Periodization of Islamicate history
Key dates in medieval Arab-Islamic history:
- c. 570 Birth of the Prophet Muhammad in Mecca
- c. 610 Qur'anic revelations begin.
- 622 Prophet transfers to Madina (start of Hijri calendar). First Muslim community.
- 632 Death of the Prophet. al-Khulafa' al-Rashidun ("Rightly-guided caliphs") rule from Madina. Conquest of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan. Rise of musical patronage and the "Old Arabian" school.
- 661 Mu'awiyah establishes the Umayyad Caliphate and transfers the imperial capital to Damascus. Conquest of most of Spain. Musical patronage continues.
- 750 Abbasid dynasty, based at Baghdad. "Golden age of Arabic literature" as well as music; Bayt al-Hikma translation movement (Caliph Ma'mun, 830), Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Influence from Hellenic and Near Eastern cultures. Musical treatises flourish alongside high musical culture, featuring famed musicians of 9th cenutry: Ibrahim al-Mawsili, Ishaq al-Mawsili, Ibrahim al-Mahdi.
- 756 ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu‘awiya escapes Abbasids to al-Andalus establishing the Umayyad Marwanid dynasty of Cordoba (756-912). Ziryab appears from Baghdad, revolutionizing Andalusian music. Development of muwashshah and zajal forms.
- 912 Abd al-Rahman III, takes power in al-Andalus, establishing competing caliphate. Golden age of Andalusia flourishes. Baghdad declines.
- 969 The Fatimids conquer Egypt and establish Cairo as the center of yet another Caliphate.
- 11th century: conquest of Arabic-speaking dynasties by Turkic and Berber groups. First Crusades.
- 13th century: rise of Mamluke (ruling slave class)
- 1258. Mughals (Mongols) destroy Baghdad, formally end Abbasid caliphate
- 1492. Fall of last Muslim city of Andalusia (Granada)
- 16th c: rise of broad Ottoman and Safavid power (Ottomans actually date to 1299)
