| 751 |
 |
Battle of Talas River. Abbasids defeat the Chinese in Central Asia. A decisive battle which placed Muslim influence and civilization over that of the Chinese in the region. |
|
| 756 |
|
Abd al-Rahman I ad-Dakhil defeats the governor of al-Andalus (southern part of Iberian Peninsula). Establishes the Umayyad Dynasty of Spain with Cordoba as its capital. Construction on the Great Mosque of Cordoba begins.
|
|
| 762 |
|
The new city of Baghdad is founded as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. |
|
| 775 |
|
Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi becomes Khalifa. His viziers (high-ranking advisors) are of the Barmakid family, which aid in his peaceful and prosperous reign. |
|
| c.776 |
|
Jabir ibn Haiyan becomes one of the leading scientists in Kufa while practicing medicine and alchemy. He is also known as the "father of chemistry" for his major works on classifying the elements and testing their properties. |
|
| 778 |
|
Spain. Charlemagne leads an unsuccessful campaign against the Muslims. |
|
| 785 |
|
Musa al-Hadi succeeds his father as Khalifa. |
|
| 786 |
|
Harun al-Rashid becomes Khalifa. His reign is at the height of Abbasid rule. Noted as a munificent patron of arts and letters. Hisham I succeeds Abd al-Rahman I as Emir of Cordoba. |
|
| 788 |
|
The first Shi'ite dynasty, the Idrisid Dynasty, is founded by Idris I. He is the first Arab to rule all of Morocco. |
| 801 |
|
The death of Rabi'ah al-Adawiyyah, a noted female Sufi teacher and poet. |
|
| 803 |
|
The fall of the Barmakids, viziers and supporters of the Abbasid Caliphate. |
|
| 805 |
|
Harun al-Rashid establishes a public hospital in Baghdad. A pharmacy is contained within the hospital and its patients are divided into wards. Medical schools utilize the hospital for the teaching of their students. Hospitals soon spread throughout the Islamic world. |
|
| 809 |
|
The death of Harun al-Rashid. Al-Amin becomes khalif upon father's death. Al-Mamun challenges his brother Caliphate. |
|
| 817 |
|
The revolt against al-Hakam I in Cordoba. Part of the population migrates to Fez, creating the city's "Anadalusian quarter." |
|
| 821 |
|
The Tahirid emirs, formerly Abbasid governors, are granted rule of Khurasan by Khalifa Al-Mamun. |
|
| 822 |
|
The musician Ziryab arrives in Cordoba and establishes a grand style and refinement of the arts of living and socializing. |
|
| 827 |
|
The Aghlabids defeat the Byzantines at Sicily. Sicily blooms under Islamic rule. New crops are introduced, such as citrus fruits, cotton and date palms, made possible by new irrigation methods brought in by the new rulers. Other industries also grow, namely silk and papermaking which enters Europe through Sicily. |
|
| 830 |
|
The Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) is established in Baghdad. Scholars from all cultures and religions were recruited and supported at this academy, where learning and research flourished. The transcription of Greek manuscripts of scientific and philosophical works was one of the most important tasks, without which may have been lost to the modern world. Mohammad al-Khawarizmi, mathematician, astronomer, and geographer, completes "The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing." Due to his major contributions to Algebra, he is also known as the "father of Algebra." |
|
| 831 |
|
Palermo is conquered. |
|
| 833 |
|
Al-Mutasim becomes Khalifa upon the death of al-Mamun. He creates an army of Turkish slave-soldiers. |
|
| 846 |
|
Al-Wathiq succeeds his father to the Caliphate. The Turkish armies gain power during his reign. |
|
| 847 |
|
Al-Mutawakkil becomes Khalifa. |
|
| 856 |
|
The height of the Aghlabid dynasty. |
|
| 861 |
|
Turkish armies assassinate Khalifa Al-Mutawakkil. Muntasir, supported by the Turks, becomes Khalifa. |
|
| 862 |
|
Musta'in becomes Khalifa. The Turks are in full control of the Caliphate. |
|
| 866 |
|
The Turks select Mu'tazz as the next Khalifa. |
|
| 869 |
|
Al-Muhtadi becomes Khalifa; he is noted as a just and pious ruler during his short reign. |
|
| 870 |
|
Al-Mu'tamid becomes Khalifa upon the assassination of al-Muhtadi by the Turks. Malta is conquered. Arabs introduce irrigation machines to the islands and Maltese language and culture is greatly influenced by Arab rule. The death of Muhammad al-Bukhari; he compiled one of the six canonical collections of hadith (the reported sayings and actions of the Prophet. |
|
| 871 |
|
Ya'qub ibn Layth al-Saffar founds the Saffarid dynasty in Persia. |
|
| 874 |
|
Independent rule of the Samanids in Persia. Native rulers who help renew Persian traditions and language. |
|
| c.895 |
|
Al-Razi begins to study medicine. He comes to be a renowned physician, mathematician and chemist. He is the first to write an extensive book on medicine, COMPREHENSIVE BOOK ON MEDICINE. He discovered sulfuric acid and ethanol and developed its use in medicine. His numerous books greatly influenced European science and medicine. |
|
| 898 |
|
The Zaydi (sect of Shi'ism) State is established in Yemen. |
|
| 909 |
|
The Shi'i Fatimids seize power from the Aghlabids in Tunisia and establish the Fatimid dynasty. |
|
| c.920 |
|
Mathematician and astronomer al-Battani writes BOOK OF TABLES, a major work on astronomy which includes developments in trigonometry. He is the first to calculate the length of the solar year to the second. His work in astronomy set the foundation for future astronomical observation. |
|
| 929 |
|
The rise of the Hamdanids, they establish independent rule of Syria and Iraq. Great patrons of scholars, poets, philosophers, and historians. Emir of al-Andalus, Abd al-Rahman III, proclaims himself Khalifa, breaking ties with Syrian and Egyptian Caliphates. |
|
| 935 |
|
Muhammad ibn Tugh founds the Ikshid dynasty, which rules over Hijaz (northwestern Saudi Arabia), Egypt and Syria. |
|
| 936 |
|
The palace city of Medinat az-Zahra is founded at Cordoba by Abd al-Rahman III. |
|
| 969 |
|
The Fatimids take Egypt and establish the new city of Cairo. |
|
| 969-
1027 |
|
The height of Cordoba. Unrivalled achievements and significant advances in medicine, surgery, chemistry, mathematics, philosophy, language, and translation take place in what is believed to be the largest and most sophisticated cultural city in the world. |
|
| 983 |
|
Al-Azhar University, a center for religious and academic learning, is established in Cairo. It is also known as the oldest university in the world. |
 NEXT |
