In 661, Muawiya became caliph and founded the Umayyad Dynasty. Later, the Abbasid Dynasty was established in 750, transforming the Islamic world into an empire that promoted “equality for all.”
Umayyad Dynasty (661–750)
- Capital: Damascus (Syria)
- Preference for Arabs: Arab Muslims monopolized politics and the military, while non-Arab converts (mawali) were discriminated against
- Largest territory: expanded to Spain (the Iberian Peninsula), Central Asia, and western India
- 732: defeated by the Frankish Kingdom at the Battle of Tours and Poitiers, stopping expansion into Western Europe
Abbasid Dynasty (750–1258)
- Abolished preference for Arabs and appointed non-Arabs such as Persians and Turks, becoming an “Islamic empire”
- Capital: Baghdad (built in 762). A planned circular city
- The caliph was a symbol of religious authority, while the vizier managed practical affairs through a Persian-style bureaucracy
- The 8th–9th centuries were the height of prosperity. Trade, scholarship, and cities flourished
Example Question ①
State the greatest difference between the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties.
Answer: The Umayyad Dynasty favored Arab Muslims and discriminated against non-Arab converts (mawali), adopting an Arab nationalist policy. The Abbasid Dynasty treated people equally regardless of ethnicity as long as they converted to Islam, actively appointed Persian officials, and presented itself as an “Islamic empire of equality for all.”
State the greatest difference between the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties.
Answer: The Umayyad Dynasty favored Arab Muslims and discriminated against non-Arab converts (mawali), adopting an Arab nationalist policy. The Abbasid Dynasty treated people equally regardless of ethnicity as long as they converted to Islam, actively appointed Persian officials, and presented itself as an “Islamic empire of equality for all.”
Example Question ②
Why was Baghdad called the “circular city”?
Answer: Baghdad, built in 762 by Caliph al-Mansur, was called the “circular city” because it was a planned city with concentric walls centered on the caliph’s palace. Located at an important transportation point along the Tigris River, it is said to have had a population of more than one million at its height.
Why was Baghdad called the “circular city”?
Answer: Baghdad, built in 762 by Caliph al-Mansur, was called the “circular city” because it was a planned city with concentric walls centered on the caliph’s palace. Located at an important transportation point along the Tigris River, it is said to have had a population of more than one million at its height.
Key Points
- Umayyad Dynasty: capital Damascus, preference for Arabs, largest territory reaching Spain
- The Battle of Tours and Poitiers in 732 prevented expansion into Europe
- Abbasid Dynasty: capital Baghdad, ethnic equality, Persian-style bureaucracy
- Dissatisfaction among the mawali (non-Arab converts) contributed to the Abbasid Revolution
Practice Questions
- Give the capitals of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties, respectively.
- Explain what the mawali were.
- Give the name of the battle in 732 and its historical significance.
Answers and Explanations
- Answer: Umayyad Dynasty → Damascus; Abbasid Dynasty → Baghdad
Explanation: Baghdad was built in 762 at an important location along the Tigris River. - Answer: Non-Arab converts to Islam, mainly Persians and Berbers. Under the Umayyad Dynasty, they could not receive treatment equal to that of Arabs and became dissatisfied.
Explanation: Dissatisfaction among the mawali was one cause of the establishment of the Abbasid Dynasty. - Answer: The Battle of Tours and Poitiers. Charles Martel of the Frankish Kingdom defeated the Islamic army and stopped Islamic expansion into Western Europe.
Explanation: It is sometimes called “the battle that saved the West from Islam.”