In the 8th century Middle East, a new dynasty seized control of one of the world’s greatest empires – the Islamic Caliphate. Though little remembered in the west today, the Abbasids reigned for five centuries. They oversaw an era of Islamic military dominance… city-building… brilliant scholarship, and technological innovation. It has come to be remembered as Islam’s ‘golden age’. This is the rise and fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Thank you to our series historical consultant, Professor Antoine Borrut of the University of Maryland. Find out more about his research and publications here: https://history.umd.edu/directory/antoine-borrut.
Thank you also to YouTube channel Al Muqaddimah for additional help with research. Watch great history videos on Islamic history at: https://www.youtube.com/@AlMuqaddimahYT
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📚 Osprey Publishing books on military forces of the Caliphate:
📖 Armies of the Muslim Conquest https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-the-muslim-conquest-9781855322790/
📖 The Armies of Islam 7th-11th Centuries https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-islam-7th11th-centuries-9780850454482/
📖 Armies of the Caliphates 862-1098 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-the-caliphates-8621098-9781855327702/
📖 Mounted Archers of the Steppe 600 BC–AD 1300 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/mounted-archers-of-the-steppe-600-bcad-1300-9781841768090/
📖 Saracen Faris AD 1050–1250 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/saracen-faris-ad-10501250-9781855324534/
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📚 Some recommended reading provided by Prof. Borrut for those wishing to know about the Abbasids (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):
📖 A recent & comprehensive overview of Abbasid Baghdad and Abbasid culture: Emily Selove, Baghdad at the Centre of a World, 8th-13th Century: An Introductory Textbook https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baghdad-Centre-World-8th-13th-Century/dp/1944296158?tag=ephitv0b-21
📖 The funniest (and excellent) introduction to the topic (comic book): Emily Selove, Popeye and Curly: 120 Days in Medieval Baghdad https://www.amazon.co.uk/Popeye-Curly-Days-Medieval-Baghdad/dp/1944296190/ref=sr_1_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=382P06ICW8JUQ&keywords=Emily%20Selove,%20Popeye%20and%20Curly&qid=1683105572&s=books&sprefix=emily%20selove%20popeye%20and%20curly,stripbooks,66&sr=1-1
📖 The most accessible narrative on the Abbasid dynasty: Hugh Kennedy, When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World: The Rise and Fall of Islam’s Greatest Dynasty https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Baghdad-Ruled-Muslim-World/dp/0306814358/ref=sr_1_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=6AXHGDF4BOJP&keywords=Hugh%20Kennedy,%20When%20Baghdad%20Ruled%20the%20Muslim%20World&qid=1683105401&s=books&sprefix=hugh%20kennedy%20when%20baghdad%20ruled%20the%20muslim%20world,stripbooks,71&sr=1-1
📖 To move away from the aura of masculinity surrounding the period: Nadia Maria El Cheikh, Women, Islam, and Abbasid Identity https://bookshop.org/a/99532/9780674736368 / https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9780674736368
📖 An excellent biography of a major Abbasid caliph: Michael Cooperson, Al-Ma’mun https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9781851683864 / https://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Mamun-Makers-Muslim-Michael-Cooperson/dp/1851683860/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=4T91N1E942Z3&keywords=Michael%20Cooperson,%20Al-Ma’mun&qid=1683105527&s=books&sprefix=michael%20cooperson%20al-ma%20mun,stripbooks,65&sr=1-1-fkmr0
📖 Many more excellent biographies in the same series, “Makers of the Muslim World”: https://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Makers-of-the-Muslim-World
📖 A thought-provoking discussion of the making of a discrete Muslim identity in pre-Abbasid times: Fred M. Donner, Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam https://bookshop.org/a/99532/9780674064140 / https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9780674064140
You can visit our online bookshop to find great books on the Abbasids and other topics:
UK site – https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/epichistorytv
US site – https://bookshop.org/shop/epichistorytv
As a bookshop.org affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases while donating 10% of sales to support independent bookshops!
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watching it in Japanese Hits different
14.40 musıc
This video is kind of interesting, but it doesn’t really explain why this period was called a golden age. Most of it, around 80%, just talks about wars and power struggles. It barely mentions one of the greatest statesmen in history, Nizam al-Mulk, saying only that he was killed, without explaining who he was. This is someone often described as the de facto ruler of an entire empire and one of the greatest viziers of the era. He even wrote a guide on how to govern, full of valuable insights that could have been discussed. Instead, the video just lists empire after empire taking over, which doesn’t really help us understand what made this period special or “golden.”
Mongol brain power📉📉📉📉📉📉
Islam bought the concept of toothbrushes, bathing, algebra, coffee and more to backward Europeans, making this comment section rather funny.
Anywho, Islam will prevail like it always has.
It’s a religion of war and violence but claims peace?? 😊
Without execution, everyone would still have tgere heads in medieval times!! 😊
Prophet: ❌
War Lord: ✅
Whenever China failed or succeeded in doing something to the Hordes in the north, some empires will fall in the west. Take Abbasid is just one of many like Mughal, Kushan, Huns, Timurid.
Shoutout to the Mongols! Indirectly helping our Christians 🙌🏾