11.2 The Arab-Islamic Conquests and the First Islamic States

The Arab-Islamic conquests were driven by religious, political, and economic motivations. These conquests spread Islam, united Arab tribes, and expanded the Islamic state's influence. Key battles like al-Qadisiyyah and Yarmouk led to the defeat of Persian and Byzantine empires.

The Umayyad dynasty, the first Islamic state, centralized power in Damascus and adopted existing administrative structures. They implemented fiscal policies like jizya and kharaj taxes, favored Arab Muslims, and continued expanding Islamic rule through North Africa, Central Asia, and the Iberian Peninsula.

The Arab-Islamic Conquests

Motivations

Top images from around the web for Motivations

• 

  Reading: Arts of the Islamic World: the Early Period – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Europe on the Brink of Change | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Muhammad and the Rise of Islam | Boundless World History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Arts of the Islamic World: the Early Period – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Europe on the Brink of Change | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Motivations

• 

  Reading: Arts of the Islamic World: the Early Period – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Europe on the Brink of Change | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Muhammad and the Rise of Islam | Boundless World History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Arts of the Islamic World: the Early Period – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Europe on the Brink of Change | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Religious motivations
  • Spreading the message of Islam to bring more people into the faith
  • Fulfilling the concept of jihad which means struggle in the path of God, including both spiritual and physical efforts
• Political motivations
  • Uniting the Arab tribes under a common cause to reduce internal conflicts and strengthen the Islamic state
  • Expanding the influence and power of the Islamic state by conquering new territories and establishing control over them
• Economic motivations
  • Acquiring wealth through conquest and tribute such as war booty, taxes, and control of trade
  • Gaining control over important trade routes like the Silk Road and the Mediterranean Sea to boost commerce and revenue

Key events and battles

• Conquest of Persia
  • Battle of al-Qadisiyyah (636 CE)
    • Decisive victory over the Sassanid Persian army that opened the way for further conquest of Persia
  • Capture of the Sassanid capital, Ctesiphon (637 CE), which dealt a major blow to the Persian Empire
  • Battle of Nahavand (642 CE)
    • Final defeat of the Sassanid Empire that brought an end to Persian rule and established Islamic control over the region
• Conquest of the Byzantine Empire
  • Battle of Yarmouk (636 CE)
    • Decisive victory over the Byzantine army in Syria that paved the way for the conquest of the Levant region
  • Conquest of Jerusalem (637 CE), a holy city for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, which solidified Islamic control over the region
  • Conquest of Egypt (639-642 CE)
    • Capture of Alexandria (642 CE), a major center of learning and trade, that brought Egypt under Islamic rule

The First Islamic States

Umayyad dynasty policies and practices

• Centralization of power
  • Establishing Damascus as the capital to consolidate political and administrative control
  • Appointing governors (amirs) to administer provinces and ensure loyalty to the central government
• Maintenance of existing administrative structures
  • Retaining local bureaucracies and officials to maintain stability and continuity
  • Adopting Byzantine and Sassanid administrative practices such as record-keeping and tax collection
• Fiscal policies
  • Implementing the jizya (poll tax) on non-Muslims to generate revenue and encourage conversion to Islam
  • Collecting kharaj (land tax) from agricultural lands to support the state and military
• Social policies
  • Favoring Arab Muslims over non-Arab converts (mawali) in terms of social status and political power
  • Gradual Arabization and Islamization of conquered territories through policies such as using Arabic as the official language and promoting Islamic education
• Expansion of Islamic rule
  • Continued conquests in North Africa (Maghreb), Central Asia (Transoxiana), and the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus)
  • Establishing garrison cities (amsar) to support military campaigns and maintain control over conquered territories