When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World The Rise and Fall of Islam's Greatest Dynasty

Kennedy, Hugh

ISBN 10: 0306814358 / ISBN 13: 9780306814358

Published by Da Capo Press, Cambridge, 2005

About this Item

(Cambridge, MA): Da Capo Press, (2005). First Edition, First Printing by this press. Large 8vo. xxv,326pp, Index, Bibliography, Notes. Hardcover. Fine condition in fine dj. 34 Illustrations, 4 Maps. The Abbasid caliphate was the greatest political power in the Islamic world and a continuation of the caliphate established by Abu Bakr and supporters immediately after the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 until its collapse in the 930s and 940s. ISBN 0306814358; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; 326 pages.

Seller Inventory # 10844

Bibliographic Details

• Title: When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World The Rise and Fall of Islam's Greatest Dynasty
• Publisher: Da Capo Press, Cambridge
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0306814358
• ISBN 13: 9780306814358
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Thus.
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Fine

About this title

Synopsis

The “golden age of Islam” in the eighth and ninth centuries was as significant to world history as the Roman Empire was in the first and second centuries. Islamic culture and enterprise stretched from Tunisia to India; its legacy influenced politics and society for years to come. From the founding of the city of Baghdad in A.D. 762 to the end of the ninth century, the rule of the Abbasid dynasty was the zenith of Islamic conquest and influence. The caliphs of Baghdad formed the model for succeeding Muslim regimes, from military conquests to court-sponsored poetry and literature, from building palaces to establishing court bureaucracies. Yet the true story of this fascinating empire has rarely been told outside the academic world.In this deftly woven narrative, Hugh Kennedy introduces us to the rich history and flourishing culture of the period and to the men and women of the palaces at Baghdad and Samarra—the caliphs, viziers, eunuchs, and women of the harem—who fashioned the glorious days of the Arabian Nights . It is an epic story in every sense, with larger-than-life rulers, exotic slave girls, inventive tortures, and enough court intrigue to frighten a Borgia.

About the Author

Hugh Kennedy has taught in the Department of Mediaeval History at the University of St. Andrews since 1972. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2000. Professor Kennedy lives in St. Andrews, Scotland.