When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World : The Rise and Fall of Islam's Greatest Dynasty

by Kennedy, Hugh

• ISBN13: 9780306814358
• ISBN10: 0306814358
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-05-10
• Publisher: Perseus Books Group

Summary

The "golden age of Islam" in the eighth and ninth centuries was as significant to world history as the Roman Empire was in the first and second centuries. Islamic culture and enterprise stretched from Tunisia to India; its legacy influenced politics and society for years to come. From the founding of the city of Baghdad in A.D. 762 to the end of the ninth century, the rule of the Abbasid dynasty was the zenith of Islamic conquest and influence. The caliphs of Baghdad formed the model for succeeding Muslim regimes, from military conquests to court-sponsored poetry and literature, from building palaces to establishing court bureaucracies. Yet the true story of this fascinating empire has rarely been told outside the academic world.In this deftly woven narrative, Hugh Kennedy introduces us to the rich history and flourishing culture of the period and to the men and women of the palaces at Baghdad and Samarrathe caliphs, viziers, eunuchs, and women of the haremwho fashioned the glorious days of theArabian Nights. It is an epic story in every sense, with larger-than-life rulers, exotic slave girls, inventive tortures, and enough court intrigue to frighten a Borgia.

Author Biography

Hugh Kennedy has taught in the Department of Mediaeval History at the University of St. Andrews since 1972. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2000. Professor Kennedy lives in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vi
List of Illustrations	vii
List of Maps	ix
Maps	x
Genealogy	xv
Timeline	xvi
Foreword	xix
1. Revolution	1	(10)
2. Mansur and his Legacy	11	(40)
3. Harun al-Rashid: the Golden Prime	51	(34)
4. The War between the Brothers	85	(27)
5. Poetry and Power at the Early Abbasid Court	112	(18)
6. Landscape with Palaces	130	(30)
7. The Harem	160	(40)
8. Ma'mun to Mutawwakil	200	(43)
9. Abbasid Court Culture	243	(18)
10. High Noon in Samarra	261	(36)
Notes	297	(16)
Bibliography	313	(4)
Index	317