{"product_id":"the-great-caliphs-the-golden-age-of-the-abbasid-empire-9781848859760","title":"The Great Caliphs: The Golden Age of the 'Abbasid Empire","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe flowering of the 'Abbasid caliphate between 750 and 1258 CE is often considered the classical age of Islamic civilization. In the preceding 120 years the Arabs had conquered much of the known world of antiquity and established a vast empire stretching from Spain to China. But was this empire really so very different, as has sometimes been claimed, from what it superseded? The Great Caliphs creatively explores the immense achievements of the 'Abbasid age through the lens of Mediterranean history. When the Umayyad caliphs were replaced by the 'Abbasids in 750, and the Arab capital moved to Baghdad, Iraq quickly became the centre not only of an imperium but also of a culture built on the foundations of the great civilizations of antiquity: Greece, Rome, Byzantium and Persia. Debunking popular misconceptions about the Arab conquests, Amira Bennison shows that, far from seeing themselves as purging the 'occidental' culture of the ancient world with a 'pure' and 'oriental' Islamic doctrine, the 'Abbasids perceived themselves to be as much within the tradition of Mediterranean and Near Eastern empire as any of their predecessors. Like other outsiders who inherited the Roman Empire, the Arabs had as much interest in preserving as in destroying, even while they were challenged by the paganism of the past. Indebted to that past while building creatively on its foundations, the 'Abbasids and their rulers inculcated and nurtured precisely the 'civilized' values which western civilization so often claims to represent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An engaging synthesis of much recent scholarship on medieval Islamic society and culture which fills a significant gap in a literature dominated by histories of politics and religion.' - Times Literary Supplement;  'Offers a compelling yet nuanced understanding of the civilization of the 'Abbasid Empire. A wonderful book.' - Miri Rubin, Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History, Queen Mary, University of London;  'Bennison fashions a smooth, expository narrative, drawing back the curtain on medieval Islamic society by a mix of lively anecdotes, illuminating references to modern practices, striking comparisons with the more familiar medieval West, well-judged and pithy generalizations and gobbets of medieval texts that instantly bring long-dead people to life. There really is something here for everyone.' - Robert Hillenbrand writing in The Middle East in London\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgements Note on transliteration List of Maps List of Figures  Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 A Stormy Sea: the politics of the ‘Abbasid caliphate The making of an empire The Umayyads: Islam’s first caliphal dynasty The rise of the ‘Abbasids The early ‘Abbasid caliphate The Samarran interlude The Shi‘i century The Saljuq sultanate and the ‘Sunni revival’ The Crusades and the twilight of the caliphate Chapter 3 From Baghdad to Cordoba: the cities of classical Islam Arab urbanism at the dawn of Islam The first Muslim towns Umayyad urbanism ‘Abbasid imperial cities and their imitators Provincial cities in the ‘Abbasid age Chapter 4 Princes and Beggars: life and society in the ‘Abbasid Age Peasants and countryfolk The people of the city Women and children The religious minorities Beggars and tricksters Chapter 5 The Life Blood of Empire: trade and traders in ‘Abbasid times Routes and commodities Merchants and pilgrims Trade facilities Chapter 6 Baghdad’s ‘Golden Age’: Islam’s scientific renaissance The foundations of Islamic learning The flowering of knowledge under the ‘Abbasids The ‘Abbasid translation movement Translations, translators and scientists Knowledge and science after the translation movement Chapter 7 The ‘Abbasid Legacy Bibliography  Index","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52195389440343,"sku":"9781848859760","price":25.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781848859760.jpg?v=1763647405","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-great-caliphs-the-golden-age-of-the-abbasid-empire-9781848859760","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}