Islam’s Impact on Europe

Caliphates – Causes

• Arab soldiers committed to the promise of plunder unified around Islam and conquered territory from Spain to India across North Africa, Arabia and Anatolia

• Weak Sassanid and Byzantine Empires made conquest easier

• Followers were attracted to ideas of equality among believers and familiar with monotheism from Jewish and Christian traditions

Effects• Caliphate’s introduced bureaucratic structure and

established first Muslim Empire• Arabs, Persians and other groups unified politically and

culturally as Muslims• Trade flourished, as merchants agreed on a common set of

Muslim business dealings• Intellectual development led to algebra, preservation of

Classical texts especially those of the Greeks• Mosques, hospitals, schools, orphanages and the House of

Wisdom were built• Islam spread via trade routes to West Africa and to

Southeast via the Indian Ocean to Central Asia and China via the Silk Routes

Political

• Battle of Tours in 732AD stopped the Muslim advance into Europe and left only Spain in Muslim control.

• In 1096 Western Christians marched through the Byzantine Empire to take back the Holy Land from the Muslims.

• This conflict brought about the end of the feudal system in Western Europe.

Economic

• Increased interaction with the Islamic Empire during the Crusades led to a revival of European trade with Asia.

• This trade led to a rise in the economic prosperity of Western Europe

Geographic

• Islam spread into Africa, Asia, and Spain because of common language

Social

• Increased interaction with the Islamic Empire as a result of the Crusades opened Europeans up to new knowledge of science, medicine, and technology from the Muslims.

• Cordoba Spain was a cultural hub of the Islamic Empire in Europe.

• Europeans adopted Indian numerals from the Muslims

Religion Interaction• Before Muslim control, Jews ostracized• Spain = center of Muslim control with lots of

Jews– Under Muslim control, Cordoba becomes Western

Europe’s biggest city• Muslim practice of tolerance = everyone treated

well• Muslims don’t pay taxes– Jews and Christians pay taxes– Jewish bankers charge interest for loans and extend

credit for businesses• Reconquista – Christians try to recapture Spain– Successful under Ferdinand and Isabella