How did umayyads unite the many lands and people of the Muslim empire?

Answer 1

Answer 1

By the early 700s the Umayyads controlled a huge empire that covered many lands.

Answer 2

The Umayyads did not "unite" many lands. "Union" requires equality in administrative terms. The Umayyads came to power through the Fitna Al-Kubra (also known as the First Islamic Civil War). After this, they sent their armies in various directions to conquer more territory. Most people in these new territories accepted the conquest without challenge and openly joined in the conquering armies. This imperial expansion was not uncommon for empires built by nomadic and semi-nomadic groups. They conquered many lands and established an empire based on an Arab Sunni Aristocracy. It is not surprising that the Umayyad Caliphate fell around 100 years after its foundation due to internal strife and localized rebellion. (This is quite similar to the history of the Mongol Empire.)

The reasons for the collapse of the Umayyad Empire demonstrate this lack of union.

Mawali: Mawali (or non-Arab Muslims) were traditionally excluded from political and social affairs. The Umayyad in particular treated them as second-class Muslims. The evidence of this treatment was that Mawali were not allowed to have many government positions and that they were taxed whereas Arab Muslims were not taxed at all. Mawali made up an important component of the Umayyad Caliphate, especially Persians. Persia was always a high seat of culture in the Islamic Empire. As a result, ideas moved quite freely throughout Persia and Persians considered themselves to be of equal worth to Arabs.

Shiites: Under the Sunni Umayyads, Shiites were also discriminated against. After Yazid I martyred Hussein, the Shiites made it their mission in life to oppose every action of the Umayyad dynasty. It did not help matters that the Umayyads tortured and murdered Shiite Imams and Infallibles, leading to irreconcilability between the Shiites and the Umayyads.

Distance: There were no effective routes of communication between the Western Edges of the Caliphate and Damascus. This made local administrators more powerful as they would have to make their own decisions anyway (it would take too long for a messenger to go to Damascus and return). Many figured that they might as well make the change more permanent.

Political Issues: Not all Arabs of high political standing supported the Umayyads. There were several other families that were just as power-Hungary and the Umayyads spent much of their time thwarting coups d'état. Abu Al-Abbas As-Saffah of the Abbassids rose against the Umayyads and murdered the reigning Umayyad Caliph. He ordered the rest of his family to murder every single other Umayyad. As a result of the uprising, only one Umayyad, Amir Abd El-Rahman, survived. He would later flee to Spain and set it up as a Caliphate in opposition to the Abbassids.

Answer 2

Answer 1

By the early 700s the Umayyads controlled a huge empire that covered many lands.

Answer 2

The Umayyads did not "unite" many lands. "Union" requires equality in administrative terms. The Umayyads came to power through the Fitna Al-Kubra (also known as the First Islamic Civil War). After this, they sent their armies in various directions to conquer more territory. Most people in these new territories accepted the conquest without challenge and openly joined in the conquering armies. This imperial expansion was not uncommon for empires built by nomadic and semi-nomadic groups. They conquered many lands and established an empire based on an Arab Sunni Aristocracy. It is not surprising that the Umayyad Caliphate fell around 100 years after its foundation due to internal strife and localized rebellion. (This is quite similar to the history of the Mongol Empire.)

The reasons for the collapse of the Umayyad Empire demonstrate this lack of union.

Mawali: Mawali (or non-Arab Muslims) were traditionally excluded from political and social affairs. The Umayyad in particular treated them as second-class Muslims. The evidence of this treatment was that Mawali were not allowed to have many government positions and that they were taxed whereas Arab Muslims were not taxed at all. Mawali made up an important component of the Umayyad Caliphate, especially Persians. Persia was always a high seat of culture in the Islamic Empire. As a result, ideas moved quite freely throughout Persia and Persians considered themselves to be of equal worth to Arabs.

Shiites: Under the Sunni Umayyads, Shiites were also discriminated against. After Yazid I martyred Hussein, the Shiites made it their mission in life to oppose every action of the Umayyad dynasty. It did not help matters that the Umayyads tortured and murdered Shiite Imams and Infallibles, leading to irreconcilability between the Shiites and the Umayyads.

Distance: There were no effective routes of communication between the Western Edges of the Caliphate and Damascus. This made local administrators more powerful as they would have to make their own decisions anyway (it would take too long for a messenger to go to Damascus and return). Many figured that they might as well make the change more permanent.

Political Issues: Not all Arabs of high political standing supported the Umayyads. There were several other families that were just as power-Hungary and the Umayyads spent much of their time thwarting coups d'état. Abu Al-Abbas As-Saffah of the Abbassids rose against the Umayyads and murdered the reigning Umayyad Caliph. He ordered the rest of his family to murder every single other Umayyad. As a result of the uprising, only one Umayyad, Amir Abd El-Rahman, survived. He would later flee to Spain and set it up as a Caliphate in opposition to the Abbassids.

Answer 3

Answer 1

By the early 700s the Umayyads controlled a huge empire that covered many lands.

Answer 2

The Umayyads did not "unite" many lands. "Union" requires equality in administrative terms. The Umayyads came to power through the Fitna Al-Kubra (also known as the First Islamic Civil War). After this, they sent their armies in various directions to conquer more territory. Most people in these new territories accepted the conquest without challenge and openly joined in the conquering armies. This imperial expansion was not uncommon for empires built by nomadic and semi-nomadic groups. They conquered many lands and established an empire based on an Arab Sunni Aristocracy. It is not surprising that the Umayyad Caliphate fell around 100 years after its foundation due to internal strife and localized rebellion. (This is quite similar to the history of the Mongol Empire.)

The reasons for the collapse of the Umayyad Empire demonstrate this lack of union.

Mawali: Mawali (or non-Arab Muslims) were traditionally excluded from political and social affairs. The Umayyad in particular treated them as second-class Muslims. The evidence of this treatment was that Mawali were not allowed to have many government positions and that they were taxed whereas Arab Muslims were not taxed at all. Mawali made up an important component of the Umayyad Caliphate, especially Persians. Persia was always a high seat of culture in the Islamic Empire. As a result, ideas moved quite freely throughout Persia and Persians considered themselves to be of equal worth to Arabs.

Shiites: Under the Sunni Umayyads, Shiites were also discriminated against. After Yazid I martyred Hussein, the Shiites made it their mission in life to oppose every action of the Umayyad dynasty. It did not help matters that the Umayyads tortured and murdered Shiite Imams and Infallibles, leading to irreconcilability between the Shiites and the Umayyads.

Distance: There were no effective routes of communication between the Western Edges of the Caliphate and Damascus. This made local administrators more powerful as they would have to make their own decisions anyway (it would take too long for a messenger to go to Damascus and return). Many figured that they might as well make the change more permanent.

Political Issues: Not all Arabs of high political standing supported the Umayyads. There were several other families that were just as power-Hungary and the Umayyads spent much of their time thwarting coups d'état. Abu Al-Abbas As-Saffah of the Abbassids rose against the Umayyads and murdered the reigning Umayyad Caliph. He ordered the rest of his family to murder every single other Umayyad. As a result of the uprising, only one Umayyad, Amir Abd El-Rahman, survived. He would later flee to Spain and set it up as a Caliphate in opposition to the Abbassids.

Answer 4

Answer 1

By the early 700s the Umayyads controlled a huge empire that covered many lands.

Answer 2

The Umayyads did not "unite" many lands. "Union" requires equality in administrative terms. The Umayyads came to power through the Fitna Al-Kubra (also known as the First Islamic Civil War). After this, they sent their armies in various directions to conquer more territory. Most people in these new territories accepted the conquest without challenge and openly joined in the conquering armies. This imperial expansion was not uncommon for empires built by nomadic and semi-nomadic groups. They conquered many lands and established an empire based on an Arab Sunni Aristocracy. It is not surprising that the Umayyad Caliphate fell around 100 years after its foundation due to internal strife and localized rebellion. (This is quite similar to the history of the Mongol Empire.)

The reasons for the collapse of the Umayyad Empire demonstrate this lack of union.

Mawali: Mawali (or non-Arab Muslims) were traditionally excluded from political and social affairs. The Umayyad in particular treated them as second-class Muslims. The evidence of this treatment was that Mawali were not allowed to have many government positions and that they were taxed whereas Arab Muslims were not taxed at all. Mawali made up an important component of the Umayyad Caliphate, especially Persians. Persia was always a high seat of culture in the Islamic Empire. As a result, ideas moved quite freely throughout Persia and Persians considered themselves to be of equal worth to Arabs.

Shiites: Under the Sunni Umayyads, Shiites were also discriminated against. After Yazid I martyred Hussein, the Shiites made it their mission in life to oppose every action of the Umayyad dynasty. It did not help matters that the Umayyads tortured and murdered Shiite Imams and Infallibles, leading to irreconcilability between the Shiites and the Umayyads.

Distance: There were no effective routes of communication between the Western Edges of the Caliphate and Damascus. This made local administrators more powerful as they would have to make their own decisions anyway (it would take too long for a messenger to go to Damascus and return). Many figured that they might as well make the change more permanent.

Political Issues: Not all Arabs of high political standing supported the Umayyads. There were several other families that were just as power-Hungary and the Umayyads spent much of their time thwarting coups d'état. Abu Al-Abbas As-Saffah of the Abbassids rose against the Umayyads and murdered the reigning Umayyad Caliph. He ordered the rest of his family to murder every single other Umayyad. As a result of the uprising, only one Umayyad, Amir Abd El-Rahman, survived. He would later flee to Spain and set it up as a Caliphate in opposition to the Abbassids.

Answer 5

They conquered so many lands