Medieval Islamic History: Key Terms and Definitions, Quizzes of World History

Download Medieval Islamic History: Key Terms and Definitions and more Quizzes World History in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Ahmad Al-Muqaddasi DEFINITION 1 Arab geographer, who undertook a series of journeys throughout the 10th century up until his death in 1000. Al- Muqaddasi catologged his journeys, noting the major cities he traveled through from Spain to Tailand. TERM 2 Battle of Talas (751) DEFINITION 2 Battle between Arab and Chinese Armies, where Chinese armies were defeated and Chinese prisoners were taken in the 8th century. These prisoners were employed to teach Arabs paper-making. This development allowed for a replacement of parchment and palm leaves with paper mills. Expanded scope of liteacy. TERM 3 Arab Conquest of Sind (711) DEFINITION 3 In the 8th century, allowed for new products like wheat, rice, and sugercane to be transported from India to Arabic nations. These groups also brought back engineers. TERM 4 Nahrawan Canal (Iraq) DEFINITION 4 The influx of agriculture in the 8th century brought on new techniques, like this canal in Iraq, now ruined today. TERM 5 Noria (Hama, Syria) DEFINITION 5 A waterwheel found in Hama Syria. TERM 6 Muhammad al-Idrisi (1099-1166) DEFINITION 6 An Arab geographer who was trained in Spain. Under Roger II in Sicily, al-Idrisi created a world map in 1154.This map, however, was oriented with South on-top. The development of agricultural trade opened the world, and geographers like al-Idrisi began to see the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia as more connected. TERM 7 'Ulama DEFINITION 7 Scholarly or educated class, who served as judges, lawyers, preachers, etc. in the post-Abassid states. Became more diversified in government as well, and allied with the merchant class. TERM 8 Waqf DEFINITION 8 Charitable institution, foundation, or plot of land (mosques, schools, hospitals, public fountains, etc.) assigned by a person of wealth, possibly to a member of a family. This use of wealth worked as a safeguard towards those who had wealth from abusing it. TERM 9 shurta DEFINITION 9 Locally recruited police force, controlled by the ruler or sultan. There were guards for quarters and nightwatchmen for the markets and streets. TERM 10 muhtasib DEFINITION 10 Special officials who resided in the market center. They supervised prices, weights and measures, the quality of goods and the conduct of business. Embodied the idea that Muslims should inhibit bad and do/promote good (obligation: hisba). TERM 21 Iqta DEFINITION 21 Assignment of land to a military officer or civil official, where they would collect the taxes from people on that land. They would manage the region and collect taxes much like a govenor, but would keep a certain proportion of the taxes they collected. Led to a decentralization under the sultan, and gave local governments more power. TERM 22 Atabeg DEFINITION 22 Todor or regent assigned to raise a minor prince of a sultan. In nomadic situations, during the 10th and 11th centuries most could get power from mentoring the princes, and could sieze power from prince and sultanate. TERM 23 madhhab DEFINITION 23 Scools of Thought, moral and legal interpretations. Divided among the Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali, and Maliki schools (all were Sunni Muslim). These schools were separate prior to the 10th century because the 'ulama had dvided views on the Quaran and its interpretation. TERM 24 Madrasa DEFINITION 24 A school, usually established by a waqf by a donor, that was usually attached to a mosque and used both for residence and study. These became common in the 10th century, and specialized in training students to become lawyers, as well as judges, teachers, etc. TERM 25 Khurasan & Baghdad Madrasa's DEFINITION 25 These schools developed along the fringes of the Muslim world, starting in Khurasan. In Baghdad they were organized differently, where students were housed separately from the madrasa itself and libraries were private. They also focused on a single teaching of madhhabs in the beginning. TERM 26 Hanbali School DEFINITION 26 Ahmid b. Hanbul founded this madhhab in Iraq during the 11th-12 centuries. Protest against Mu'tali movement. TERM 27 Mustansiriyya Madrasa DEFINITION 27 Founded in 1234, in Baghdad, this school taught all 4 sects of Sunni thought. Nizam al-Mulk, who hoped to settle quarrels within the Sunni sect and lessen the threat of the Shi'ite sect in the 11th century helped this happen. He created a campaign to construct madrasa's, and forced these schools to teach more than one school of thought. TERM 28 Abu'l-Rayhan al-Biruni and The History of India DEFINITION 28 Al-Biruni is considered the first anthropologist. He was comparative historian between religions and cultures. He also wrote "The History of India." TERM 29 Saljuks take Syria DEFINITION 29 Defeated the Byzantine Empire and took Syria during the 11th century. They also invaded Iran, siezing Baghdad, as well as much of Christian Anatolia. As their frontiers grew, more people began to develope separate ideas due to the distance they had from the central govt. TERM 30 Reconquista in Spain DEFINITION 30 Christian kingdoms took back lands from Muslim groups in Toledo in 1085. TERM 31 Norman conquest of Sicily DEFINITION 31 Sicily was originally under Arab control, but was then taken by the Normans in the 11th century. TERM 32 Pope Urban II DEFINITION 32 The leading voice behind the first crusades. He hoped to reunite the Christian and Catholic churches, as well as establish Christian states through out the eastern hemisphere in the 11th century. His speech at Clermont, France in 1095 inspired troops to make a pilgrimmage from Jerusalem to Palestine and to complete this task would mean material and moral gain. TERM 33 First Crusade DEFINITION 33 Began in France towards Syria at the end of the 11th century into the 12th century. Went after both Jews and Muslims, who were both thought to be "infediles." Massacres led by knights and noble classes, as well as peoples crusades led by religious leaders. TERM 34 Saladin al-Ayyubi DEFINITION 34 Asserted himself as the ruler of Egypt, Ayyubid dynasty. He succeeded in taking Damascus, Alleppo, and Northern Iraq within the 12th century. Wanted to consolidate Syrian Egypt. Launched a counterattack against the crusades. TERM 35 Battle of Hattin DEFINITION 35 Drew out the European knights from Jerusalem and Salladin was able to take Jerusalem back there after in 1187. Praised for driving out the enemy out of multiple cities. TERM 46 Yasa DEFINITION 46 Law code Mongols were expected to follow within conquest states. It was separate from the sharia amd established a body of edicts from the leader. TERM 47 Ghazan DEFINITION 47 Mahmud Ghazan restored life throughout the Mongol- conquered regions of the Middle East. He was the first Mongol ruler to convert to Islam and created various infrastructure, rebuilt cities, trade and irrigational works. TERM 48 Timur Leng (r. 1370- 1405) DEFINITION 48 Not a Mongol, but a Turk who was greatly influenced by the Mongols. He succeeded in conquering Iran, northern India, Anatolia, northern Syria, and parts of Russia throughout the 14th century. TERM 49 Michael Scot DEFINITION 49 Translated Aristotle in 1236. TERM 50 Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd DEFINITION 50 Both created commentaries on Aristotle and Plato, and are famous due to the exchanges shared between the two about these philosophers. Sina, Avicenna. Rushd, Averroes. TERM 51 Frederick II Hohenstaufen DEFINITION 51 King of Sicily from 1198-1250. Michael's patron, patron of the Sicilian school of poetry. The school and its poetry went on to influence the Italian language today. TERM 52 Alfonso X, "The Wise" DEFINITION 52 Established translations into the Castillian language instead of straight to Latin. Ruled from 1252-1284). Was also a writer. TERM 53 Abarham Faquin Ibn Waqqar DEFINITION 53 Jewish scholar, hired to translate the Mi'raj (Zoroastrian narrative, Arda Viraf Nameh) by Alfonso X into Castillian. It was later translated into Latin, French, and Italian. The Italian translation went on to inspire Dante and the Inferno. TERM 54 Ordu DEFINITION 54 Mobile army state. The Turco-Mongol states followed this idea. TERM 55 Ghaza (Ghazi) DEFINITION 55 Warriors who sought to expand Islam were called Ghazi (holy warriors) and fought in ghaza (holy war). Many were Christian converts who converted to Islam. Emerged in North-Western Anatolia in 14th century. Started out tribal, but as they conquered and they developed older forms of stateship (courts, ulama, qadis, madrasas). TERM 56 Conquest of Basra DEFINITION 56 Osman captured Basra, the former Byzantine capital of Northern Anatolia, in 1326. TERM 57 Janissaries DEFINITION 57 Group of slave warriors formed under the Ottoman empire that acted as the sultans household troops and bodyguards, equipped with fire arms, artillery, and muskets. Created in the 14th century. TERM 58 Devshirme DEFINITION 58 Tax taken in the form of human beings (against Christians, non-muslims), where citizens were required to produces boys for training as janissaries between the ages of 12-18. They were trained for service under the sultan and could steadily rise to power over states. 14th Century. TERM 59 Surgun DEFINITION 59 Effort by Mehmed II to populate the city, by driving more people from rural areas into the city. By 16th century, the population was over several hundred thousands. TERM 60 Conquest of Constantinople DEFINITION 60 Victory by the Ottomans in 1453, after it had been the capital of the Byzantine empire for over 800-900 years. TERM 71 Isma'il I DEFINITION 71 Shi'ite leader who asserted himself as a hidden Shi'ite imam and became the shah of the Safavids. He sought to spread Shi'ism throughout the 15th-16th centuries/ TERM 72 Conquest of Tabriz DEFINITION 72 After this battle, Isma'il began to assert himself as the Shah of the Safavids. They defeated the black sheep dynasty, 1501. TERM 73 Tiyul DEFINITION 73 Lands where qizilbash military settled. TERM 74 soyurghal DEFINITION 74 Assignments of land to ulama, where they could recieve revenue. TERM 75 Battle of Chaldiran DEFINITION 75 Battle between the Ottomans and the Safavids in 1514. The Ottomans were primarily Sunni. The Ottoman arms were too affective and the Safavids were defeated. TERM 76 Isfahan DEFINITION 76 City in Iran who, under rule of Shah Abbas I, was recreated into an imperial city with libraries, mosques, and parks. TERM 77 Abbas I DEFINITION 77 Shah of the Safavids from 1584-1627, who re-established the authority of the shah by taking apart the qizilbash. Siezed qizilbash land. TERM 78 Grand Vizier DEFINITION 78 Political leader that became the chief leader of the Ottoman state in the 17th century. The government took the form of a government, and while they all competed for power, they all shared general ideas. Shift from sultan to oligarchy. TERM 79 sekban and sarija DEFINITION 79 Trained by household and armed with musketry, took the place of jannissaries. TERM 80 A'yan DEFINITION 80 Merchant, judiciary people, who were wealthy and filled positions within the administration. Rise of powerful households and brought together private armies. TERM 81 Zahir al'Umar DEFINITION 81 Arab beduin chief who took part in the beduin tribal "break out." These tribes spread to areas in Syria, attacking landowners as they moved North. Independent developement. 17th Century. TERM 82 Russo-Ottoman War DEFINITION 82 1768-1774, lasted until the Ottoman defeat by the Russian fleet in 1774. Lost due to few advances and Russian technical superiorty. TERM 83 Treaty of Kuchuk Kaynarja DEFINITION 83 Treaty ending the Russo-Ottoman War in 1774. Sign between Russia and the sultan, and Russia got the better end of the deal.