes and slavery)

Question 19

Umayyad, City of Damascus

Answer 19

“City of Roses and Jasmine” Founded in 3rd millenium BCE
- geographical position between Orient and Occident = important cultural/commercial centre
- inhabited as early as 8000 BCE

-> Kept Greek orientation : cardo (North-South) and decumanus (West->East)

TEMPLE dedicated to Jupiter built by Romans.

Umayyad made Damascus its capital. –> epicenter of trade/innovation
- different neighbourhoods were dedicated to different trade and crafts

Question 20

The Great Mosque (706-715)

Answer 20

First Roman temple decorated with Corinthian style pillars
- most buildings date from the Ottoman period

Question 21

Abbasid dynasty, City of Baghdad

Answer 21

Founded by Abu al Abbas. Ruled until 1258 until Mongol invasion.

Baghdad “The Magnificent” = city of scholars and merchants.
- Designed by second caliph Al Mansour
-Round shape design with imperial palace and mosque in the center, 4 doors ferme.

Question 22

What cities were Baghdad inspired by?

Answer 22

Firuzabad: Sasanian city shaped like a circle

• Founded under the Achemenid rules –> GOR
  -Destroyed by Alexander, rebuilt under 1st Sasanian king
  -Renamed Firuzabad under Persian era

Question 23

Baghdad as an intellectual capital

Answer 23

Famous for unis, urbanism, libraries, mosques, and facilities for travelers/traders.

Center for syncretic knowledge from Greeks, Egyptians, Indians.

Agriculture: modernized irrigation, new productions were grown (rice, hemp, sugar cane, apricot, mulberry trees)

Question 24

Trades influencing vocabulary

Answer 24

Maroquinerie [Morocco] Leatherwork

Mousseline [Mosul] fabric

Damasquin [Damas] metalwork

Question 25

Scholars that Baghdad hosted under Golden Islamic Age

Answer 25

1. Al Muradi, Spain. Universal astrolabes
2. Averroès. Understanding how the eye functions
3. Ibn Battuta, geographer. Wrote a travel logbook
4. Al Kashi, Persian from Samarkand. Mathematician/Architect. Designed domes, cupola, improved mosaic techniques.

Question 26

Ishaq Al Kindi

Answer 26

Born in 801, Kufa. Died in disgrace in Baghdad. Contributed to the glory of Abbasid.

• Hellenized Arab philosopher
  -Numerous treatises on math, astrology, music, medicine, psychology, meteorology, zoology, philosophy, earthquakes..

Question 27

Al Idrissi

Answer 27

Tabula Rogeriana. Under the order of Roger II of Norman dynasty ruling Sicily

• Best silk is from Quanzhou
• Early reference to Silla dynasty
  -Chinese junks carry leather, swords, iron, silk

Question 28

Scientific universities

Answer 28

Harun al Rashid had a university built to host libraries/labs/classrooms
- took example from the Alexandrian library
-books were translated and studied
- religious studies and sciences
-Muslim scholars helped preserve knowledge of Greeks and Romans by translating works and making it available

-European scholars rediscovered the works of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers
- PAPERMAKING

Question 29

House of Wisdom

Answer 29

Public academy and intellectual center in Baghdad.
- Created to host collections of Harun al Rashid
- Sponsorship of Al Ma’mum

Scholarship was highly praised a: scholars/translators had a rich life = symbol of high social/intellectual status

Question 29

Harun al Rashid

Answer 29

Born in Persia. Succeeded his ax in 786 –> ruled under mother’s supervision for 10 years. Educated in Baghdad by scholars.

• Foster Islam, enforce its laws, helped restoring monuments in Mecca.

-Launched a military campaign in 806 to conquer Constantinople but failed. Later fights in Persia, North Africa, Khorasan, Samarkand

Question 30

Embassies and Protection

Answer 30

797 Charlemagne asked Harun al Rashid to protect monasteries in his realm and to ensure a secure journey for pilgrims on their way to Holy Land

Until 809, Harun Al Rashid’s death, the sovereigns exchanged presents and embassies

Charles received a white war elephant in Aachen, a chess board, spices, clepsydra

BOTH had visions for their empire: strong army, prosperous trrade, scholars, artists. Agriculture, crafts&raquo_space;

Question 31

The end?

Answer 31

1258 Mongols destructed and looted the city
- Books thrown into the river (400K manuscripts saved)
- River ran black with the ink.