Umayyad vs Abbasid in Expanding the Dar Al-Islam - Essay Example

Umayyad vs. Abbasid in Expanding the Dar Al-Islam The Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 AD) reallocated the political hub of Islam from Madina to Syria andthe capital was moved from Kufa to Damascus. The Umayyads expanded the borders of the Dar Al-Islam from Syria to North Africa, Central Asia and Spain in all directions and converted the Islamic Empire into a rational state. North Africa was conquered by Uqbah which lead to the foundation of Kairouan. Qutaybia conquered Transoxiana by crossing the Oxus River.

Tariq bin Ziyad and Moosa bin Nusair brought Spain under Muslim Rule. Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh in India. But, the unsuccessful attack of Constantinople in 717 AD destabilized the realm. The Abbasid Cliphate (750-1258 AD) shifted the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. In Abbassid Dynasty, Spain and much of Africa did not come under the rule of Abbasid and self-governing empires came up in the east of the Abbasid Empire. The Abbasid Caliphs spent their days in idle leisure which brought the period of conquests to an end.

Again, from 756 AD to 929 AD, Umayyad Dynasty was resumed in Spain (Andalus). Thus, the Umayyads played a much better role in the expansion of the Dar Al-Islam as compared to the Abbasids. The Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople on 29 May, 1953 and it became the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. Mehmed I had to face much criticism when he proposed to assault Constantinople in 1952. The Ottoman Court disapproved of Mehmed’s confidence in his abilities and blamed him for being too rash.

Mehmed had the European Castle constructed at the Bosphorus shore and began moving his troops to surround the city of Constantinople. He gave an ultimatum to the Byzantine emperor Constantine XI to admit defeat which he declined. Thus, the siege began which lead to the fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1953.