From Polis to Medina:Urbanism and Fortification around the Mediterranean

Cairo, EgyptFlorence, Italy

Early period (622-900)

Centralized empire

Middle period (900-1500)

Regional centers and local powers

Late period (1500-1800)

Supra-regional powers

Historical periods of Islamic cultures

Arabic-speaking countries today

Arab – geneaological, linguistic, or cultural identification

Cairo, Egyptfrom Fustat to Saladin’s Citadel

Florence, Italy (communal period city), 13th cen.

I. Urbanization new and old around the Mediterranean: European and Arab cultures

1.

I. A. What was the pattern of settlement in the medieval era of successive Arab rulers?

1087: al-Qahira

Fustat 1st

Cairo, Egypt

Fustat 1st

Fatimid dynasty 909-1167

3.

The Citadel of Saladin, completed 1184, Cairo

I. A.

Citadel with the Alabaster Mosque, 1830-57 (and tomb of Mohammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt, 1830-48)

4.

al-Qahira (Fatamid palace/citadel)

I. A. 1. The example of the Fatimid palace/citadel, al-Qahira (“the Victorious”), a royal palace/citadel within a city.

Cairo, EgyptFlorence, Italy (three rings of walls)

I. A. 2. How does this system of successive citadels compare to earlier patterns of urban conquest in Europe and elsewhere?

I. A. 2.

Roman: the center Mesopotamian: the edge

Florence (Roman Florentia), ItalyKhorsabad, Iraq

Crac des Chevaliers (Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn) Syria, 1142-1213

crusader castle, Knights Hospitaller order

Crusades 11th – 13th centuries

II. Medieval fortifications: the design of city walls in Europe and the Arab world

II. A. What offensive attack weapons were medieval fortifications designed to withstand? 1. Old:

battering ram siege towerballista (Greek & Roman)

II. A. 2. New:

the trebuchet (medieval innovation)ballista (Greek & Roman)

II. B. Defensive systems: medieval (really Byzantine) improvements on Roman fortified walls

City walls of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople

curtain wall

defensive towers

II. B.

Double circuit of walls, Constantinople

inner enceinte

outer enceinte

II. B. 1. machicolation

machicolation- a projection at the top of a wall from which missiles an be dropped down against an invading enemy

II. B. 1.

box machicolation

rampart machicolations

Crusader Castle, Crac des Chevaliers, Syria, 1142-1213

II. B. 2. wood hoardings

Wood hoarding mounted on curtain wall with or w/o machicolations

attack by mobilesiege tower

Ditch filled by attackers

Defense from wood hoarding mounted on the curtain wall

II. B. 3. at the gates a. a portcullis

portcullis - a heavy barred gate that moves vertically up and down in a fortress gateway

Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate

2.

II. B. 3. b. arrow slits

arrow slits

Cairo (al-Qahira) Bab al-Futuh gate

II. B. 3. c. murder holes

Bab al-Futuh

Saladin (1137-93) Kurdish general, leader of the Arab forces against the Crusaders

paved sloped grade in front of gates

II. C. Arab improvements on the Byzantine fortification techniques added by Saladin

II. C.

al-Qahira fortification wall

paved sloped grade in front of gates

columns laid horizontally

al-Qahira fortification wall and gates

Bab al-Zuwayla

II. D. Symbolism of city walls: in what ways do cities imbue their walls with divine protection and/or city pride?

Florence, Italy – a medieval commune

Florence (as seen in 1470), communal city walls, 1274-1333

II. D.

Roman colony, Florence, Italy Damascus, Syriatypical residential street in Damascusformer Roman street in medieval Florence

III. Urbanism (street patterns) within the walls of European and Arab cities III. A. How can we account for the maintenance of the ancient Roman grid into the medieval period and beyond in European cities like Florence?

7.

III. B. How can we account for the evolution of suqs and winding street paths of Arab cities in the Mediterranean?

Inside al-QahiraCairo, Egypt

III. B. economic determinism

partially covered suqs inside al-Qahira

Silk market al Ghuriyyaal Ghuriyya today

III. B.

Roman colony Timgad, Algeria Transformation of Roman colonnaded street under Arab rule

Suq in Aleppo, Syria (former Roman decumanus)

medieval merchant palaces on the Palace Walk (Bayn al-Qasrayn) street

Emir Bashtak’s house

III. B. 2. prevailing notions of public and private

schools, mausolea, and hospitals

II. B. 3. What are some public amenities financed by wealthy citizens