Lesson 20
Summary
TLDRThe video script covers the fall of the Byzantine Empire, highlighting the significance of the Roman Empire in the East and the rise of the Muslim Caliphates. It details the impact of strict Christian orthodoxy on persecuted minorities, the expansion of Islam under leaders like Abu Bakr and Omar, and the Muslims' more tolerant approach towards Christians and Jews compared to the Roman Empire. The narrative also addresses the division within Islam following Omar's assassination and the significance of the Dome of the Rock, concluding with the enduring legacy of Constantinople as a cosmopolitan center until 1453.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ The Roman Empire around 600 AD included parts of Western Europe, the Balkans, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and North Africa.
- 🦅 The Byzantine Empire, symbolized by a double-headed eagle, continued the legacy of the Roman Empire in the East until 1453.
- 👑 The Romanov dynasty's origin is linked to a Russian noble marrying a Roman princess after the fall of Constantinople.
- ⛪ The Byzantine Empire enforced strict Orthodox Christian practices, leading to persecution of any deviations.
- ☪️ Abu Bakr and Omar the Great significantly expanded the Islamic Empire, often treating Christians and Jews better than the Romans did.
- 📜 Omar the Great's conquests included Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt, enhancing the Islamic Empire's influence.
- ⚔️ Muslims effectively created middle ground among border people exhausted by Roman and Persian conflicts, facilitating their conquests.
- 🚫 The assassination of Omar the Great by a Persian in 644 marked a pivotal moment in Islamic history.
- 📚 The early Islamic Empire valued scholarly knowledge and military prowess, with many fighters being knowledgeable in the Quran.
- 🌍 The Umayyad Caliphate expanded the Islamic Empire, including territories in North Africa, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Spain.
Q & A
What regions were part of the Roman Empire around 600 CE?
-Around 600 CE, the Roman Empire included the Balkans, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and various areas in North Africa.
What symbol represents the Byzantine Empire, and why is it significant?
-The double-headed eagle represents the Byzantine Empire. It is significant because it symbolizes the continuation of the Roman Empire in the East until 1453.
Who was Abu Bakr and what were his contributions to the Islamic world?
-Abu Bakr was the first Caliph of the Islamic world. He put down a revolt within the Arab community, solidified Islam on the Arabian Peninsula, and succeeded because he was Muhammad's right-hand man.
How did Omar the Great's approach to conquered territories differ from the Romans' approach?
-Omar the Great allowed existing local leaders to remain in power, promising not to persecute Christians or Jews, which contrasted with the Romans' stricter control and persecution of non-Orthodox Christians.
What major regions did Omar the Great conquer during his rule?
-Omar the Great conquered Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Judea (Palestine), and Egypt, significantly expanding the Islamic Empire.
How did the treatment of Christians and Jews under Muslim rule differ from their treatment under the Roman Empire?
-Christians and Jews were treated better under Muslim rule because Muslims did not persecute them as the Roman Empire did, leading to better relations and stability in the newly conquered regions.
What significant infrastructure and administrative changes did Usman implement during his rule?
-Usman established an Islamic navy, initiated public works to repair and maintain Roman infrastructure, and conquered additional territories, expanding the Islamic Empire into Africa, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan.
What was the significance of the Dome of the Rock, and why is it a point of conflict today?
-The Dome of the Rock is significant because it marks the spot where Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. It is a point of conflict because it is built on the site of Herod's Temple, a holy place for Jews, leading to tensions among Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
What is Greek fire, and how did it contribute to the defense of Constantinople?
-Greek fire was a mysterious incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire, which ignited upon contact with water. It played a crucial role in defending Constantinople against the Umayyad navy and ensuring the city's survival.
How did the death of Ali and his sons impact the split within the Muslim community?
-The assassination of Ali and his sons led to a major split within the Muslim community. The Sunnis recognized Ali as a martyr but remained the majority, while the Shia believed that Ali was the rightful successor to Muhammad, resulting in long-standing religious and political divisions.
Outlines
🏛️ The Roman and Byzantine Empire Overview
The Roman Empire, around 600, spanned parts of Western Europe, the Balkans, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and North Africa. The double-headed eagle banner symbolizes the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire. In 1453, the Byzantine Empire fell. A Russian noble married to a Roman princess claimed the Roman legacy by adopting the name Romanov. The Byzantine Empire's strict Orthodox Christian practices led to the persecution of heretics, which is crucial in understanding its later challenges.
🌍 Early Islamic Expansion and Religious Tolerance
Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, solidified Islam on the Arabian Peninsula and quelled revolts. His successor, Omar the Great, expanded Islamic rule significantly, taking over parts of the Roman Empire and treating Christians and Jews more leniently than the Byzantine authorities. This approach led to better treatment of Christian and Jewish communities under Muslim rule, facilitating further conquests.
⚔️ Omar's Conquests and Administrative Strategies
Omar's conquests included Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine. He was known for allowing local governance to continue under Islamic rule, maintaining infrastructure and administrative systems. Omar's successful campaigns and relatively tolerant policies helped consolidate the new Islamic Empire, but his assassination by a Persian marked the end of his rule.
📜 The Split Between Sunni and Shia Islam
The debate over Omar's successor led to significant divisions. Usman became the Caliph, introducing important reforms like establishing an Islamic Navy and public works. However, his unpopularity and strict policies led to his assassination. Ali, a key figure in early Islam, succeeded him but faced internal revolts. His assassination and the subsequent death of his descendants led to a permanent split between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
🏰 The Umayyad Caliphate and Its Achievements
The Umayyad Caliphate expanded the Islamic Empire, including conquering Spain. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, a significant Islamic site, was built during their rule. The Umayyads established a monarchy-like system, moving away from the earlier method of selecting Caliphs based on merit and connection to Muhammad. Their rule marked a period of significant architectural and administrative achievements.
🌟 Constantinople: The Prized City
Constantinople was the most sophisticated and cosmopolitan city from 400 to 1453. It was a center of trade and culture, attracting people from various regions. The city's strategic importance made it a coveted prize for many empires, including the Umayyads, who laid siege to it. However, they were defeated by the Byzantine's use of Greek fire, ensuring the city's survival for centuries.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Roman Empire
💡Byzantine Empire
💡Abu Bakr
💡Omar the Great
💡Greek Fire
💡Sunni
💡Shia
💡Umayyad Caliphate
💡Dome of the Rock
💡Constantinople
Highlights
The Roman Empire in 600 included the Balkans, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and North Africa.
The Byzantine Empire, symbolized by the double-headed eagle, continued the Roman legacy in the East.
In 1453, the fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire.
A Russian noble married a Roman princess, leading to the Romanov dynasty in Russia.
The strict Orthodox Christian practices of the Byzantine Empire led to persecution of those who deviated.
Abu Bakr solidified Islam on the Arabian Peninsula and put down a revolt within the Arab community.
Omar the Great expanded the Islamic Empire into Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Judea.
Muslims treated Christians and Jews better than the Christian Roman Empire did, leading to smoother conquests.
Omar's assassination by a Persian in 644 marked a significant turning point.
Muslims reached a middle ground between Romans and Persians, facilitating their conquests.
Usman established an Islamic Navy and carried out important public works to repair infrastructure.
The Umayyad Caliphate expanded the Muslim empire to include Spain and created a traditional monarchy.
The Dome of the Rock, built on Herod's temple site, symbolizes Muhammad's ascension to heaven.
Greek fire was a crucial defense technology that helped Constantinople resist Muslim sieges.
Constantinople was the world's most sophisticated and cosmopolitan city from 400 until 1453.
Transcripts
so the purple bits are the Roman Empire
about 600.
and you can see that basically all of
Western Europe is gone but we know today
as
um the Balkans Greece Egypt
uh
turkey all these areas in North Africa
were all part of the empire
um
the banner above with the double-headed
Eagle is the symbol of the Roman Empire
in the East the Byzantine Empire and
this is important because in 1453 when
continent will fall
um there is a Russian Noble who has
married a
Roman princess
and you know obviously she's very upset
because the Empire is gone her family
has died and he looks at her and he says
honey as long as
um
your blood flows so too will the Roman
Empire and he changes his name to
Romanov and of course if you're really
into these things that means that the
Roman Empire technically will end in
1917 with the assassination of Nicholas
II in next semester's course now
here's a problem that is going to
totally backfire on the Byzantine Roman
Empire and that is that they were very
strict as far as how Christianity should
be practiced so you had to follow what
is today known as deep Orthodox faith
and what this meant was that if you
deviated in any way shape or form
like not necessarily believing that
Jesus was the god or not understanding
the Trinity of the Holy Ghost all that
stuff
you would be persecuted and this will be
very important
so
last time we were talking about Abu Bakr
now bocker is technically only
um Khalif ruler of the Islamic world for
a two-year period but he does important
things he puts down a Revolt within the
Arab community and he solidifies Islam
on the Arabic peninsula
additionally he he came to power because
he was basically
um Mama's right-hand man and it seemed
very logical that he would take over
after Muhammad died no one questioned
that
bocker is replaced by Omar the Great
Omar will in 10 years
make significant inroads into the Roman
Empire and part of the reason why this
happens is because
Muslims believe that Christians are
people of the book
and so when they move into an area that
has a persecuted Christian minority
and they say hey we're not going to
bother with you we're not going to
persecute you if you're a Christian or a
tube you don't care
it's weird but
Christians in certain areas of Syria and
Iraq are actually better treated under
um Muslims than they were under the
Christian Roman Empire
and so what you see happen is within two
years he has taken Iraq he has taken
Syria he has taken Jordan
then within another year he has taken
over
um
Lebanon and
uh Judea Palestine which means that the
you know the birthplace of Jesus the
place where Jesus died is now not
controlled by the Romans
um for Jews they were treated much
better by the Muslims than by the
Christians because the Christians blame
Jews for the death of Christ
also one of the things that happened
um under Omar the great is when Omar
comes in he basically like if Omar were
to take Charlottesville he'd basically
write in and say look I'm in charge now
I'm not going to replace the mayor I'm
not going to get rid of the city manager
I'm not going to fire the police force
I just need you all to function and so
there is this overlaying of his of an
Islamic empire but in reality
aside from the from the Roman military
being defeated not a tremendous amount
of change
it's 641 he successfully takes over
Egypt which is significant because it's
the Bread Basket of the empire
he has done amazing things
there's only also one thing that I
should point out
that Muslims are able to do
that the Romans have failed to do
is that Muslims are able to reach out
and find a middle ground between those
people who have been fighting each other
between the Romans and the Persians
because if you think about it many
people on the border are basically the
same people
and the Muslims coming in as a third
party fresh and ready are able to defeat
both groups
and as Omar begins to make incursions
into the Persian Empire
this will be actually his undo doing he
is assassinated by a Persian in 644.
at this point in time
well let me just say one quick thing so
and I'll come back to this in a minute
but
one of the things that made Muslim
forces so successful was the concept
that if he died in promoting the faith
you would go to paradise additionally
some of the most fervent Fighters for
the cause of Islam were also some of its
greatest Scholars and so you had
individuals who had memorized large
portions of the Quran who
had no fear of death because they knew
where they were going and it's one of
these things I remember reading an
article by a man who had been a spy
during World War II
and he said you know I killed dozens of
German soldiers because the German
soldiers were just there in France and
they didn't care but for me as a
Frenchman wanting to liberate my country
I felt inspired in a way they were just
doing their Duty and guarding an outpost
whereas I was trying to liberate
something and that made all the
difference
so this is the Empire that Omar leaves
and in fact by the time Omar dies he has
managed to successfully do something the
Romans have not been able to do he
defeats the Persian forces
and again
it's interesting because
Persians were zoroastrians
and while there are many commonalities
between the zoroast faith and isbomb
it's not an approved religion I mean
it's
semi-tolerated in Iran today but only
semi
um and the fact that Omar was able to
successfully conquer Persia I mean the
Romans are going how in the heck is this
possible Persia has been our enemy for
800 years
and these people come through in three
years and wipe it out I think part of it
is the fact that the Romans and the
Persians were exhausted
so when Omar dies there's a big debate
that comes
should
Usman be the new uh
Khalif the ruler or should it go to
Muhammad's son-in-law Ali
now
Ali is supposedly he was born in the
Kaaba and he was one of the earliest
followers of Muhammad
um he had actually grown up around
Muhammad and Muhammad's family and he is
a scholar he is a legal scholar he's a
philosopher he's probably one of the
most intelligent individuals in the Arab
world
is a
um
Merchant a politician he's a much older
man but he has managed to basically
politically outflank
the followers of ali
um
whose mind is going to make a bunch of
people angry but we'll get to that in a
second in the end Ali loses out the
intellectual philosopher the heart and
soul of Islam loses out to the politics
so what Usman does is he does a number
of bureaucratic and important things
he establishes an Islamic Navy huh well
yeah it was a land-based Empire that
came out of at the region he recognized
they needed a Navy if they were going to
defeat the um
uh the Romans additionally he recognized
the fact that
that there needed to be Public Works
done because the thing is that up until
um 644
the
um
the Islamic forces are relying
completely on Roman infrastructure
and even though Muslim forces have swept
very quickly aqueducts have been damaged
things have to be prepared
um so these are rare very important
things he also manages to caucus Africa
bringing the berbers in line he pushes
into modern day Turkey he moves all the
way into Afghanistan and to Azerbaijan
he creates this huge Islamic empire
but he's not popular
and as Muslims conquer more and more
territory there is infighting among the
Muslims one of the things that he did
was to try to protect the territorial
claim to the individuals who are
existingly living there
so like for example
there's a thought you take a town you
can you can you know
pillage and take stuff and he's like no
you shouldn't be doing that that is not
the way of Allah and it creates friction
so much friction that what will happen
is in 656
a um an Egyptians assassination Squad
will move in on his
um his Palace
and
you know initially he's not really too
afraid because Ramadan is coming and
people will be coming back to Mecca and
he knows that that these these Rebel
Egyptians could be crushed and what ends
up happening is they managed to sneak
into the palace they attack him they
kill him his wife actually one of his
wives tried to save him and she lost
several of her fingers
um
one of the things is that that sorry
about that
um
that happens during usman's time
and we'll come to it in a second
potentially the most Court Legacy of Pez
is the corrupt but first let's just jump
back for a second now
um this is the Roman Empire in 650 and
you can see that this area here in North
Africa has not quite Fallen yet there
was a
there was a back and forth that takes
place but really by 650 the Roman Empire
is centered in
turkey
and this is really where it will stay
and it's the prize that Islamic force is
what and they're going to spend
[Music]
700 years trying to take it
but back to the Quran so Quran means
recitation if we were actually meeting a
class I would show it to you a couple
things about the Quran that are
important to know
um the Quran should always be the
highest book in a room
it's a issue of reverence you don't put
anything on top of it you don't put
a book you don't put a vase it should
sit on the highest level
um
when I worked at Mary Baldwin I had
bookshelves throughout my office and I
had the Quran sitting on top of the
Bookshop for the Fire Marshall came in
and he said you can't do that that's a
safety hazard I'm like what he's like
you can't do that I'm like it's Quran it
has to be the highest book in the in the
group
he's like
is this a religious thing and I said
yeah is it okay
and then about a month and a half later
I had a student who I had no idea was
was Muslim come in to have a meeting
with me and she looked up and she sees
it and she said oh
Dr Potter this is good I'm glad that you
pay attention to these things so
there was a problem that existed because
the Quran was an oral tradition and
there was a there was a moment in time
in which Usman realized that if it
wasn't written down which technically it
wasn't supposed to be
it would disappear because there were
only five guys left who knew certain key
passages
and so what happens is by 6 50 we have a
written document which still exists
today and if you have a chance you know
check it out because it's there are
certain things it's written very
differently for other religious texts
because it's meant to be memorized
additionally Arabic like
um Hebrew is written
um
the reverse
of our Roman alphabet so for example in
a normal you know Western book you open
and you flip the pages to the left it is
the reverse with the crime uh
so what happens
when Usman is assassinated
Ali is finally given the chance and Ali
will only be Khalif for about five years
um and what
the reason why is there was an Arabic
Revolt that was kind of sparked during
this month's time Ali attempted to
negotiate and to find a solution that
was a legal solution and in doing so he
was seen as being weak what ends up
happening is that Ali is assassinated
while at prayer
he doesn't die immediately it's a poison
dagger he says if I live I want the
person who tried to kill me to be
pardoned if I die they can only be one
blow well needless to say his son
Hussein guarantees that one blow will be
permanent the thing here is
that
and I'm going to go out on a limb here
but
it's not good to kill people that's not
a good thing to do but additionally
killing people while they're at worship
is like in my mind guaranteeing that you
go to that dark place dance
um
I have no patience for people who drive
past a church with a machine gun
tap it
people who take hostages and kill them
people who
um suicide bomb in
um mosques or temples it is wrong
Ali's death Ali is recognized as a
martyr by all Muslims but his death will
cause a huge split within the Muslim
population
which the majority the sunnis
see him as you know he's a good guy he
shouldn't have died he was a scholar and
philosopher okay if we move on
the Shia believe
that Ali's death and then the death of
his kids that will follow
is an irreparable split between the two
groups of Islam they believe that from
the beginning Ali should have been the
Khalif that he was denied this because
of politics and that politics was put
over religion now here's the thing
the majority of Muslims in the world are
Sunni this year tend to be concentrated
In Pockets there's a pocket in Egypt
there's a pocket in um
Lebanon
in Iraq and then the one nation that is
dominant Shia would be
Iran
a lot of westerners do not understand
the difference after 9 11 a lot of
people assumed that it had to be the
Shia who had committed it the Iranians
um because they had committed terrorist
acts in the 70s and 80s
the problem was that all the hijackers
from 9 11 were so many so it didn't work
but you have politicians
this
construed these two very different
groups and trust me Shia and Sunni do
not get along
so what happens is that Ali's son
Hussein
uh will try to kind of reclaim the right
to rule you'll be chased down he will be
murdered and killed basically every
descendant avali is killed by the sunnis
in order to make sure that
um
that they cannot move forward in other
words you're killing
um
children and grandchildren of the
Prophet Muhammad in order to make it I
don't understand it but still the group
that led this kind of wholesale removal
of Ali and his family were the umiat
and the umiyad will create the umiyad
caliphate and they will rule the Muslim
world for almost 90 years
and the omeads will expand the Muslim
empire to include
um Spain
and we'll come back to this because this
is important this that the Umi ads will
actually basically roll up all of Spain
um much to the frustration confusion and
consternation of many Western Europeans
um and the before the the
um
the khalifs had been picked the rulers
had been picked based on their ability
and and kind of
um their connection to Muhammad the
umiyad it becomes a traditional
um
monarchy as it were
one of the things that is built during
the umiyad caliphate is the Dome of the
Rock
this is a structure that is built on top
of what was uh herod's temple in the
center of Jerusalem and in the center of
the Dome of the Rock is this gigantic
Rock and I'll explain more about it in
just a minute but the thing about it is
it is a symbol today of conflict because
the Jews are not allowed on that top
area on which the Dome of the Rock sits
um and the Jews attack the Muslims who
go to pray at the Dome of the Rock and
the whole thing is kind of guarded by
Christians and it's a mess
an unintended mess it's a beautiful
structure it's actually a Byzantine a
Roman structure because at this point in
time Muslim Architects are still working
on the concepts that have been developed
by the Romans
so a little bit about the Dome of the
Rock so
the original Temple of Solomon was there
that Temple was updated by Herod it was
um
it was the temple that was destroyed by
the Romans in 70 CE the Romans then in
turn and this is the center picture
built a temple to Jupiter on top of the
Jewish temple as a way of going yeah
um and then of course once
of the Roman Empire became Christian
that Temple of Jupiter was knocked down
according to a
an Islamic
tradition Legend
Muhammad was transported to Jerusalem
and then from Jerusalem traveled up to
heaven and it had in heaven discoursed
with a number of great and important
religious figures like Abraham and
um
uh the the various prophets of the
Jewish
of the ancient Jewish um
kingdoms
um and
so when Muslim forces took
Jerusalem and they began kind of
exploring things and they discovered
that in fact the the Temple Mount was
truly a mount and a rock this is why the
Dome of the Rock was put there because
it symbolizes this moment where uh
Muhammad went into heaven and had this
interaction with people like Moses and
so forth and Elijah
um
and this is part of the reason why it is
kind of a non-negotiable
um and a friction point to this day
so
let's move away from religion right now
and get back to foreign politics so
having created this Navy the the Omi ads
now want to get the prize which is
Constantinople and so
um
they attempt to to take it and they put
it under siege for four years and these
are you can see the bottom right it's a
reconstruction of what happened and the
top left is the some of the surviving
walls it's interesting because when we
get to
uh King Edward the first of England and
his Welsh castles at least in one of
them he is trying to copy the pattern of
these walls which are seen as
indestructible
it was Hopper not the walls that ended
up defeating the Muslims but this
magical thing called Greek five and I
say it's magical because we don't know
exactly how it worked
um and there were multiple versions of
Greek fire but basically
from the late 600s all the way to the
1450s
the people of the Roman Empire the
scientists developed a series of things
one of them appears to have been a
liquid that when it made contact with
water with burst into flames uh one of
them is something that's kind of like an
apod that they would throw and then
light but the key is Greek fires
successfully defeated and wiped out the
umiyad Navy and guaranteed that
Constantinople would not fall
and
so these are images that have been made
by a crazy French architect who had too
much time before covid of what
Continental looked like and he did this
based on Surviving buildings like for
example you could see Iowa City up in
the top left there and what he did is he
created these photoshopped images to
give a sense of what concept it was and
Constantinople from about
400 until 1453 was the center of the
world
it was the most sophisticated
Cosmopolitan city in the world because
you could find everyone there you could
find Chinese you could find Arabs you
could find uh Christians and Jews you
could find Northern Europeans you could
find Romans and this is the prize that
everyone wants
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