Persia And Islam The History Of The Islamic Empires That Have Ruled Persia Since The Middle Ages Charles River Editors by Charles River Editors B0DPNFSQMK instant download after payment.

Like the other caliphates around that time, the Umayyads existed in a constant state of internal struggle and external conflict. Battles over succession, especially over which lineages possessed the more legitimate claim to power, plagued the early years of the caliphate in Syria. The most significant were the First Muslim Civil War in 661 and the Second Civil War in 680. The official right to become caliph passed between branches of the Umayyad clan, but Syria and Damascus continued to be the main seats of power even as the kingdom expanded to include the Iberian Peninsula, the Transoxiana, the Maghreb, and Sindh.

The Umayyad Caliphate became renowned for being a center of authoritarian power, education, and cultural development. The population was multiethnic and consisted of local peoples conquered throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia, including regional Christians and Jews. At its greatest extent, the empire extended over an area of 4,300,000 sq. miles, with over 33,000,000 residents. It was one of the largest known empires in history, even considering modern developments, and a precursor to the Golden Age of Islam.

Scholars throughout history have remained divided on the best way to interpret the legacy left by the Umayyads. On the one hand, they were able to unite a massive array of people and exert control over millions of square miles. On the other hand, they became infamous for their treatment of