600CE- 1450CE

Followers called MuslimsBelieve that Allah (God) transmitted his words to the

faithful through MohammadMohammad’s followers recorded teachings in Qu’ranBelieve that salvation comes from submission to God:Five Pillars of Islam:

Confession of faithPrayer 5 times per dayCharity to needyFasting during RamadanPilgrimage to Mecca

Jihad: to struggle

Rise of Islam

2 Sects: Sunni and Shia (Disagree over who succeed Mohammad)

Mecca and Medina; Ka’baDar al Islam: House of Islam

Islam

After Mohammad dies, Abu Bakr becomes caliph (head of the state, military commander, chief judge, and religious leader) Later on there would be lack of clear succession in

terms of leadersTheocracy: government ruled by immediate

divine guidance or by officials who are divinely guided

Caliphate: empire ruled by caliph

After Mohammad

Son of Ali, Hasan, relinquishes throne. Gives way to Umayyad Dynasty

Increased size of Islamic Empire (led to increased conflicts)

Capital at Damascus, spiritual center at MeccaOfficial language was Arabic

Tax on religions other than IslamMuch success during Umayyad, they built the

Dome of the Rock during its reign.

Umayyad Dynasty

Muslims split into two sects: Shiite and SunniShiite: Shia Islam holds the Mohammad’s son

in law, Ali, was heir to empireSunnis: They hold Ali in high esteem, but did

not believe he was the successorThought empires should be derived from base

of people.Battle for control between forces of Abu al-

Abbas (Shia) and reigning power led to decline of Umayyad

Replaced by the Abbasid Dynasty

Umayyad cont.

Eventually destroyed by MongolsGolden age where arts and sciences

flourishedCapital at Baghdad (became cultural center)Islamic empire based on trade

Introduced idea of creditAdvancements in math and medical

Expanded with knowledge learned from India

Abbasid Dynasty

Defeat Tang at Battle of Talus RiverFight over control of Silk Road

Diffusion of paper money from China to Middle East

Muslims monopolized trade routesProtected heritage of western Europe

Translated teachings from Ancient Rome and Greece to Arabic

Abbasid were tolerant of local conquered religions

Sufis were most successful Islamic missionariesAllowed conquered to blend Islam and other

faiths

Abbasid Cont.

Women viewed as property.No rights to own property or inherit it.

Low status of women gave way to female infanticide

After Qu’ran written status of women increased.Women treated with more dignity, considered

equal before AllahWomen still treated unequally in some ways

Example: Testimony in courtOvertime Islamic society became more

patriarchal and more structured

Women in Islam

Internal rivalries between groups weakened empire

Final blow when Turkish slaves (mamluks) revolted and established new capital in central Iraq.

Mongols invade and destroy the empire.

Decline of Islamic Caliphate

Enter Middle Ages, period after fall of Rome and before Renaissance

The Roman Empire split in to two sidesEast v. West, practiced different forms of

ChristianityEastern Roman Empire: AKA Byzantine

EmpireCentered in ConstantinopleHighly centralized

Western Roman EmpireComplete collapseReligion still strong

Europe and Byzantine

Used Greek Language, had domes on buildings, culture similar to Persia

Religion: Orthodox ChrsitianityLeaders had absolute authority with monopolies

over economyUsed coined moneyJustinian restored glory of Roman Empire in

Constantinople Trade and arts, Justinian Code (law), Hagia Sophia

(enormous cathedral)

Byzantine Empire

No Pope, they had secular leadersDisagreement with Western Empire over

sacrament of communion, rules about priests, and use of languages in church.

Orthodoxy in East, Roman Catholicism in West

Byzantine Continued

St. Cyril converted Slavics of southeastern Europe and Russia to Orthodox Christianity

Vladimir (a prince) converted to Christian Orthodoxy

Russia aligned with Byzantine in terms of beliefs and traditions

Russia became culturally different than other powers of Europe

Orthodoxy in Russia

After collapse of Western Roman Empire, small kingdoms were formed. Most significant was the Franks

Franks were a Germanic tribe under leadership of King Clovis Roman Catholicism Empire divided among King’s sons=decline

Muslims attack, Charles Martel leads the Franks and defeats the Muslims at the Battle of Tours.

Martel declares Carolingian Dynasty

Franks versus Muslims

Crowned by Pope, kn0wn as Charles the Great

Built the Holy Roman Empire (relatively small, compared to the Roman Empire)

Strong focus on arts and educationFeudalistic society, meaning Charlemagne

shared power with local lordsCharlemagne did not levy taxes (did not build

strong empire)After death, empire divided among sons in

Treat of Verdun

Charlemagne

Used multi oared boats to invadeNotorious for raiding Roman Catholic

MonasteriesDeveloped some of the earliest commercial

fisheries in Northern Europe Vikings converted to Christianity

Vikings (AKA Normans)

The social, economic, and political system of the middle ages

European Feudalism

King

Nobles

Vassals

Peasants

Kings holds power of kingdomNobles give king military service and loyalty

to the kingdom and king gives them power over sections of the kingdom

Nobles divide land into smaller sections under the control of vassalsLand given to vassals called fiefs

Vassals could then split the land again and allow peasants to work on it

Peasants (serfs) eventually tied to land

How it Works

Rotation of fieldsOne for fall harvest, spring harvest, and one

replenishing it’s nutrients“Great Clearing” used by lords to create more

farmland

Three Field System

Code of etiquette, an honor system that strongly condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respectFollowed by lords and knights

Chivalry

Serfs specializing in specific skills gave way to a middle class of merchants (burghers)

Serf Specialization

One of the most significant alliances between towns

Established in 1385, had an economic basis and controlled trade throughout much of northern Europe

Hanseatic League

Cathedrals designed to bring worshippers closer to God Flying buttresses, gave support to windows and vaulted

ceilings.Crusades- military campaigns undertaken by

European Christians of 11th through 14th C. to take over the Holy Land Gave way to heresies (religious practices or beliefs that

do not conform to traditional doctrineGood things came from the Crusades, in the form

of diffusion of culture and ideas between ethnic groups

Gothic Cathedrals and Crusades

Issued strict decrees on church doctrineHeretics and Jews were frequently

persecutedFourth and final unsuccessful Crusade was

ordered by Innocent IIIPope Gregory IX started Inquisition,

formalized interrogation and persecution process of heretics

Pope Innocent III

Pope Innocent III

1st Crusade, initiated by Pope UrbanResponse to Seljuk Turks who controlled Holy

LandChristians wanted Jerusalem

2nd and 3rd CrusadesNot significant

4th CrusadeCatholic Church sacked Constantinople and

est. Latin EmpireMade Holy Land violent and uncertain

Crusades (4 of them)

Famous Christian realistHe wrote Summa Theologica

Outlined his view that faith and reason are not in conflict, but that both are gifts from God and each can be used to enhance the other

Thomas Aquinas

Interregnum- time between kingsGermany and Italy became decentralized in a

group of strong, independent townships and kingdoms

EnglandMagna Carta- reinstated feudal rights of the

lords, and extended the rule of law to other people in the country

Parliament established: two branches- House of Lords and House of Commons

Power Solidifies

Claimed to have heard voices telling her to liberate France from England

Eventually claimed all French territorySaid she was divinely inspired to lead men into

battleJoan of Arc was eventually burned at the

stake by the FrenchHundred Years War- btwn France and

England, England eventually withdrew from France

Joan of Arc

After 100 Years War, power in France became more centralizedUnder Bourbons (series of monarchs) France

was unified and became major powerSpain was united by Queen Isabella, who

married Ferdinand, making a single monarchy

Spanish Inquisition: non-Christians forced to leave the country

More about power and government

1242 Russia succumbs to invading Tatars (Mongols) ruled by Genghis Khan

By late 14th C that Russian Princes gained back power

Ivan III expanded Muscovy territory (area around Moscow) and declared himself Czar

Moscow declared third Rome Ivan the Terrible centralized power and ruled

with Secret Police

Russia!!!

IVAN THE TERRIBLE!!!!

3 powerful Chinese dynasties (600 to 1450): Tang, Song, and MingGolden Ages

Tang DynastyRuled by Xuanzong, empire expanded to

Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet and KoreaLocal warlords gained more and more power and

Tang collapsesSong Dynasty

Unified by TaizuFell to Mongols, who established Yuan DynastyMing Dynasty rose after Yuan fell

Asia

Nearly every aspect of life and culture advanced during the Tang and Song dynastiesArt, architecture, science, porcelain, silk,

transportation, Tang=poetrySong= printing processes, gun powder,

compasses,Both used Civil Service Examinations, focus

on Confucian PrinciplesBoth had paper money and letters of credit

Tang built military garrisons on major trade routes

China

Wu Zhao became first and only empress of China, ever, during the Tang DynastyImpressive, right?

China was very patriarchal at this time (foot binding)

Empress of China

Most influential religion was BuddhismTwo forms: Mahayana and Chan

Mahayana: emphasis on peaceful and quite existence, life apart from worldly values

Chan: emphasis on meditation and appreciation of beauty. Had converts from educated classes

Neo Confucianism Borrowed Buddhist ideas about the soul and

individualFilial Piety (maintenance of proper roles and

loyalty to superiors)

Religion in China

First important ruling family was the Yamamoto ClanFirst and only dynasty to rule Japan

Current ruler is descendant of this clanShinto religion “the way of the gods”

Japanese worshipped the kami, referring to nature and all forces of itGoal of Shinto is to become part of kami by

following certain rituals and customsTaika reforms to make Japan more similar to

China

Japan

Yoritomo Minamoto given title of shogun, given “real power”Power not in hands of emperor

Beneath shogun were daimyo’s (owners of large tracts of land, and powerful samuraiCode of Bushido (followed by Samurai), like

code of chivalry in Europe

More Japan

When Islam conquered India, they set up Delhi Sultanate

Made non-Muslims pay a taxHindu temples were destroyedGood things did come from Delhi Sultanate

though:Colleges founded, irrigation improved,

Mosques built,

India

Great horsemen and archersGenghis Khan unified Mongol tribes and set

them on a path of expansionHe invaded China in 1234, Mongol Empire

eventually spanned from Pacific Ocean to eastern EuropeSplit into Hordes, or small independent

empiresGolden Horde: Russia; treated as vassal state

Kublai Khan ruled ChinaCalled Pax Mongolica

Mongols

Did not have organized religion, so they didn’t enforce one on conquered

Invaded India under Timur Lang (AKA Tamerlane), ruthless and cruel leaderDestroyed everything and massacred

thousandsMongols were great diffusers of culture (i.e.

Buddhism)World trade grew and cultural diffusion grew

Mongols

Developed to the south of EgyptKush developed at same time as Ancient

EgyptAxum rose after Kush declined

Christianity in the 4th C. and converted to Islam in the 7th C

Swahili Coast: settled by BantuMajor trade and merchantry

Africa: Kush and Axum

West Africa south of SaharaBegan trade with Muslim Empire in 7th C.

Trade increased across the Sahara as time progressed

Gold became major trade and symbol of wealth and power

Islam led to decline of Ghana (holy war)Mali:

Greatest ruler was Mansa Musa (built capital and expanded)Gold pilgrimage to Mecca

Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

Sonnia Ali made the largest empire in West AfricaConquered entire region

Became major cultural center

Used oral literatureBronze sculpting

Songhai

MayansCity states ruled by single kingLargely agricultural

Lowlands of Central AmericaWars for capturing slaves and sacrificesDecline of Mayan unknown

The Americas

AztecsAKA the MexicaCapital at Tenochtitlan Expansionist policy with professional armyExtensive road system for trade and

transportationWarriors were elite classTribute from conquered peoples

IncaAndes Mtns in PeruExpansionist policy with professional army,

established bureaucracyPrimary labor source was humansCapital at CuzcoMummification of rulersNo private propertyTemple of the Sun and Machu PicchuQuipu for record keeping