Baghdad and Cordoba
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compare Baghdad with another major Islamic city: Cordoba.
Key learning points
- Cordoba was part of Al Andalus, Muslim Spain, when it was captured by the exiled Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman.
- Although ruled by the Abbasid’s rivals, Cordoba had many similarities to Baghdad.
- It was a centre for art and learning, known for its jewellery made from Chinese jade as well as its great colleges.
- Christian and Jewish scholars were encouraged to visit Baghdad; in Cordoba Christians and Jews worshipped freely.
- Cordoba’s mosques mirrored Visigothic, Roman and Syrian styles, in contrast with Baghdad’s Persian influences.
Keywords
Al Andalus - Al-Andalus was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula, including modern-day Gibraltar, Portugal, Spain, and Southern France
Abd al-Rahman - Abd al-Rahman was the founder and first emir of the Emirate of Córdoba, ruling from 756 to 788 CE
Emir - an emir is a ruler or king in Islamic countries
Emirate - an emirate is a region or territory ruled by a leader called an emir
Visigoth - the Visigoths were a Germanic tribe of Goths from regions in what is now Eastern Europe. They settled in what is now Spain and Portugal in the 5th century CE
Common misconception
Baghdad and Cordoba were identical in their cultural and architectural influences during their respective golden ages.
Baghdad was influenced by Persian, Greek, and Indian cultures. In contrast, Cordoba, part of Al-Andalus, had a unique blend of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish influences, contributing to its distinctive architectural styles and cultural heritage.
Teacher tip
Investigate the architecture of the Persians and the Visigoths. What are the similarities and differences?
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word to how it related to Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.
main language spoken
main religion
shape of the city's layout
Q2.What is a peninsula?
Q3.Match the person to their faith.
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Q4.The building where Muslims pray and worship is called a .
Q5.Baghdad became a wealthy city because of its location on trade routes known as the .
Q6.A period in history, roughly from the 8th to the 14th century, during which Islamic civilisation experienced significant advancements is known as the Islamic .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word to its meaning.
ruler of an empire
ruler of a kingdom
ruler of a caliphate
ruler of an emirate
Q2.Who was Abd al-Rahman?
Q3.Córdoba was located in .
Q4.Which architectural influences are features of The Great Mosque of Córdoba?
Q5.In both Baghdad and Córdoba, people built beautiful buildings for worship and prayer called .
Q6.The architectural influence seen in Baghdad mainly came from .
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: Baghdad and Cordoba, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: Baghdad and Cordoba, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Early Islamic civilisation: what connected Baghdad to the wider world? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.