History
Sandar
http://www.omnibusol.com/ancient.html#egypt
ANCIENT CULTURES: SPANNING AND CONNECTING
So many lands, empires, city states, territories, peoples, cultures,
beliefs, symbols. Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the
trees; to notice the patterns; to sense the human interrelatedness; to
catch the common or similar fears, aspirations, dreams, brutalities,
misunderstandings, and strivings to know. Yet the continuities and
common themes loom every bit as important as the often perceived
"Tower of Babel."
After you have finished with Prehistory, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and
the other ancient civilizations, then and only then
end with this Spanning and Connecting Chapter. It is
only a taste of what is available - hopefully the finest. This
OVERVIEW bridges all the civilizations and deals with special places,
archaeology, arts and antiquity, cities, sites, cultures and culture,
medicine and science, women, history and literature, myths, magic,
legend, warfare, sources, lists.
http://www.omnibusol.com/bridges.html
Ancient World Civilization – the Complete Chronolgy
http://eawc.evansville.edu/chronology/index2.htm
On line free Electronic copy of the Qu’ran in English
Translation by Pickthall
http://www.islam.tc/quran/
Some info on Islamic Rule Chronologically:
570 CE: Early Islam
Born in Mecca, Muhammad is the founder of Islam, which has profound
influence on Africa, India, western Asia and Europe. He is considered
by Muslims to be God's last and greatest prophet. The Koran (Qur'an),
114 chapters of Muhammad's divinely inspired revelations, is the
Islamic scripture, which resembles Judaism and Christianity -- two
religions that largely influence Muhammad. These three religions are
the world's only monotheistic faiths.
590 CE: Medieval Europe
· Pope Gregory, originally a Benedictine, creates a religious policy
for western Europe by fusing the Roman papacy with Benedictine
monasticism. He creates the Latin church, which serves to counteract
the subordination of the Roman popes to Eastern emperors. As the
fourth great "church father," St. Gregory the Great draws his theology
from Ambrose of Milan, Jerome and AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. His concepts of
purgatory and penance widen the gulf between the Eastern and Western
Churches. He reigns until his death in 604 CE.
600 CE: Medieval Europe
· The early Middle Ages begin in 600 CE and last until 1050 CE.
610 CE: Early Islam
Originally adhering to a polytheistic notion of the divine, Muhammad
has a religious experience that changes not only his life, but the
history of a large part of the world. He hears a divine voice, later
believed to be the angel Gabriel of the Christian religion, tell him
that Allah is the only god. He receives further instructions to adopt
the name of "Prophet" and convert the Quaraish to accept the
monotheism.
610 CE: Medieval Europe
· Heraclius becomes Emperor in Constantinople as the Persian Empire
is attempting the takeover of Byzantine civilization. For the sake of
convenience, the rule of Heraclius generally marks the beginning of
Byzantine history, though it can be argued that Byzantine civilization
begins with Diocletian, Constantine or Justinian.
622 CE: Early Islam
· The Quaraishs resist the new religion. Muhammad and his small band
of followers migrate to the town of Yathrib in the north, which is
open to his new faith. The Hijrah of 622, the migration, marks the
beginning of the Muslim era. After making himself ruler, Muhammad
changes the name of the town to Medina ("city of the Prophet"), and
Medina becomes the seat of the caliphate.
· 627 CE: Medieval Europe
· Persia is conquered by Byzantine forces. The Jerusalem cross is
retrieved from the Persians, who stole the relic in 614 CE. Heraclius
reigns until his death in 641 CE.
628-630 CE: Medieval Europe
· David and Goliath from the David Plates of the Second Cyprus
Treasure (image).
630 CE: Early Islam
· Muhammad and his followers overtake Mecca. With the Quaraish in
submission, the Kabah, the central place of worship for Arabian
tribes, becomes the main shrine of Islam.
632 CE: Early Islam
· With the death of Muhammad, his father-in-law, Abu-Bakr, and Umar
devise a system in which Islam can sustain religious and political
stability. Accepting the name of caliph ("deputy of the Prophet"),
Abu-Bakr begins a military exhibition to enforce the caliph's
authority over Arabian followers of Muhammad. He thereafter moves
northward overtaking Byzantine and Persian forces. Abu-Bakr dies two
years following his succession of Muhammad. Umar succeeds him as the
second caliph and begins a campaign against the neighboring empires.
637 CE: Early Islam
· The Arabs occupy the Persian capital of Ctesiphon. By 651, the
entire Persian realm is under the rule of Islam as it continues its
westward expansion.
638 CE: Early Islam
· The Romans are defeated at the Battle of Yarmouk and the Muslims
enter Palestine. Before entering Jerusalem, Caliph Umar forms a
covenant with the Jews, pledging protection of their religious
freedom. The Muslims continue their conquest of Syria, Lebanon and
Iraq, which is completed in 641 CE.
641 CE: Early Islam
Islam spreads into Egypt. The Catholic Archbishop invites the Muslims
to help free Egypt from Roman oppressors. This exemplifies the
alliances formed between Muslims, Christians and Jews due to the
Muslims' establishment of religious freedom for Christians and Jews.
Muslim conquest is based on liberation, rather than subjugation, of
conquered peoples. Egypt, Persia and the Fertile Crescent are ruled by
the four "Righteous Caliphs" until 662 CE.
NOTE: The author used the word “ 4 Righteous Caliphs ” (
I assume that
it’s of the Umayyad ) until 662CE..
644 CE: Early Islam
Umar dies and is succeeded by Caliph Uthman, a member of the Umayyad
family who rejected Muhammad's prophesies. Rallies arise to establish
Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, as caliph.
650 CE: Medieval Europe
· Arab forces conquer most of the Byzantine territories, formerly
occupied by the Persians.
654 CE: Early Islam
Islam spreads into all of North Africa.
656 CE: Early Islam
· Caliph Uthman is murdered, and Ali becomes the new caliph.
661 CE: Early Islam
Not satisfied with Ali, Uthman's followers murder Ali. One of Uthman's
relations takes the title of caliph, and Damascus replaces Medina for
the seat of the caliphate. The Umayyad family rules Islam until 750.
Ali's followers form a religious party called Shiites and insist that
only descendants of Ali deserve the title of caliph or deserve any
authority over Muslims. The opposing party, the Sunnites, insist on
the customs of the historical evolution of the caliphate rather than a
hereditary descent of spiritual authority.
NOTE: “rather than a hereditary descent …”
662 CE: Early Islam
Egypt falls under the control of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates
until 868 CE. A year prior, the Fertile Crescent and Persia yield to
the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, whose reigns last until 1258 CE
and 820 CE, respectively.
669 CE: Early Islam
The Muslim conquest reaches to Morocco in North Africa. The region is
open to the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates until 800 CE.
677 CE: Medieval Europe
· The Arabs attempt to conquer Constantinople but fail.
687 CE: Medieval Europe
· Pepin of Heristal, a Merovingian ruler, unites the Frankish
territories and builds the center of his kingdom in Belgium and other
Rhine regions. He is succeeded by his son, Charles Martel, who forms
an alliance with the Church which helps the Merovingian Dynasty (and
Christianity) to expand into Germany. Pepin the Short succeeds his
father, Charles Martel, and strengthens the alliance between
Benedictine missionaries and Frankish expansion.
700 CE: Early Islam
The beginning of the eighth century sees the rise of Islamic
mysticism. Known as Sufism, this tradition is marked by the
individual's effort to establish an intimate relationship with Allah.
One of the most critical passages of the Koran for Sufis is verse
7:172 which describes the covenant between God and the individual's
soul before the creation of the universe. Renunciation is more than a
rejection of the material realm; its objective is a level of freedom
that promotes harmony with one's physical life, resulting in mystical
union.
700 CE: Medieval Europe
· Benedictine missionaries complete the conversion of England begun
by St. Gregory the Great.
710 CE: Early Islam
Tariq ibn Malik crosses the straight separating Africa and Europe with
a group of Muslims and enters Spain. A year later, 7000 Muslim men
invade Gibraltar. Almost the entire Iberian peninsula is under Islamic
control by 718 CE.
711 CE: Early Islam
With the further conquest of Egypt, Spain and North Africa, Islam
includes all of the Persian empire and most of the old Roman world
under Islamic rule.
Muslims begin the conquest of Sindh in Afghanistan. Until 962 CE,
Afghanistan witnesses different regional rules, periodically
controlled by the Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphates and other
locally-based rulers.
717 CE: Early Islam
The Umayyads attempt to conquer the Byzantine capital and fail,
resulting in the WEAKENING of the Umayyad government.
717 CE: Medieval Europe
· The Arabs attempt to conquer Constantinople for the second time.
Byzantine Emperor Leo the Isaurian, who reigns until 741 CE, counters
the Arab attempt with "Greek Fire" (a liquid mixture of sulfur,
naphtha and quicklime which is released from bronze tubes, situated on
ships and on the walls of Constantinople) and great military strength.
Leo defeats the Arab forces and reconquers most of Asia Minor. The
territory of Asia Minor, together with Greece, becomes the seat of
Byzantine civilization for several centuries.
732 CE: Early Islam
At the Battle of Poitiers, Islamic expansion is halted in France but
continues into parts of Asia and Africa.
735 CE: Medieval Europe
· Venerable Bede, an Anglo-Saxon Benedictine scholar, writes the
History of the English Church and People in Latin, perhaps the best
historical writing of medieval history.
740 CE: Medieval Europe
· The Iconoclastic movement is initiated by Byzantine Emperor Leo the
Isaurian, but the movement flourishes under the reign of his son
Constantine V who rules until 775 CE. The Iconoclasts advocate doing
away with paganistic icon worship (images of Christ or saints). For
them, Christ cannot be manifested or conceived of through human art.
The Iconoclast controversy ends in the ninth century when a new
Byzantine spirituality recognizes that the contemplation of icons may
help someone assend from the material to the immaterial.
750 CE: Early Islam
The Abbasids overtake the rule of the Islamic world (except for Spain
which falls under the rule of a descendant of the Umayyad family) and
move the capital to Baghdad in Iraq. Their orientation resembles
Persian absolutism.
The Arabian Nights, a compilation of stories written under the reign
of the Abbasids, is representative of the lifestyle and administration
of this Persian influenced government. Abd al-Rahman of the Umayyad
dynasty flees to Spain to escape the Abbasids and is responsible for
the "Golden Caliphate" in Spain, the greatest Islamic civilization yet
known.
750 CE: Medieval Europe
· The first great English epic poem, Beowulf, is written in Old
English. The work is anonymous and untitled until 1805. It is a
Christian poem that exemplifies early medieval society in England and
shows roots in Old Testament Law.
· Irish monks establish early-medieval art. The greatest surviving
product of these monks is the Book of Kells, a Gospel book of
decorative art.
751 CE: Medieval Europe
· St. Boniface anoints Pepin a divinely sanctioned king, and the
Frankish monarchy is fused into the papal order. The western European
empire, based on the alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the
Latin Church, provides the image of Western cultural unity for
Europeans, though it does not last long.
768 CE: Early Islam
Formerly passed down as an oral record, the history of Muhammad is
first recorded by the historian Ishaq ibn Yasar.
768 CE: Medieval Europe
· Pepin's son, Carolus Magnus (Charlemagne), succeeds his father and
is one of the most important rulers of medieval history. In time, his
empire, known as the Carolingian dynasty, includes the greater section
of central Europe, northern Italy and central Italy in addition to
realms already conquered by Frankish rule. Charlemagne's system of
government divides the vast realm into different regions, ruled by
local "counts" who are overseen by representatives of Charlemagne's
own court. In addition, to aid expansion and administration of the
kingdom, Charlemagne promotes, what is called later, the "Carolingian
Renaissance." Prior to this revival of learning, practically the
entire realm (with the exception of Benedictine England) is illiterate
due to the decay of the Roman Empire. The director of the
"renaissance" is Anglo-Saxon Benedictine Alcuin, who receives his
learning from a student of Bede. Alcuin sets up schools, sees to the
copying of classical Latin texts and develops a new handwriting.
786 CE: Early Islam
Caliph Harun al-Rashid, a major figure in the Arabian Nights, rules
until 809 CE.
789 CE: Early Islam
With the Idrisid dynasty of Morocco, which lasts until 985 CE, local
rulers begin to control North Africa.
800 CE: Early Islam
North Africa falls under the rule of the Aghlabi dynasty of Tunis,
which lasts until 909 CE.
800 CE: Medieval Europe
· On Christmas Day, Charlemagne is crowned emperor by the pope in
Rome. This event indicates an autonomous Western culture based on
Western Christianity and Latin linguistics. Charlemagne establishes
schools in all bishoprics and monasteries under his control.
800-900 CE: Greece
· The Prayer of Isaiah, Paris Psalter (image).
· Bed, Miniature, Constantine I (image).
800-1000 CE: Greece
· Pectoral Reliquary Cross (image).
814 CE: Medieval Europe
· Charlemagne dies without leaving competent successors to continue
the glory of the Carolingian dynasty. His sole surviving son, Louis
the Pious, divides his inheritance between his own three sons, who
engage in civil war. Charlemagne's united realm is invaded by
Scandinavian Vikings, Hungarians and Muslims during these civil wars.
The Carolingian Empire falls apart.
819 CE: Early Islam
Persian unity begins to disintegrate with the Samanid rulers in
Northern Persia, whose rule in this region lasts until 1055 CE. One
year later, the Tharid dynasty begins to control Khorastan (lasting
until 874 CE), and in 864 CE, the Alid dynasty begins rule over
Tabaristan (lasting until 1032 CE).
827 CE: Early Islam
Aghlabi rulers of Tunis begin conquests of Sicily which last until 878
CE.
857 CE: Early Islam
Sufi Al-Muhasibi introduces the study of conscience into Sufism.
865 CE: Early Islam
Rhazes discovers the difference between measles and smallpox. He is
considered the greatest physician of medieval times. Rhazes dies in
925 CE.