Baghdad in the 11th century
I can describe Baghdad in the 11th century and its connections to the wider Islamic world.
- Year 7
Baghdad in the 11th century
I can describe Baghdad in the 11th century and its connections to the wider Islamic world.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Baghdad was in decline by the 11th century.
- The Abbasids remained the nominal rulers of much of the Middle East.
- Power over government really lay with groups like the Seljuks.
- The Islamic world was more fragmented that it superficially appeared.
Keywords
Abbasid - an Abbasid is a member of the third dynasty of caliphs that ruled the Islamic Empire after Muhammad (PBUH)
Caliphate - a caliphate is an Islamic state, especially one ruled by a single religious and political leader
Extent - the size of something can be described as its extent
Caliph - a caliph is a political and religious leader of Muslim communities
Seljuks - the Seljuks were a Muslim group from Central Asia
Common misconception
Because the Abbasid Caliphate was large, the caliphs must have retained a lot of power.
Remind pupils that the caliphs had little effective power beyond Baghdad itself by the 11th century and the Seljuks became de facto rulers.