On August 20, 636 AD, a battle was fought in Syria between the Roman army and a Saracen force made up of allied Arab tribes which during the previous decade had been converted to the new monotheistic religion of the prophet Mohammed.
Christian reactions to Muslim conquests (1st-3rd centuries AH; 7th-9th centuries AD)
April 7, 2013 By
We in fact find a great diversity of reactions to Muslim expansion from Christian authors, depending on their particular circumstances and point of view
Sleep paralysis in medieval Persia – the Hidayat of Akhawayni
March 25, 2013 By
Sleep paralysis, a rapid eye movement (REM) parasomnia, is characterized by a period of inability to perform voluntary movements at sleep onset (hypnagogic form) or upon awakening (hypnopompic form).
Al-Maqrizi and the Fatimids
March 3, 2013 By
There are other less dramatic examples. Only a small section of the massive history by al-Musabbih ̋| (d. 420/1029)2 has been recovered and it is now in the Escorial. On the title page of that manuscript is the signature of al-Maqr|z|, indicating apparently that he once possessed and/or used it.
Notes on a private library in fourth/tenth-century Baghdad
March 3, 2013 By
Studies on medieval Arabic bibliophilia have mainly focussed on public and semi-public institutions, for some of which we have detailed information. Less is known about private libraries and their physical arrangement. This paper looks at the library of Abū Bakr al-Ṣūlī (d. 335/947), which is described by the sources in unique terms, contextualising it with al-Ṣūlī’s own words on collecting and organizing books.
To Be A Prince In The Fourth/Tenth-Century Abbasid Court
February 24, 2013 By
This paper explores one aspect of the personal world that constituted the fourth/ tenth century caliphal court by focusing on the life and career of the Abbasid prince Abu al-ʿAbbas, eldest son of the caliph al-Muqtadir (AH 295–320/CE 908–932).
How the Medieval World Adapted to Rise of Islam
January 2, 2013 By
Historian from the University of Cincinnati examines how border areas and frontiers of the past adapted to major political, cultural and social shifts, specifically in terms of the rise of Islam in Asia and the Middle East.
The Effects of the Muslim Conquest on the Persian Population of Iraq
December 30, 2012 By
The Muslim conquest was responsible for changes in the distribution of Persians in Iraq wrought by the combined effects of death, captivity, defection, and migration.
Confronting the Caliph: ‘Uthmân b. ‘Affân in Three ‘Abbasid Chronicles
December 16, 2012 By
Until relatively recently medieval Islamic chroniclers were viewed by modern historians in much the same way that Muslims view Muhammad – as transmitter rather than author.
Scourges of God: A General Comparison of Tamerlane and Hulagu in the History of Baghdad
December 11, 2012 By
The sacking of Baghdad earned both Hulagu and Tamerlane the epithet ‘scourge of God’, though it will be shown that Hulagu‟s reputation has suffered more, acting as the scapegoat for later failings of Muslim empires.
The Indigenous Christians of the Arabic Middle East in an Age of Crusaders, Mongols, and Mamlūks (1244-1366)
December 2, 2012 By
The chronological period of study is highlighted by the usurpation of the Ayyūbid-ruled Sultanate by the Baḥrī Mamlūks, while the two most important political-military events in the region were the collapse of the Crusader States and the invasion of the Mongols. This thesis will examine how events impacted on the nine Christian Confessions, treating each separately.
A Tale of two cities and the Abbasid Caliphate 132- 656 / 750 – 1258
December 1, 2012 By
Examining the role of Baghdad in the development of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Singing Slave Girls (qiyan) of the Abbasid Court in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries
November 25, 2012 By
The category of slave in the Middle East encompassed a number of different duties and positions: eunuch, chattel, domestic servant, sexual subject, infantryman, concubine, entertainer, laborer, and sometimes a trusted and valued member of the household.
The Evolution of the Saladin Legend in the West
November 18, 2012 By
William of Tyreʼs account of the history of the Crusades stops suddenly in 1184. As he lays down his pen he is in despair at the inevitable outcome which he foresees for the struggle with Saladin. It was fortunate for him that he did not live to see the triumph of Saladin at Hattin and Jerusalem. Williamʼs judgement of Saladin, there- fore, is one of fear and admiration but he is also able to criticize his faults, especially his ruthless ambition.
Salutare Animas Nostras: The Ideologies Behind the Foundation of the Templars
November 18, 2012 By
The meteoric rise of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon (more commonly known as the Knights Templar) and their equally swift fall has fueled fanciful tales and scholarly research. The order promoted their mythological origins and the extreme charges leveled against them by Philip IV of France (1285-1314) created an atmosphere of speculation.
Archaeometry of medieval Islamic glazed ceramics from North Yemen
November 8, 2012 By
The Yemen Archaeological Project is concerned with the history and culture of a medieval Islamic university town, Zabid, and its interaction with neighboring settlements and the outside world, from A.D. 700 to 1750.
Rhazes: A Pioneer in Clinical Observation
October 30, 2012 By
Rhazes challenged accepted medical beliefs through his skepticism of certain Galenic practices, his definition of small pox and measles, and his perceptive research through clinical investigation, resulting in substantial improvements in medical beliefs and practice.
Light through the dark ages: The Arabist contribution to Western ophthalmology
October 28, 2012 By
Because blindness was a major cause of morbidity in the medieval Arab world, as is the case in the developing world today, Arabist physicians developed much exposure to ophthalmological conditions, and nearly every major medical work written at the time had a chapter on diseases of the eye.
Religion, Warfare and Business in Fifteenth Century Rhodes
October 25, 2012 By
How did a military-monastic order manage the resources of an island commercially asimportant as that of Rhodes while overcoming the limitations due to its patrimonial struc-tureto cover their defensive needs? In this essay weattempt to answer this question interms of practice and in the light of relationsthatthe Knights maintained with two distinctgroups of merchants: the Catalan-Aragonese and the Florentines.
Byzantium and the Arabs from the VIIth to XIth Century
October 22, 2012 By
During the seventh and the eighth centuries, the Arabs built their own empire within the eastern and western boundaries of the Byzantine Empire, obliging the two powers to coexist through war and in peace. How did they live together, or near each other?
Irrigation and taxation in Iraq 6th to 10th Century
October 20, 2012 By
Water management was crucial for agriculture in Iraq. The delicate ecological balance that allowed high soil productivity could be seriously threatened by irresponsible land administration.
The fabric of society: The organization of textile manufacturing in the Middle East and Europe, c. 700 – c. 1500
October 7, 2012 By
In recent years several attempts have been made to use institutional theory to explain this divergence between the Middle East and Europe. Most of these attempts focus on the organization of international trade.
Ecclesiastics and Ascetics: Finding Spiritual Authority in Fifth and Sixth Century Palestine
October 4, 2012 By
In the context of ongoing christological controversy and division within eastern Christianity, the relationship between ecclesiastic and ascetic authority is a fruitful avenue of investigation.
Worlds writ small: four studies on miniature architectural forms in the medieval Middle East
October 1, 2012 By
While academic discussion of ornament within medieval Islamic art has laboured much over the codification and meaning of certain forms, there has been relatively little research to date on the visual and iconographic function of architecture as ornament in this context…This thesis proposes, first and foremost, that there is significant cultural meaning inherent in the use of architecture as an inspiration for the non-essential formal qualities of portable objects from the medieval Islamic world.
Catholic, Crusader, Leper and King: The Life of Baldwin IV and the Triumph of the Cross
September 17, 2012 By
Baldwin IV was born in Jerusalem of King Amalric and Queen Agnes of Courtney in 1161. Intellectually
and physically gifted as a boy, he seemed well equipped to inherit the Crusader kingdom.
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