Islamic Silver Unveiled: Geochemical Insights Rewrite History
A groundbreaking study has shed new light on the sources of early Islamic silver coins, known as dirhams.
Beyond the chessboard: Adventures in Abbasid literature and historiography
An exploration of the ways in which the Abbasid court made sense of the past and, in general, of what ‘historiography’ means in a medieval Arabic context.
New Medieval Books: The Emperor and the Elephant
A book on medieval diplomacy, it is a case study of Carolingian relations with the Islamic world, particularly the Abbasids in the Middle East and the Umayyads in Iberia. It is a fascinating account of political relations revealing a more complex situation than has previously been thought.
The Medieval Superstar: A tale of singing, sexuality and slavery
Today few people would know the name ʿArīb al-Ma’mūnīya. But during her lifetime, she may have been the most famous person in the world.
New Medieval Books: Baghdād: From Its Beginnings to the 14th Century
This collection of 22 articles is a major guide and reference work to the medieval history of the city of Baghdad.
The Abbasid Civil War: Chaos in Iraq (813-819)
Despite al-Ma’mun’s victory in the war against his brother, al-Amin, the fighting did not end in Iraq. The six years after the siege of Baghdad were punctuated by factional fighting, violence, bloodshed, and social and political turmoil and unrest.
Sources of Life: Food and water sustainability in Abbasid Baghdad
Managing access to clean water and large quantities of grain and other foodstuffs was essential for the development of an exceedingly large city such as Baghdad under the Abbasids.Managing access to clean water and large quantities of grain and other foodstuffs was essential for the development of an exceedingly large city such as Baghdad under the Abbasids.
The Abbasid Civil War: The War of the Brothers (811-813)
The war between the sons of Harun al-Rashid caused irreparable damage to the economic, political, and military structure of the Abbasid caliphate. The struggle for the throne led to the caliphate’s eventual disintegration and the reduction of the Abbasid caliphs’ power and authority.
Fighting against the Abbasids: Rebellions of the Khurramiyya in the 8th century
There were several other rebellions by Khurramiyya groups in Khurasan, Sogdia, and the Jibal region that are described to some extent in the sources and sometimes even just mentioned in passing.
Babak’s Revolt of 816-837
Babak’s revolt in Azerbaijan was the longest and last major Khurramiyya rebellion in the wake of the Abbasid Revolution.
Al-Muqanna‘: The Veiled Prophet of Transoxiana
One of the most serious revolts against the still young Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century was led by a man best known in the sources as al-Muqanna‘, or “the veiled one.”
The First Khurramiyya Revolts: Mazdak and Sunbadh’s Rebellions
Abu Muslim’s betrayal and murder by the Abbasid caliph, al-Mansur, in 755 was the spark that ignited a series of revolts against caliphal rule by the various groups of Khurramiyya in the chaotic decades that followed the Abbasid Revolution. The largest and longest Khurramiyya revolts took place during the years 755-833.
Abu Muslim: The Architect of the Abbasid Revolution
He lived an extraordinary life; he was a servant/slave, a partisan, a revolutionary, a soldier, and rose to be the most powerful man in the caliphate.
Dueling Divas and Celebrity Fandoms in Medieval Samarra
In the 850s, ‘Arib of Samarra had a problem, and her name was Shariya. Shariya likewise had a problem, and her name was ‘Arib.
Life on the Byzantine-Arab Frontier
A look at the long-lasting conflict between the Byzantine and Abbasid empires.
The Battle of Talas
How did the armies of the Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty, two empires that were worlds apart, meet in Central Asia?
How the Hashimite Revolution became the Abbasid Revolution
In 750 the Umayyad caliphal dynasty was overthrown by a popular revolution that had its origins in the eastern regions of the Muslim world, primarily in Khurasan.
Slave, Queen, and Mother of Caliphs: The Story of Khayzuran
During her life and career Khayzuran rose from the status of slave to becoming the caliph, al-Mahdi’s (r. 775-785), favorite concubine, and then his legal wife and a queen in her own right who wielded an immense amount of political power and whose wealth was second only to that of her husband’s in the entire caliphate.
How the borders of Abbasid Caliphate changed in the Middle Ages
A look at the rise and fall of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled much of the Middle East and North Africa between the years 750 and 1258.
The Young Caliph and his Wicked Advisors: Women and Power Politics under Caliph Al-Muqtadir (r. 295–320/908–932)
This article explores the role of women as contenders for power at al-Muqtadir’s court.
The Vigilante Empire: The Pinnacle of Saffarid Power and the Dynasty’s Fall from Grace
As Yaqub ibn Layth gained power and followers, his ambitions grew, ultimately leading to a confrontation with the Abbasid Caliphate.
Uncovering the glass-industry in 9th century Iraq
Analysis of chemical composition of glass specimens allows reconstruction of glass supply and exchange networks in the Abbasid Caliphate
Baghdad as a Center of Learning and Book Production
Why does Baghdad become some an enormous centre of book production – of literature and the physical production of books?
Traditio vel Aemulatio? The Singing Contest of Samarra, Expression of a Medieval Culture of Competition
The rivalry between two famous female singers was the topic of the day in al-Mutawakkil’s (r. 847–61) Samarra, according to the Kitab al-aghani.
Tremors in the Web of Trade: Complexity, Connectivity and Criticality in the Mid-Eighth Century Eurasian World
Events within a fifteen-year period in mid-eighth century Eurasia included the Abbasid revolution, An Lu-shan’s Rebellion in Tang China, and the collapse or emergence of empires from Frankish Europe to Tibet to the kingdom of Srivajaya.