بنو أمية Umayyad Caliphate ← 660 – 750 → Flag Umayyad Empire at its greatest extent Capital Damascus Capital-in-exile Córdoba Language(s) Arabic Religion Islam Government Monarchy History  - Established 660  - Disestablished 750

The Umayyad Dynasty (Arabic,بنو أمية ) (Banu Umayyah), whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph, was the first dynasty of the Muslim Caliphate, 660–750. Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national Capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist the capital was moved or the capital Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. ||-||-||} Córdoba ( Cordova in English is a City in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history This article is about the Mashriq region For other uses see Mashriq (disambiguation The Mashriq or Mashreq (also in use Mashrek The Tulunids were the first independent dynasty in Islamic Egypt (868&ndash905 AD The Hamdanid dynasty (حمدانيون was a Muslim Arab dynasty of northern Iraq ( Al-Jazirah) and Syria (890- 1004) The Ikhshidid dynasty of Egypt (sometimes Transliterated other ways ruled from 935 to 969. The ' Uqailid or ' Uqaylid Dynasty was a Muslim Arab dynasty with several lines that ruled in various parts of Al-Jazira, northern Syria The Zengid (or Zangid) dynasty was a Muslim Dynasty of Turkish origin which ruled parts of Northern Iraq and Syria during The Ayyubid or Ayyoubid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origins which ruled Egypt, Syria, Yemen (except for The Bahri dynasty or Bahriyya Mamluks (al-Mamalik al-Bahariyya المماليك البحرية) was a Mamluk Dynasty of mostly Kipchak The Burji dynasty المماليك البرجية ruled Egypt from 1382 until 1517 The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset The Saadi Dynasty (Arabic سعديون) (in English also Saadite or Saadian original name Bani Zaydan began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh The Muhallabids were a dynasty of governors in Ifriqiya under the Abbasid Caliphate ( 771 - 793) Although subject to the Abbasids they The Rustamid (or Rustumid, Rostemid) dynasty of Ibāḍī Kharijite imāms ruled the central Maghreb as a Muslim theocracy The Idrisids ( Arabic, الأدارسة) were the first Sayyid Shia dynasty in the western Maghreb ruling from 788 The Aghlabid dynasty of emirs members of the Arab tribe of Bani Tamim, ruled Ifriqiya (northern Africa nominally on behalf of the Abbasid The Almoravids, was a Berber dynasty from the Sahara that spread over a wide area of North-Western Africa and the Iberian peninsula during The Almohad Dynasty (From Arabic الموحدون al-Muwahhidun, i Hafsid was a dynasty ruling Ifriqiya (modern Tunisia) from 1229 to 1574. The Anglicised name used for this article derives from the Arabic Banu Marin (also Benī Merīn, which is the source of the Spanish name The Wattassids (وطاسيون waṭāsīyūn or Banû Watâs (بنو الوطاس banū al-waṭās were an Amazigh dynasty of Kingdom of Fez. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Umayya ibn Abd Shams is whom the clan of Banu Umayyad is named after A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Events By Place Europe Slavic principality of Carantania is first mentioned in historical sources Events By Geography Asia Gopala is proclaimed as the first ruler of the Pala Empire. The Umayyad Arab Caliphate is historically the sixth largest empire, the third largest contiguous empire and the third largest empire by percentage of world population (29. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history This article provides a list of the largest Empires in world history. This article provides a list of the largest Empires in world history. This article provides a list of the largest Empires in world history. 5%). Damascus was the capital. Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria.

Origins

According to tradition, the Umayyad family (also known as the Banu Abd-Shams) and the Islamic Prophet Muhammad both descended from a common ancestor, Abd Manaf ibn Qusai. In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Abd Manaf ibn Qusai (Arabic ar عبد مناف بن قصي is whom the clan of Banu Abd Manaf is named after Muhammad descended from Abd Munaf via his son Hashim, while the Umayyads descended from Abd Munaf via a different son, Abd-Shams, whose son was Umayya. Hashim ibn Abd al-Manaf (هاشم بن عبد مناف (died ca Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf (عبد شمس بن عبد مناف was a prominent member of the Quraish Tribe of Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Umayya ibn Abd Shams is whom the clan of Banu Umayyad is named after The two families are therefore considered to be different clans (those of Hashim and of Umayya, respectively) of the same tribe (that of the Quraish). Banū Hāshim (Arabic بنو هاشم) was a clan in the Quraish tribe Quraish is also the name of a Surah in the Qur'an. Quraysh or Quraish (Arabic ar قريش

The Umayyads and the Hashimites were bitter rivals. The rivalry stemmed from the initial opposition of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, the grandson of Umayya, to Muhammad and to Islam. For the son of Harith see Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith. Sakhr ibn Harb (صخر بن حرب more commonly known as Abu Sufyan (560-650 Abu Sufyan sought to exterminate the adherents of the new religion by waging a series of battles. However, he eventually embraced Islam, as did his son (the future caliph Muawiyah I), and the two provided much-needed political and diplomatic skills for the management of the quickly expanding Islamic empire. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Mu'awiyah I (a=معاوية بن أبي سفيان|t=Mu‘āwīyah ibn Abī Sufyān 602-680 was a Sahaba (companion of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states

Most historians consider Caliph Muawiyah I (661-80) to have been the second ruler of the Umayyad dynasty, as he was the first to assert the Umayyads' right to rule on a dynastic principle. Caliph Uthman (644-56) was also descended from Umayya, and during his time had been criticized for placing members of his family within political positions. Uthman (a=عثمان|t=Othman Osman Usman Ozman is a male Arabic given name meaning "the chosen one amongst the tribe of brave and noble people" "honest" However, since Uthman never named an heir, he cannot be considered the founder of a dynasty.

Entry to the prayer hall of the Great Mosque of Damascus, built by caliph Al-Walid I. The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ( الوليد بن عبد الملك or Al-Walid I (668 - 715 was a wise and powerful Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 705

The origins of Umayyad rule date back to the assassination of Uthman in 656. Events By Place Europe Oswiu of Northumbria annexes Mercia Asia The Battle of At this time Ali, a member of the Hashim clan and a cousin of Prophet Muhammad, became the caliph. ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH He soon met with resistance from several factions, and moved his capital from Medina to Kufa. Medina mɛˈdiːnə (المدينة المنورة ælmæˈdiːnæl muˈnɑwːɑrɑ or المدينة ælmæˈdiːnæ also transliterated into English as Kufa ( Arabic, ar الكوفة) is a city in modern Iraq, about 170 km south of Baghdad, and 10 km northeast of Najaf. The resulting conflict, which lasted from 656 until 661, is known as the First Fitna ("time of trial"). The First Islamic Civil War (656–661 also called the First Fitna (a=فتنة مقتل عثمان|t=Fitnah Maqtal Uthmān was the first major Civil

Ali was first opposed by an alliance led by Aisha, the widow of Muhammad, and Talhah and Al-Zubayr, two of the Companions of the Prophet. Aisha bint Abu Bakr (died 678 (Arabic ar عائشة Transliteration ʿāʾisha, ʕaːʔɪʃæh "she who lives" also transcribed as A'ishah, Ayesha Talha ibn Ubayd-Allah ( طلحة بن عبيدالله) (d656 was a companion of Muhammad, best known for his role in the Battle of Uhud and the Abu ‘Abd Allah Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (أبو عبدالله زبير ابن العوام was a Sahabi, or companion of Muhammad. In Islam, the Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة "Companions" were the companions of the Islamic prophet Muḥammad. The two sides clashed at the Battle of the Camel in 656, where Ali won a decisive victory. "Battle of Basra" redirects here For other battles of Basra see Battle of Basra (1914, Battle of Basra (2003 and Battle of Basra (2008

Following the Battle of the Camel, Muawiyah, who had become governor of Syria, accused Ali of harboring the assassins of Uthman and demanded that they be handed over. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The armies of Muawiyah and Ali met at the Battle of Siffin in 657. The Battle of Siffin (May-July 657 CE occurred during the First Fitna, or First Muslim civil war with the main engagement taking place from July 26 to July 28 For reasons that remain obscure,^[1] the battle was stopped before either side had achieved victory, and the two parties agreed to arbitrate their dispute. Both the terms and the result of the arbitration, however, are subjects of contradictory and sometimes confused reports.

Following the battle, a large group of Ali's soldiers, who resented his decision to submit the dispute to arbitration, broke away from Ali's force, rallying under the slogan, "arbitration belongs to God alone. " This group came to be known as the Kharijites ("those who leave"). Kharijites (Arabic Khawārij خوارج literally "Those who Went Out" is a general term embracing various Muslims who while initially supporting the

In 659 Ali's forces and the Kharijites met in the Battle of Nahrawan. Battle of Nahrawan was a battle between Ali ibn Abi Talib (the fourth Sunni Caliph and the 1st Shi'a Imam and the Kharijites. Although Ali won the battle, the constant conflict had begun to affect his standing, and in the following years some Syrians seem to have acclaimed Muawiyah as a rival caliph.

Ali was assassinated in 661, apparently by a Kharijite partisan. Muawiyah marched to Kufa, where he persuaded a number of Ali's supporters to acclaim him as caliph instead of Ali's son, Hasan. Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib ( ar الحسن بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (Fifteenth of Ramadhān, 3 AH – Seventh or Twenty-eighth of Safar Following his elevation, Muawiyah moved the capital of the caliphate to Damascus. Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Syria would remain the base of Umayyad power until the end of the dynasty.

History of the Umayyad Caliphate

The Sufyanids

The expansion of the caliphate under the Umayyads.      Expansion under the Prophet Mohammad, 622-632      Expansion during the Patriarchal Caliphate, 632-661      Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750

Muawiyah's personal dynasty, the "Sufyanids" (descendants of Abu Sufyan), reigned from 661 to 684, until his grandson Muawiya II. Events By Place Europe Perctarit and Godepert become co-rulers of the Lombards, following the death of their Events By Place Asia Wu Ze Tian takes power in China The Ummayad caliph Muawiya II is succeeded by Muawiyah II or Mu'āwiyya ibn Yazīd ( ar معاوية بن يزيد ‎ 661 - 684 was an Umayyad Caliph for about four months after the The reign of Muawiyah I was marked by internal security and external expansion. On the internal front, only one major rebellion is recorded, that of Hujr ibn Adi in Kufa. Hujr ibn ‘Adī ( حجر بن عدي) was a supporter of Ali ibn Abi talib he and his companions were killed by Muawiya I for refusing to Curse Ali Hujr ibn Adi supported the claims of the descendants of Ali to the caliphate, but his movement was easily suppressed by the governor of Iraq, Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan. Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan (زياد بن أبي سفيان (d 673 AD was a Muslim general and administrator and a member of the clan of the Umayyads

with the Christian communities of Syria, and one of his closest advisers was Sarjun, the father of John of Damascus. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Chrysorrhoas redirects here For the river see Barada. Saint John of Damascus ( Arabic: يوحنا الدمشقي At the same time, he waged unceasing war against the Byzantine Empire. During his reign, Rhodes and Crete were occupied, and several assaults were launched against Constantinople. Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Muawiyah also oversaw military expansion in North Africa (the foundation of Kairouan) and in Central Asia (the conquest of Kabul, Bukhara, and Samarkand). Kairouan ( Arabic القيروان (also known as Kirwan, Al Qayrawan) is a Muslim holy city which ranks after Mecca, Medina } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of

Following Muawiyah's death in 680, he was succeeded by his son, Yazid I. Yazid ibn Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan (يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان ( July 23[[ 45]] - 683 was the second Caliph of the Umayyad The hereditary accession of Yazid was opposed by a number of prominent Muslims, most notably Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, son of one of the Companions of the Prophet, and Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet and younger son of Ali. Abd Allah al-Zubayr or Ibn Zubayr or Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr' (624 - 692 (عبد الله بن الزبير was a Sahabi whose father was Zubayr ibn al-Awwam Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar حسين بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (third of Shaban 4 AH / 8th January 626 AD at Medina The resulting conflict is known as the Second Fitna. The Second Fitna, or Second Islamic Civil War, was a period of general political and military disorder that afflicted the Islamic world during the early Umayyad

In 680 Ibn al-Zubayr and Husayn fled Medina for Mecca. Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored While Ibn al-Zubayr would stay in Mecca until his death, Husayn decided to travel on to Kufa to rally support. However, an Umayyad army intercepted and routed his party at the Battle of Karbala. The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10 61 AH ( October 9 or 10 680 CE in Karbala, in present day Iraq.

Following the death of Husayn, Ibn al-Zubayr, although remaining in Mecca, was associated with two opposition movements, one centered in Medina and the other around Kharijites in Basra and Arabia. Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra In 683, Yazid dispatched an army to subdue both. This army suppressed the Medinese opposition at the Battle of al-Harra, and continued on to lay siege to Mecca. At some point during the siege, the Kaaba was badly damaged in a fire. The Kaaba ( Arabic: ar الكعبة; 'kɑʕbɑ or 'kæʕbæ "Cube" is a Cuboidal building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the The destruction of the Kaaba became a major cause for censure of the Umayyads in later histories of the period.

Yazid died while the siege was still in progress, and the Umayyad army returned to Damascus, leaving Ibn al-Zubayr in control of Mecca. Yazid was succeeded at first by his son, Muawiya II (683-84), but he seems never to have been recognized as caliph outside of Syria. Muawiyah II or Mu'āwiyya ibn Yazīd ( ar معاوية بن يزيد ‎ 661 - 684 was an Umayyad Caliph for about four months after the Two factions developed within Syria: the Confederation of Qays, who supported Ibn al-Zubayr, and the Quda'a, who supported Marwan, a descendant of Umayya via Wa'il ibn Umayyah. Marwan ibn al-Hakam (623 - 685 (مروان بن الحكم was the fourth Umayyad Caliph, who took over the dynasty after Muawiya II abdicated in Abu al'As ibn Umayya was the son of Umayya ibn Abd Shams. As his sons are mentioned Uthman ibn Abi al-'As, a companion of Muhammad The partisans of Marwan triumphed at a battle at Marj Rahit, near Damascus, in 684, and Marwan became caliph shortly thereafter.

The First Marwanids

Marwan's first task was to assert his authority against the rival claims of Ibn al-Zubayr, who was at this time recognized as caliph throughout most of the Islamic world. Marwan recaptured Egypt for the Umayyads, but died in 685, having reigned for only nine months. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.

Marwan was succeeded by his son, Abd al-Malik (685-705), who reconsolidated Umayyad control of the caliphate. Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (646-705 (عبد الملك بن مروان was the 5th Umayyad Caliph. The early reign of Abd al-Malik was marked by the revolt of Al-Mukhtar, which was based in Kufa. Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd al Thaqafi was an early Islamic revolutionary who led an abortive rebellion against the Umayyid Caliphs who ruled the Muslim world Al-Mukhtar hoped to elevate Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, another son of Ali, to the caliphate, although Ibn al-Hanafiyyah himself may have had no connection to the revolt. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah was the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Islamic Caliph. The troops of al-Mukhtar engaged in battles both with the Umayyads (in 686, at the river Khazir near Mosul: an Umayyad defeat) and with Ibn al-Zubayr (in 687, at which time the revolt of al-Mukhtar was crushed). In 691 Umayyad troops reconquered Iraq, and in 692 the same army captured Mecca. Ibn al-Zubayr was killed in the attack.

The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, built during the reign of Abd al-Malik. The Dome of the Rock ( Arabic: مسجد قبة الصخرة translit Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (646-705 (عبد الملك بن مروان was the 5th Umayyad Caliph.

The second major event of the early reign of Abd al-Malik was the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock ( Arabic: مسجد قبة الصخرة translit Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Although the chronology remains somewhat uncertain, the building seems to have been completed in 692, which means that it was under construction during the conflict with Ibn al-Zubayr. This had led some historians, both medieval and modern, to suggest that the Dome of the Rock was built to rival the Kaaba, which was under the control of Ibn al-Zubayr, as a destination for pilgrimage.

Abd al-Malik is credited with centralizing the administration of the caliphate, and with establishing Arabic as its official language. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language He also introduced a uniquely Muslim coinage, marked by its aniconic decoration, which supplanted the Byzantine and Sasanian coins that had previously been in use. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire

Following Abd al-Malik's death, his son, Al-Walid I (705-15) became caliph. Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ( الوليد بن عبد الملك or Al-Walid I (668 - 715 was a wise and powerful Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 705 Al-Walid was also active as a builder, sponsoring the construction of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina and the Great Mosque of Damascus. The Mosque of the Prophet (or Prophet's Mosque) ( Arabic: المسجد النبوي) /mæsʤıd ænːæbæwı in Medina, is the second holiest The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl

A major figure during the reigns of both al-Walid and Abd al-Malik was the Umayyad governor of Iraq, Al-Hajjaj bin Yousef. Al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf ( Arabic: الحجاج بن يوسف, also known as Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf ath-Thaqafī) born in early June 661 in aţ-Ţā’if Many Iraqis remained resistant to Umayyad rule, and al-Hajjaj imported Syrian troops to maintain order, whom he housed in a new garrison town, Wasit. These troops became crucial in the suppression of a revolt led by an Iraqi general, Ibn al-Ash'ath, in the early eighth century.

Al-Walid was succeeded by his brother, Sulayman (715-17), whose reign was dominated by a protracted siege of Constantinople. Sulayman bin Abd al-Malik (c 674 - 717 ( Arabic: سليمان بن عبد الملك was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 715 until 717 The failure of the siege marked the end of serious Arab ambitions against the Byzantine capital. However, the first two decades of the eighth century witnessed the continuing expansion of the caliphate, which pushed into Spain in the west, and into Central Asia and northern India in the east. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Sulyaman was succeeded by his cousin, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (717-20), whose position among the Umayyad caliphs is somewhat unique. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (c 682 - February 720 (عمر بن عبد العزيز was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 717 to 720 He is the only Umayyad ruler to have been recognized by subsequent Islamic tradition as a genuine caliph (khalifa) and not merely as a worldly king (malik).

Umar is honored for his attempt to resolve the fiscal problems attendant upon conversion to Islam. During the Umayyad period, the majority of people living within the caliphate were not Muslim, but Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian, or otherwise. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings These religious communities were not forced to convert to Islam, but were subject to a higher tax burden. This situation may actually have made widespread conversion to Islam undesirable from the point of view of state revenue, and there are reports that provincial governors actively discouraged such conversions. It is not clear how Umar attempted to resolve this situation, but the sources portray him as having insisted on like treatment of Arab and non-Arab (mawali) Muslims, and on the removal of obstacles to the conversion of non-Arabs to Islam. Mawali or mawala ( Arabic, موالي) is a term in Classical Arabic used to address non-Arab Muslims

After the death of Umar, another son of Abd al-Malik, Yazid II (720-24) became caliph. Yazid bin Abd al-Malik or Yazid II (687 - 724 (يزيد بن عبد الملك was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 720 until his death in 724 Yazid is best known for his "iconoclastic edict," which ordered the destruction of Christian images within the territory of the caliphate. Iconoclasm, Greek for "image-breaking" is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious Icons and other symbols or monuments In 720, another major revolt arose in Iraq, this time led by Yazid ibn al-Muhallab. Yazid ibn al-Muhallab (672 - 720 was a provincial governor in the time of the Umayyad dynasty.

Hisham and the limits of military expansion

The final son of Abd al-Malik to become caliph was Hisham (723-43), whose long and eventful reign was above all marked by the curtailment of military expansion. "Hisham" redirects here For the hadith narrator see Hisham ibn Urwah.

North gate of the city of Resafa, site of Hisham's palace and court. Resafa ( الرصافة) known in Roman times as Sergiopolis, was a city located in what is now modern-day Syria.

Hisham established his court at Resafa in northern Syria, which was closer to the Byzantine border than Damascus, and resumed hostilities against the Byzantines, which had lapsed following the failure of the last siege of Constantinople. Resafa ( الرصافة) known in Roman times as Sergiopolis, was a city located in what is now modern-day Syria. The new campaigns resulted in a number of successful raids into Anatolia, but also in a major defeat (the Battle of Akroinon), and did not lead to any significant territorial expansion. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The Battle of Akroinon was fought at Akroinon (also known as Acroinon or Acroinum near modern Afyon) in Phrygia, on the western edge of the Anatolian

Hisham's reign furthermore witnessed the end of expansion in the west, following the defeat of the Arab army by the Franks at the Battle of Tours in 732. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group The Battle of Tours (October 10 732 also called the Battle of Poitiers and in معركة بلاط الشهداء (ma‘arakat Balâṭ ash-Shuhadâ’ Battle of Court In 739 a major Berber Revolt broke out in North Africa, which was subdued only with difficulty. The Great Berber Revolt of 740-43 AD (122-25 AH in the Muslim calendar) took place during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik and

Hisham suffered still worse defeats in the east, where his armies attempted to subdue both Tokharistan, with its center at Balkh, and Transoxiana, with its center at Samarkand. Tokharistan is a name which was given to Bactria, following its settlement by various Central Asian people in the 2nd century BC. Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. Transoxiana (sometimes spelled Transoxania "河中“Chinese / Ma Wara'un-Nahr ( Arabic: ما وراء النهر / Farārood (فرارود Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Both areas had already been partially conquered, but remained difficult to govern.

Once again, a particular difficulty concerned the question of the conversion of non-Arabs, especially the Sogdians of Transoxiana. History Hellenistic period The Sogdian Rock or Rock of Ariamazes a fortress in Sogdiana was captured in 327 BC by the forces of Alexander the Great Ashras ibn 'Abd Allah al-Sulami, governor of Khorasan, promised tax relief to those Sogdians who converted to Islam, but went back on his offer when it proved too popular and threatened to reduce tax revenues. In 734, al-Harith ibn Surayj led a revolt on behalf of the Sogdians, capturing Balkh but failing to take Merv. Merv ( Russian: Мерв from Persian: مرو Marv, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf After this defeat, al-Harith's movement seems to have been dissolved, but the problem of the rights of non-Arab Muslims would continue to plague the Umayyads.

The Third Fitna

Fresco from the palace of Qusayr Amra, possibly built by Al-Walid II, depicting a dancer. Qasr Amra (قصر عمرة is the best-known of the Desert castles located in present-day eastern Jordan.

Hisham was succeeded by Al-Walid II (743-44), the son of Yazid II. Walid ibn Yazid or Walid II (died April 16, 744) (الوليد بن يزيد was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 743 until 744 Al-Walid is reported to have been more interested in earthly pleasures than in religion, a reputation that may be confirmed by the decoration of the so-called "desert palaces" (including Qusayr Amra and Khirbat al-Mafjar) that have been attributed to him. Qasr Amra (قصر عمرة is the best-known of the Desert castles located in present-day eastern Jordan. Hisham's Palace ( Arabic Khirbat al-Mafjar) is the archaeological remains of an Umayyad winter palace located five km north of Jericho He quickly attracted the enmity of many, both by executing a number of those who had opposed his accession, and by persecuting the Qadariyya. Qadariyya (the name is based on the Arabic word قدر Qadar, meaning fate) was a theological movement in early Islam which held that man was endowed by

In 744, Yazid III, a son of al-Walid I, was proclaimed caliph in Damascus, and his army tracked down and killed al-Walid II. Yazid ibn Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik or Yazid III (701 - 744 ( Arabic: يزيد ابن الوليد ابن عبد الملك) was an Umayyad Caliph Yazid III has received a certain reputation for piety, and may have been sympathetic to the Qadariyya. He died a mere six months into his reign.

Yazid had appointed his brother, Ibrahim, as his successor, but Marwan II (744-50), the grandson of Marwan I, led an army from the northern frontier and entered Damascus in December of 744, where he was proclaimed caliph. Ibrahim ibn Al-Walid ( Arabic: ابراهيم ابن الوليد بن عبد الملك) was an Umayyad Caliph. Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan or Marwan II (688-750 (Arabic مروان بن محمد بن مروان بن الحكم was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled Marwan immediately moved the capital north to Harran, in present-day Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches A rebellion soon broke out in Syria, perhaps due to resentment over the relocation of the capital, and in 746 Marwan razed the walls of Hims and Damascus in retaliation. For military actions near the city see Battle of Homs. Homs ( حمص,, anciently called Emesa (ἡ Ἔμεσα or "La Chamelle"

Marwan also faced significant opposition from Kharijites in Iraq and Iran, who put forth first Dahhak ibn Qays and then Abu Dulaf as rival caliphs. In 747 Marwan managed to reestablish control of Iraq, but by this time a more serious threat had arisen in Khurasan.

Insurrection

Ivory (eighth century?) discovered in the Abbasid homestead in Humeima, Jordan. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The style indicates an origin in north-eastern Iran, the base of Hashimiyya military power. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[2]

The movement that overthrew the Umayyad caliphate was known as the Hashimiyya, and led by the Abbasid family. The Abbasids were themselves members of the Hashim clan, the ancient rivals of the Umayyads, but the word "Hashimiyya" seems to refer specifically to Abu Hashim, a grandson of Ali and son of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya. Banū Hāshim (Arabic بنو هاشم) was a clan in the Quraish tribe According to certain traditions, Abu Hashim died in 717 in Humeima in the house of Muhammad ibn Ali, the head of the Abbasid family, and before dying named Muhammad ibn Ali as his successor. This tradition allowed the Abbasids to rally the supporters of the failed revolt of Mukhtar, who had represented themselves as the supporters of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya.

Beginning around 719, Hashimiyya missions began to seek adherents in Khurasan. Their campaign was framed as one of invitation (dawah), and was rather vaguely worded: they sought support for a "member of the family" of the Prophet, without making explicit mention of the Abbasids. Da‘wah usually denotes proselytizing of Islam. The Arabic دعوة da‘wah means literally "issuing a summons" These missions met with success both among Arabs and non-Arabs (mawali), although the latter may have played a particularly important role in the growth of the movement. Mawali or mawala ( Arabic, موالي) is a term in Classical Arabic used to address non-Arab Muslims

Map of the world in 750 AD before the Battle of the Zab, which caused the fall of the dynasty. The Battle of the Zab took place on the banks of the Great Zab river in what is now Iraq on January 25, 750.

Around 746, Abu Muslim assumed leadership of the Hashimiyya in Khurasan. Abu Muslim Abd al-Rahman ibn Muslim al-Khorasani (, c 700 - 755 was an Abbasid general of Persian ( ''Tājīk'') origin born in city of Balkh In 747 he successfully initiated an open revolt against Umayyad rule, which was carried out under the sign of the black flag. He soon established control of Khurasan, and dispatched an army westwards. Kufa fell to the Hashimiyya in 749, and in November of the same year Abu al-Abbas was recognized as the new caliph in the mosque at Kufa. Abu al-`Abbās `Abdu'llāh as-Saffāh ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Abbas ibn Mutalib ibn Hashim (Arabic أبو العباس

Map of the beginning of Abassid revolt before the Battle of the Zab, which caused the fall of the dynasty. The Battle of the Zab took place on the banks of the Great Zab river in what is now Iraq on January 25, 750.

At this point Marwan mobilized his troops from Harran and advanced toward Iraq. In January of 750 the two forces met in the Battle of the Zab, and the Umayyads were defeated. The Battle of the Zab took place on the banks of the Great Zab river in what is now Iraq on January 25, 750. Damascus fell to the Abbasids in April, and in August Marwan was killed in Egypt.

The victors dishonored the tombs of the Umayyads in Syria, sparing only that of Umar II, and most of the remaining members of the Umayyad family were tracked down and killed. One grandson of Hisham, 'Abd al-Rahman, survived and established a kingdom in Al-Andalus (Moorish Iberia), proclaiming his family to be the Umayyad Caliphate revived. Abd ar-Rahman I Arabic (عبد الرحمن الداخل (known as the "Falcon of Andalus" or "The Falcon of the Quraish " (born 731 ruled from 756 through Al-Andalus (الأندلس was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims or The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra The Caliphate of Córdoba (Arabic خلافة قرطبة ruled the Iberian peninsula ( Al-Andalus) and North Africa from the city of

Previté-Orton argues that the reasons for the decline of the Ummayads was the rapid expansion of Islam. During Ummayad period, mass conversions brought Persians, Berbers, Copts, and Aramaics to Islam. These mawalis (clients) were often better educated and more civilised than their Arab masters. The new converts, on the basis of equality of all Muslims, transformed the political landscape. Previté-Orton also argues that the feud between Syria and Iraq, further weakened the empire. ^[3]

Legacy

Historical significance

The Umayyad caliphate was marked both by territorial expansion and by the administrative and cultural problems that such expansion created. The Levant is a geographical term that refers to a large area in Southwest Asia, south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking Kebarans was an archaeological culture that lived in the eastern Mediterranean area (c The Natufian culture (natʏˈfjẽː existed in the Mediterranean region of the Levant. Tell Halaf ( Akkadian: Guzana; تل حلف, Syria) Jericho ( Arabic, ʼArīḥā; Hebrew, Standard Yəriḥo Tiberian Yərîḫô "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Ebla ( Arabic: عبيل، إيبلا modern Tell Mardikh, Syria) was an ancient city about 55 km southwest of Aleppo. Canaanites redirects here For the 1940s social and political movement in Israel, see Canaanites (movement. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Amorite ( Sumerian MARTU, Akkadian Tidnum or Amurrūm, Egyptian Amar, Hebrew ’emōrî The Aramaeans (also Arameans) ( Aramaic / Syriac: ܐܪܡܝܐ, Ārāmāye' were a Semitic (West Semitic language group The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan Palmyra ( Arabic: تدمر Tadmor) was in ancient times an important city of central Syria, located in an Oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, The history of Ancient Israel and Judah is known to us from classical sources including Judaism 's Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (known Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Hasmoneans (/hæzməˡniən/ חשמונאים Hashmonaiym, Audio were the ruling dynasty of the Hasmonean Kingdom ( 140 &ndash 37 BCE The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also modern times) is the period of history that followed the Middle Ages between c The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement History of Bahrein, AND COMPARE THE TRUE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO STATES The history of Lebanon is almost as old as the earliest evidence of humankind The land that became Jordan forms part of the richly historical Fertile Crescent region The State of Israel (מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after nearly two thousand Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called Despite some notable exceptions, the Umayyads tended to favor the rights of the old Arab families, and in particular their own, over those of newly converted Muslims (mawali). Therefore they held to a less universalist conception of Islam than did many of their rivals. As G. R. Hawting has written, "Islam was in fact regarded as the property of the conquering aristocracy. "^[4]

According to one common view, the Umayyads transformed the caliphate from a religious institution (during the rashidun) to a dynastic one. The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first ^[5] However, the Umayyad caliphs do seem to have understood themselves as the representatives of God on earth, and to have been responsible for the "definition and elaboration of God's ordinances, or in other words the definition or elaboration of Islamic law. "^[6]

During the period of the Umayyads, Arabic became the administrative language. State documents and currency was issued in the language. Mass conversions brought a large influx of Muslims to the caliphate. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history The Umayyads also constructed famous buildings such as the Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, and the Umayyad Mosque at Damascus. The Dome of the Rock ( Arabic: مسجد قبة الصخرة translit Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. ^[7]

The Umayyads have met with a largely negative reception from later Islamic historians, who have accused them of promoting a kingship (mulk, a term with connotations of tyranny) instead of a true caliphate (khilafa). In this respect it is notable that the Umayyad caliphs referred to themselves, not as khalifat rasul Allah ("successor of the messenger of God," the title preferred by the tradition) but rather as khalifat Allah ("deputy of God"). The distinction seems to indicate that the Umayyads "regarded themselves as God's representatives at the head of the community and saw no need to share their religious power with, or delegate it to, the emergent class of religious scholars. "^[8]

In fact, it was precisely this class of scholars, based largely in Iraq, that was responsible for collecting and recording the traditions that form the primary source material for the history of the Umayyad period. In reconstructing this history, therefore, it is necessary to rely mainly on sources, such as the histories of Tabari and Baladhuri, that were written in the Abbasid court at Baghdad. The Historiography of early Islam refers to the study of the early origins of Islam based on a critical analysis evaluation and examination of authentic Primary Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923 أبو جعفر محمد بن جرير الطبري was one of the earliest most prominent and famous Persian Historians TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Ahmad Ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri Arabic (أحمد بن يحيى بن جابر البلاذري

Modern Arab Nationalism regards the period of the Umayyads as part of the Arab Golden Age which it sought to emulate and restore. Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards This is particularly true of Syrian nationalists and the present-day state of Syria, centered like that of the Umayyads on Damascus. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية White, one of the four Pan-Arab colors which appear in various combinations on the flags of most Arab countries, is considered as representing the Umayyads. The Pan-Arab colors are Red, Black, White, and Green and have their origins in the flag of the Arab Revolt.

Theological disputes concerning the Ommayads

Sunni opinions

Sunni opinions of the Umayyad dynasty after Muawiyah are typically dim, viewing many of the rulers as sinners and the cause of great tribulation in the Ummah. Ummah (أمة is an Arabic word meaning Community or Nation. It is commonly used to mean either the collective nation of states, or (in the For example, in the section concerning Quran 60:17 ^[9] in the exegesis by al-Suyuti entitled Dur al-Manthur, the author writes that there exist traditions which describe the Umayyads as "the cursed tree". Tafsir ( Arabic: تفسير, tafsīr, "interpretation" is the Arabic word for Exegesis TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Imam Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti (c Dur al-Manthur (Full title of the book is Ad-Durr Al-Manthur Fi Tafsir Bil-Ma'thur "The Scattered Pearls Intertextual Exegesis is an authoritatve There are some exceptions to this -- Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz is commonly praised as one of the greatest Muslim rulers after the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (c 682 - February 720 (عمر بن عبد العزيز was an Umayyad Caliph who ruled from 717 to 720 The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first

Shi'a opinions

The negative view of the Omayyads of Shiites is briefly expressed in the Shi'a book "Sulh al-Hasan" ^{[10] [11]} According to some sources Ali described them as the worst Fitna. ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH See also Fitna Fitna (فتنة is an Arabic word generally regarded as very difficult to translate but at the same time is considered to be an all-encompassing ^[12]

Bahá'í standpoint

In Some Answered Questions, `Abdu'l-Bahá asserts that the Umayyad dynasty was the "great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads" referred to in the Book of Revelation and that the Umayyads "rose against the religion of Muhammad and against the reality of Ali". Some Answered Questions was first published in 1908 It contains questions asked to `Abdu'l-Bahá by Laura Clifford Barney, during several of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου ^[13]

Leaders

Political

Umayyad Caliphs at Damascus

• Muawiyah I ibn Abi Sufyan, 661–680
• Yazid I ibn Muawiyah, 680–683
• Muawiyah II ibn Yazid, 683–684
• Marwan I ibn al-Ḥakam, 684–685
• Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, 685–705
• al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik, 705–715
• Suleiman ibn Abd al-Malik, 715–717
• Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, 717–720
• Yazid II ibn Abd al-Malik, 720–724
• Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, 724–743
• al-Walid II ibn Yazid II, 743–744
• Yazid III ibn al-Walid, 744
• Ibrahim ibn al-Walid, 744
• Marwan II ibn Muhammad (ruled from Harran in the Jazira) 744–750

Umayyad Emirs of Córdoba

• Abd ar-Rahman I, 756–788
• Hisham I, 788–796
• al-Hakam I, 796–822
• Abd ar-Rahman II, 822–852
• Muhammad I of Córdoba, 852-886
• Al-Mundhir, 886 - 888
• Abdallah ibn Muhammad, 888–912
• Abd ar-Rahman III, 912–929

Umayyad Caliphs at Córdoba

• Abd ar-Rahman III, as caliph, 929–961
• Al-Hakam II, 961–976
• Hisham II, 976–1008
• Mohammed II, 1008–1009
• Suleiman, 1009–1010
• Hisham II, restored, 1010–1012
• Suleiman, restored, 1012–1017
• Abd ar-Rahman IV, 1021–1022
• Abd ar-Rahman V, 1022–1023
• Muhammad III, 1023–1024
• Hisham III, 1027–1031

Religious

Umayyad Sahaba

• Marwan ibn al-Hakam
• Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan
• Abu Sufiyan ibn Harb

Umayyad Taba'een

• Yazid bin Muawiyah
• Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan

See also

• Umayya ibn Abd Shams
• History of Islam
• Caliphate

Notes

References

• Previté-Orton, C. W (1971). The Shorter Cambridge Medieval History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Further reading

• A. Bewley, Mu'awiya, Restorer of the Islamic Faith (London, 2002)
• P. Crone, Slaves on horses (Cambridge, 1980).
• P. Crone and M. A. Cook, Hagarism (Cambridge, 1977).
• F. M. Donner, The early Islamic conquests (Princeton, 1981).
• G. R. Hawting, The first dynasty of Islam: the Umayyad caliphate, AD 661-750 (London, 2000).
• H. Kennedy, The Prophet and the age of the caliphates: the Islamic Near East from the sixth to the eleventh century (London, 1986).
• J. Wellhausen, The Arab Kingdom and its fall (London, 2000).

External links

• Ummayad Lineage Chart
• Ummayads
• Umayyads - First caliphate dynasty