test 1 Flashcards
Maghreb
meaning “to the west,” the arabic name for North Africa west of Egypt. the western extent of the Arab conquests, conquered by 700.
Fertile Crescent
the region stretching from Iraq in the Persian Gulf, to Egypt on the Mediterranean. Home to many early civilizations. rivers and farmland, surrounded by desert. check lecture
Arabian Peninsula
home of the Arabs, mainly desert. check lecture
Nomadic Pastoralism
lifestyle based on herding livestock, practiced in regions with little arable land/low rainfall. practiced by the Bedouin of Arabia
Sheikh
arabic for elder, refers to leader/governor. what the head of tribes were called, title passed down. also someone who graduates islamic academy
Kurds
an ethnic group in the north of the Fertile Crescent. speak a Iranic language.
conquested in 643 by the Arabs
Copts
an Egyptian ethnic group. mainly christian. once were majority in Egypt. Conquered in 641
Zoroastrians
an Iranian religion. monotheistic/dualist (arguement)
Byzantine Empire
a Greek/Roman Civilization from 330-1453. Christian. controlled the mediterranean middle east before the Arab Conquests.
Sasanian Empire
an Iranian civilization from 224-651. zoroastrian official religion. destroyed by Arabs
Lakjmid and Ghassanid Tribes
Arab Christians in Southern Iraq/Hellenize Christian tribe in Northwestern Arabia. Persian annexed state/Roman allied state. conquered in 633/636
Mecca
Arabian city near the Red Sea. home to the Kaaba. home of Muhammad, conquered by him in 630
Yathrib/Medina
Arabian city, North of Mecca. renamed medina by muhammad, he is buried there. early political power base. where muhammad invaded arabia from.
Ka’aba
cuboid building in Mecca, houses the
Constitution of Medina
written by muhammad to end the tribal disputes around Medina. circa 622. created first muslim state - the community = Ummah
Umma
means nation or community, not just ancestral/geographic similarities
Hijra
mohammad and his followers journey to medina, after being forced to leave mecca in 622
Koran
religious text of islam. verbatim word of god. revealed by angel gabriel to muhammad from 609-632 (death). line of prophets from adam to jesus to finally muhammad.
Caliph
means “sucessor/representative.” head of muslim caliphate. sucessor of the messenger of god.
Mu’awiya
muhammad’s brother-in-law. was govenor of syria by 640, established Umayyad Caliphate in 661 after being victorious over ali/son hasan. reviled by the Shi’a
Riddah Wars
arabs outside of mecca rebelling against Abu Bakr after muhammad’s death. 632-633
Damascus
Syria. conquered by arabs in 635 from Byzantines. became capital of Umayyad Caliphate
Amsar Cities
arab cities outside of arabia, built as garrison towns. kept muslim soldiers separate from non-muslim locals
Rashidun Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali ibn Talib)
first four caliphs after muhammad’s death. expanded islam from iran to north africa
Berbers
a North African ethnic group.
Transoxaina
region in Central Asia, between the Amu Darya (Oxus) and Syr Darya Rivers. captured by Arabs between 706-714
Sind
south eastern pakistan. conquered in 711. eastern border of the umayyad dynasty
dhimmis
non-muslims inside muslim state. allowed to stay as long as they paid a tax. excluded from some things, didn’t have to go to islamic court
Kharajites
a group that rejected ali’s leadership in the late 7th century. southern Iraq
Khorasan
northeastern Iran, below transoxiana. conquered in 647. cities merv and samarkand
Umayyad Dynasty
661-750, established by Mu’awiya after Ali’s death.
Cyrpus (location)
Island in the eastern Mediterranean
Samarkand (location)
a city in Central Asia
Fustat/Cairo (location)
on the Nile River
Basra (location)
in Iraq
Jerusalem (location)
in modern day Israel/Palestine
Iberian Peninsula (location)
Spain and Portugal
muhammad
the prophet. 570-632. first vision in 609
khadija
muhammad’s first wife. 555–619. daughters married first caliphs
