Empires and Civilizations

After beating back opposition for about 90 years, the Umayyad Caliphate finally perished in the aftermath of the Third Fitna and Abbasid Revolution.

The Battle of Tours significantly halted Umayyad expansion into western Europe, but was it the legendary victory for Christendom that some historians claimed it was?

The Umayyad Caliphate struggled to hold onto its possessions during the reigns of Sulayman, Umar II, Yazid II, and Hisham.  The Umayyads lost north Africa to the Berbers, began losing to the Byzantines, were holding steady against the Khazars, defeated Coptic revolts in Egypt, faced an Alid rebellion in Iraq, and were desperate to maintain their holdings in Transoxania.

In this episode, I provide a general but brief overview of the Umayyad Caliphate's geography, art and architecture, and society and religions.

After the Umayyads emerged victorious after the Second Fitna, their leaders, Abd al-Malik and al-Walid, would rule at the height of Umayyad power.

During the Second Fitna, the Umayyads, Zubayrids, Alids, and Kharijites battled for supremacy over the Islamic world.  (Spoiler alert: the Umayyads won.)  

Under the newly-established Umayyad Caliphate, the caliphs Mu'awiya I and Yazid I would take the Islamic world in an entirely new direction - for better or for worse.

Under Uthman and Ali, the unity that had characterized the early Islamic community broke down, leading to a civil war that would remake the political, social, and religious fabric of the Islamic world.

The Rashidun Caliphate's decisive victory at the Battle of Nahavand annihilated the Sassanid military.  The fall of the Sassanid Empire was now assured.  In the aftermath of Nahavand, however, a tragedy would befall the Muslim community.

With the Muslim conquest of Syria (and Khalid ibn al-Walid's life) drawing to a close, the ambitious Rashidun Caliphate expanded even further.  Northern Syria, Armenia, and the southern Caucasus fell under the caliphate's direct control, not to mention one of the most important lands of all: Egypt.

As the conflict in Syria reached its climax, so too did the conflict in Iraq.  The Rashidun Caliphate and the Sassanid Empire would meet in the pivotal Battle of al-Qadisiyyah that would determine the fate of the region.

As Umar, the second Rashidun caliph, began his reign, the Islamic conquests were heating up.  At the Battle of Yarmouk, a titanic clash would occur between the Rashidun Caliphate and Byzantine Empire that would forever change the social, political, and cultural landscape of the Middle East.

During 633-634, Caliph Abu Bakr decided on a bold strategy, taking on both the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires, and he would dispatch his top general, Khalid ibn al-Walid, one more time.

In the wake of Muhammad's death, Islam would be forced to confront challenges without the leadership and guidance of its founder.  However, the Islamic community would unite and elect a new leader - one whose title (caliph) would forever go down in the history books.

The formation of the caliphate would not have been possible had it not been for one man: Muhammad.  Muhammad not only founded Islam but transformed Arabian society and laid the groundwork for unity among the Arabian tribes.

A look at ancient Arabian society and the geopolitical situation before the formation of the early caliphates.  After all, an Islamic empire had to come from somewhere.

Hello!  Welcome to Empires and Civilizations.