Timeline

570 - Muhammad is born in the city of Mecca.

610 - The religion of Islam begins when Muhammad receives the first revelations of the Quran.
622 - Muhammad and his followers move to Medina to escape persecution in Mecca. This migration
becomes known as the "Hijrah" and marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
630 - Muhammad returns to Mecca and gains control of the city. Mecca becomes the center of the Islamic
world.
632 - Muhammad dies and Abu Bakr succeeds Muhammad as leader of the Islam faith. He is the first of
the four "Rightly Guided" Caliphs. This also marks the beginning of the Rashidun Caliphate.
634 - Umar becomes the second Caliph. The Islamic Empire expands during his rule to include much of
the Middle East including Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and part of North Africa.
644 - Uthman becomes the third Caliph. He will create the standardized version of the Quran.
656 - Ali bin Talib becomes the fourth Caliph.
661 to 750 - The Umayyad Caliphate takes control after Ali is assassinated. They move the capital city to
Damascus.
680 - Hussein, the son of Ali, is killed at Karbala.
692 - The Dome of the Rock is completed in Jerusalem.
711 - Muslims enter Spain from Morocco. They will eventually gain control of most of the Iberian
Peninsula.
732 - The Islamic army pushes into France until they are defeated by Charles Martel at the Battle of
Tours.
750 to 1258 - The Abbasid Caliphate takes control and builds a new capital city called Baghdad. The
Islamic Empire experiences a period of scientific and artistic achievement that will later be called the
Golden Age of Islam.
780 - Mathematician and scientist al-Khwarizmi is born. He is known as the "Father of Algebra."
972 - Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt is founded.
1025 - Ibn Sina completes his encyclopedia of medicine called The Canon of Medicine. It will become
the standard medical textbook throughout Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years.
1048 - Famous poet and scientist Omar Khayyam is born.
1099 - Christian armies recapture Jerusalem during the First Crusade.
1187 - Saladin retakes the city of Jerusalem.
1258 - The Mongol army sacks the city of Baghdad destroying much of the city and killing the Caliph.
1261 to 1517 - The Abbasid Caliphate establishes the Caliphate in Cairo, Egypt. They have religious
authority, but the Mamluks hold the military and political power.
1325 - Famous Muslim traveler Ibn Battuta begins his travels.
1453 - The Ottomans take the city of Constantinople bringing an end to the Byzantine Empire.
1492 - After being pushed back for centuries, the last Islamic stronghold in Spain is defeated at Granada.
1517 to 1924 - The Ottoman Empire conquers Egypt and claims the Caliphate.
1526 - The Mughal Empire is established in India.
1529 - The Ottoman Empire is defeated at the Siege of Vienna stopping the advance of the Ottomans into
Europe.
1653 - The Taj Mahal, a tomb for the wife of the Mughal Emperor, is completed in India.
1924 - The Caliphate is abolished by Mustafa Ataturk, the first President of Turkey.

The Caliphate is the name of the Muslim government that ruled the Islamic Empire during the Middle
Ages. For a long period of time, the
Caliphate controlled Western Asia,
North Africa, and parts of Europe. Its
culture and trade influenced much of
the civilized world spreading the
religion of Islam and introducing
advances in science, education, and
technology.
The Caliphate began after the death of
Muhammad in 632 CE. The first
successor to Muhammad was Caliph
Abu Bakr. Today, historians call the
first Caliphate the Rashidun
Caliphate.

The First Four Caliphs

The Rashidun Caliphate consisted of the First Four Caliphs of the Islamic Empire. Rashidun means
"rightly guided." These first four caliphs were called "rightly guided" because they were all companions
of the Prophet Muhammad and learned the ways of Islam directly from Muhammad.
The Rashidun Caliphate lasted for 30 years from 632 CE to 661 CE. The First Four Caliphs included
Abu Bakr, Umar Ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Major Caliphates
Umayyad (661-750 CE) - Under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate, the Islamic Empire expanded
rapidly to include much of northern Africa, western India, and Spain. At its peak, it was one of the largest
empires in the history of the world.
Abbasid (750-1258 CE, 1261-1517 CE) - The Abbasids overthrew the Umayyads and established the
Abbasid Caliphate in 750 CE. The early rule of the Abbasids was a time of scientific and artistic
achievement. It is sometimes referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. In 1258, the capital of the Abbasid
Caliphate, Baghdad, was sacked by the Mongols and the caliph was killed. After this, the Abbasids
moved to Cairo, Egypt and reestablished the Caliphate. However, from this point forward the Caliphate
had little political power.
Ottoman (1517-1924) - Historians generally cite the beginning of the Ottoman Caliphate as 1517 CE
when the Ottoman Empire took control of Cairo, Egypt. The Ottomans continued to maintain their claim
as the Islamic Caliphate until 1924 when the Caliphate was abolished by Mustafa Ataturk, the first
President of Turkey.

Fall of the Caliphate

Historians differ on when the Islamic Caliphate came to an end. Many put the end of the Caliphate at
1258 CE, when the Mongols defeated the Abbasids at Baghdad. Others put the end at 1924 when the
country of Turkey was established.

Shia and Sunni Muslims

One of the major divisions in the Islam religion is between Shia and Sunni Muslims. This division began
very early in the history of Islam with the selection of the first Caliph. The Shia believed that the Caliph
should be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, while the Sunni thought that the Caliph should be
elected.

Interesting Facts about the Caliphate of the Islamic Empire

 During the Abbasid Caliphate there were other Caliphs who also laid claim to the Caliphate including
the Fatimid Caliphate, the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba, and the Almohad Caliphate.
 The position of caliph became hereditary during the Umayyad Caliphate, making it the first Islamic
dynasty.
 The term "caliph" is the English version of the Arabic word "khalifah."
 One of the responsibilities of the Caliph was to protect the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayyad Caliphate ruled the Islamic Empire from 661-750 CE. It succeeded the Rashidun Caliphate
when Muawiyah I became Caliph after the First Muslim Civil War. Muawiyah I established his capital in
the city of Damascus where the Umayyads would rule the Islamic Empire for nearly 100 years. The
Umayyad Caliphate was brought to an end in 750 CE when the Abbasids took control.

The Umayyad Caliphate expanded the Islamic Empire into one of the largest empires in the history of the
world. At its peak, the Umayyad Caliphate controlled the Middle East, parts of India, much of North
Africa, and Spain. Historians estimate the Umayyad Caliphate had a population of around 62 million
people, which was nearly 30% of the world's population at the time.

Government
The Umayyads modeled their government after the Byzantines (Eastern Roman Empire) who had
previously ruled much of the land conquered by the Umayyads. They divided the empire into provinces
that were each ruled by a governor appointed by the Caliph. They also created government bodies called
"diwans" that handled different government agencies.
Contributions
The Umayyads made several important contributions to the Islamic Empire. Many of their contributions
had to do with unifying the large empire and the many cultures that were now part of the empire. These
included creating a common coinage, establishing Arabic as the official language throughout the empire,
and standardizing weights and measures. They also built some of the most revered buildings of Islamic
history including the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.

FALL OF THE UMAYYADS:

As the empire expanded, unrest among the people and
opposition to the Umayyads increased. Many Muslims felt that
the Umayyads had become too secular and were not following
the ways of Islam. Groups of people including the followers of
Ali, non-Arab Muslims, and the Kharjites began to rebel
causing turmoil in the empire. In 750, the Abbasids, a rival
clan to the Umayyads, rose to power and overthrew the
Umayyad Caliphate. They took control and formed the
Abbasid Caliphate which would rule much of the Islamic
world for the next several hundred years Dome of the Rock Source

Iberian Peninsula
One of the Umayyad leaders, Abd al Rahman, escaped to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) where he
established his own kingdom in the city of Cordoba. There the Umayyads continued to rule portions of
Spain until well into the 1400s.

Interesting Facts about the Umayyad Caliphate

 Umayyad is sometimes spelled "Omayyad."
 Non-Muslims had to pay a special tax. This tax offered them protection under the Caliphate. People
that converted to Islam no longer had to pay the tax.
 Some historians consider the Umayyad dynasty as more of a "kingdom" than a Caliphate because
their rulers were hereditary rather than elected.
 The Caliph Yazid (son of Muawiya I) had Hussein (the son of Ali, the famous fourth caliph) killed
when Hussein refused to take an oath of loyalty to the Umayyads.
 The borders of the Umayyad Caliphate spread nearly 6,000 miles from the Indus River in Asia to the
Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain).

Abbasid Caliphate
The Abbasid Caliphate had two major periods. The first period
lasted from 750-1258 CE. During this period, the Abbasids
were strong leaders who controlled a vast territory and created a
culture that is often referred as the Golden Age of Islam. In 1258 CE, however, the capital city of
Baghdad was sacked by the Mongols causing the Abbasids to flee to Egypt.
The second period lasted from 1261-1517 CE. During this time the Abbasid Caliphate was located in
Cairo, Egypt. While the Abbasids were still considered the religious leaders of the Islamic world, a
different group called the Mamluks held the true political and military power.

The Abbasid Caliphate ruled over a large empire that included the Middle East, western Asia, and
northeast Africa (including Egypt).

Golden Age of Islam

The early part of the Abbasid rule was a time of peace Siege of Baghdad by Unknown,1303
and prosperity. Great advances were made in many areas
of science, mathematics, and medicine. Schools of higher
education and libraries were built throughout the empire.
The culture flourished as Arabic art and architecture
reached new heights. This period lasted from around 790
CE to 1258 CE. It is often referred to as the Golden Age
of Islam.

Fall of the Abbasids

The early 1200s saw the rise of the Mongol Empire in
eastern Asia. The Mongols conquered China and then
began their march west to the Middle East. In 1258, MAP OF ABBASID CALIPH IN 755 CE
the Mongols arrived at Baghdad, the capital city of
the Abbasid Caliphate. The Caliph at the time
believed that Baghdad could not be conquered and
refused to meet the Mongols' demands. The leader of
the Mongols, Hulagu Khan, then set siege to the city.
In less than two weeks Baghdad had surrendered and
the Caliph was put to death.

Rule from Egypt

In 1261, the Abbasids reclaimed the Caliphate from
Cairo, Egypt. The real power in Egypt was a group
of former slave warriors called the Mamluks. The
Mamluks ran the government
ABBASIDS BUILD THE ROUND CITY OF BAGHDAD and the armies, while the
Abbasids had authority over the Islam religion. Together they ruled the Caliphate from Cairo until 1517
when they were conquered by the Ottoman Empire.

Interesting Facts about the Abbasid Caliphate

 The sacking of Baghdad in 1258 is considered to be the end of the Islamic Caliphate by many
historians. The Mamluks were once the slave warriors of the Islamic Caliphate. However, they
eventually gained power of their own and took control in Egypt.
 The Abbasids got their name from being descendents of Abbas ibn Abd al.Muttalib. Abbas was an
uncle of the Prophet Muhammad and one of his companions.
 The first capital city of the Abbasids was Kufa. However, they founded and built the city of Baghdad
as their new capital in 762 CE.
 Historians estimate that around 800,000 people were killed during the sacking of Baghdad by the
Mongols. They killed the Caliph by wrapping him up in a carpet and trampling him with horses.

OTTOMAN EMPIRE:
The Ottoman Empire ruled a large portion of the
Middle East and Eastern Europe for over 600
years. It first formed in 1299 and finally dissolved
in 1923, becoming the country of Turkey.

Rise of the Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was founded by Osman I, a leader
of the Turkish tribes in Anatolia in 1299. Osman I
expanded his kingdom, uniting many of the
independent states of Anatolia under one rule. Osman
established a formal government and allowed for
religious tolerance over the people he conquered.
Map of the Ottoman Empire in 1566 by Esemono
Capturing Constantinople
Over the next 150 years the Ottoman Empire continued to expand. The most powerful empire in the land
at the time was the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). In 1453, Mehmet II the Conqueror led
the Ottoman Empire in capturing Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantium Empire. He turned
Constantinople into the capital of the Ottoman Empire and renamed it Istanbul. For the next several
hundred years the Ottoman Empire would be one of the largest and most powerful empires in the world.
When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire, a large number of scholars and artists fled to Italy.
This helped to spark the European Renaissance. It also caused the European nations to begin to search for
new trade routes to the Far East, beginning the Age of Exploration.

Suleiman the Magnificent

The Ottoman Empire reached its peak during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. He ruled from 1520
to 1566. During this time the empire expanded and included much of Eastern Europe including Greece
and Hungary.

Decline
The Ottoman Empire began to decline in the late 1600s. It ceased to expand and began to face economic
competition from India and Europe. Internal corruption and poor leadership led to a steady decline until
the empire was abolished and the country of Turkey was declared a republic in 1923.

Timeline
1299 - Osman I founded the Ottoman Empire.
1389 - The Ottomans conquer most of Serbia.
1453 - Mehmed II captures Constantinople putting an end to the Byzantine Empire.
1517 - Ottomans conquer Egypt bringing Egypt into the empire.
1520 - Suleiman the Magnificent becomes ruler of the Ottoman Empire.
1529 - The Siege of Vienna.
1533 - The Ottomans conquer Iraq.
1551 - The Ottomans conquer Libya.
1566 - Suleiman dies.
1569 - Much of Istanbul burns in a great fire.
1683 - The Ottomans are defeated at the Battle of Vienna. This signals the beginning of the decline of the
empire.
1699 - The Ottomans give up control of Hungary to Austria.
1718 - Beginning of the Tulip period.
1821 - The Greek War of Independence begins.
1914 - The Ottomans join the side of the Central Powers in World War I.
1923 - The Ottoman Empire is dissolved and the Republic of Turkey becomes a country.

Religion
Religion played an important role in the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans themselves were Muslims,
however they did not force the peoples they conquered to convert. They allowed for Christians and Jews
to worship without persecution. This kept the people they conquered from rebelling and allowed them to
rule for so many years. The Sultan The leader of the Ottoman Empire was called the Sultan. The title of
Sultan was inherited by the eldest son. When a new Sultan took power he would put all of his brothers
into prison. Once he had a son of his own to inherit the throne, he would have his brothers executed.

Interesting Facts about the Ottoman Empire

 The Sultan and his many wives lived in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The Sultan would move to a
different room in the palace every night because he was scared of being assassinated.
 Suleiman the Magnificent was considered the earthly leader of all Muslims. He was called "The
Lawgiver" by the Ottomans.
 The Republic of Turkey was founded by revolutionary Kemal Ataturk.
 The elite battle troops of the Sultan were called Janissaries. These soldiers were selected from
Christian families at a young age. They were considered slaves, but were treated well and paid a
regular salary.
 The Tulip period was a time of peace when the arts flourished in the Ottoman Empire. Tulips were
considered a symbol of perfection and beauty.