Islam starts spreading quickly through the world from 7th century. At first it expands in Orient - from Persia over Damask (today´s Syria) and Jerusalem to Egyptian Alexandria. It conquers Byzantium and settles down in North Africa. The Holy war forms solid and steady Muslim world. To convert Persians or Egyptians is not that complicated as adoption of Islam spares them from paying taxes.Muslims conquers North Africa at the beginning of 8th century and from there is not too far to Europe.
 |
| Muslim musicians at the court of the King of Sicily |
Christians and Jews are taken as a lost and God forgotten race who has no prophet on their own or even any Scriptures in their own language.
In 610 AD during Ramadan Muhammad (570 - 632)
experiences revelation of God. And the first words of Quran are about to be born. After two years of these powerful visions he confesses to his 15 years older wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid about his extraordinary experience.
He feels he can not keep this to himself and starts to preach.
He does not convey about new ways how to worship God but about something what Quraysh don´t like to hear: To collect fortune only for own good is bad and it is necessary to share it with the poor.
Muhammad's words are more and more popular among common people so it forms itself into the new sect called Islam. This is refused quite strongly by wealthy from Mecca.
 |
| Depiction from 1307 of first Muhammad revelation |
Men and women who are followers of Allah and his demands that the human beings should be honorable, honest and compassionate to each other start to pray with their faces on the ground and that meets mockery from other Arabs.
Muhammad becomes more and more influential so Quarysh decide that it is against the law to marry or make a business with Muslims. That means that no one can sell the food to Muslims.
Islamic slaves are tied and left on the sun till they die. This ban lasts for two years.
In 619 Muhammad´s wife dies and he knows that Mecca is not safe for him. Muslim families are leaving Mecca and settling 400 km away in Medina. Hijra ( emigration ) in 622 is a beginning of Islamic era.
 |
| Map of Saudi Arabia |
Muhammad builds new simple mosque where Muslims can discuss their matters.
In 624 Medina attacks Meccas caravan and the open fight about existence of Islam starts.
Fight and peace continues till 630. Muhammad goes to Mecca with army of 10 000 men. Quraysh know they have no chance so Mecca is conquered without the fight.
Muhammad dies in 632 and peace last for 100 years.
North Africa is in Muslims hands in 710 and with Berbers support they can conquer Europe.
In 711 Tarik ibn Ziyad takes 12 000 men on Arabian demand and lands in Spain .He moves to the Inland where army of king Roderich is defeated. Tarik conquers one city after another like Cordoba or Toledo, most of the time with help of betrayal from locals. Year later Musa ibn Nusajr joins him with his army. Both of them are called in 714 from ruler to Damask and accused from fraud and that is their end.
 |
| Tarik ibn Zyiad (+720) |
Part of the Iberian Peninsula ruled by Muslims is called Al-Andalus. Inhabitants do not resist to Islam because they don´t have to pay taxes as Christians or Jews.
Muslims settled down in Narbonne in 719 - city in the South of France, significant point next to Mediterranean sea.
Ruler of Aquitaine Eudo is aware of the danger from Muslims and fights back. He conquers back Toulouse and Muslims stop with military campaign for following ten years.
Berbers and Arabs comes to disagreement. Munuza ( Berbers commander and governor of North Spain ) makes a pact with Eudo. Munuza disagrees with the hunt for Christians in Galia and refuses to participate. For a promise not to attack Eudo´s lands Munuza asks for his daughter Lampégia to marry.
In 730 Abd al-Rahman sends his men to kill Munuza and his wife ends up in harem in Damask.
Eudo asks for help Charles Martel (686 - 741) Duke and Prince of the Franks.
Charles did not help 10 years ago and in that time he patiently built his army.
Eduo´s army is defeated in battle of Bordeaux. Abd al-Rahman celebrates victory and continues with Tours and tries to defeat Poitiers. But in 732 he meet Charles there.
Muslims are defeated and driven away. They will not get from Al-Andalus in to the central Europe.
0 comments:
Post a Comment