The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live InDa Capo Press, 2007 M09 11 - 448 pages Today's Arab world was created at breathtaking speed. In just over one hundred years following the death of Mohammed in 632, Arabs had subjugated a territory with an east-west expanse greater than the Roman Empire, and they did it in about one-half the time. By the mid-eighth century, Arab armies had conquered the thousand-year-old Persian Empire, reduced the Byzantine Empire to little more than a city-state based around Constantinople, and destroyed the Visigoth kingdom of Spain. The cultural and linguistic effects of this early Islamic expansion reverberate today. This is the first popular English-language account in many years of this astonishing remaking of the political and religious map of the world. Hugh Kennedy's sweeping narrative reveals how the Arab armies conquered almost everything in their path, and brings to light the unique characteristics of Islamic rule. One of the few academic historians with a genuine talent for story telling, Kennedy offers a compelling mix of larger-than-life characters, fierce battles, and the great clash of civilizations and religions. |
Contents
Remembrance of Things Past | 12 |
The Foundations of Conquest | 34 |
The Conquest of Syria and Palestine | 66 |
Copyright | |
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Abd Allah Alexandria Allāh ancient Arab Arab armies Arab conquests Arabia Arabic sources attack Baladhuri Basra battle Bedouin began Berbers booty Bukhara Byzantine caliph campaign capital centre Christian Chronicle churches commander conquered conquerors Coptic Damascus defeated defenders desert early Islamic early Muslim east Egypt eighth century emperor enemy expedition fighting fortress frontier Futūḥ garrison governor Greek Heraclius historians horses Ibn Abd al-Hakam important inhabitants invaders Iran Iranian Iraq Islam John of Nikiu Khagan Khalid Khurasan killed king lands Mecca Medina Merv military mosque mountains Muhammad Mūsā Muslim armies Muslim conquest Muslim forces Muslim rule narratives nomads North Africa Oxus Persian Prophet Qadisiya Quraysh Qutayba raid religion resistance river Roman rulers Rustam Samarqand Sasanian Sasanian Empire seems settled ships siege Soghdian Spain story sword Syria Ta'rikh Tabari Taʼrīkh town tradition Transoxania tribal tribe tribute troops Turks Umar Umayyad Uqba walls Yazdgard Yazid