Umayyad Caliphate

The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. The Umayyad Dynasty ( Arabic الأمويون / بنو أمية umawiyy ; Persian امویان (Omaviyân), Turkish , Emevi ) was the first dynasty of caliphs of the Prophet Muhammad who were not closely related to Muhammad himself, though they were of the same Meccan tribe, the Quraish . The first dynasty reigned from 661 to 750 . Ironically, the Quraishi clan from which the Umayyads originated had originally been bitter enemies of Muhammad.

The Umayyad Caliphate ( , Banu Umayyah ) was the second of the four Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad . It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams , the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the city of Mecca , Damascus was the capital of their Caliphate. Eventually, it would cover more than five million square miles, making it the largest empire the world had yet seen, and the fifth largest contiguous empire ever to exist. After the Umayyads were overthrown by the Abbasid Caliphate , they relocated to Al-Andalus , where they established the Caliphate of Córdoba . A caliphate is the Islamic form of government representing the political unity and leadership of the Muslim world. The Caliph's position is based on the notion of a successor to Muhammad's political authority. According to Sunnis, a Caliph can be any pious Muslim who is elected by the Muslims or their representatives; and according to Shia Islam, an Imam descended in a line from the Ahl al-Bayt . The Umayyads established the largest Arab-Muslim state in history.

Second caliphate Amir al-Mu'minin ( أمير المؤمنين ), Caliph ( خليفة ) Southern Ancient Arab states Arab empires and caliphates Eastern dynasties Western dynasties and caliphates Arabian Peninsula East Africa Current monarchies v t e The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; UK : / ʊ ˈ m aɪ j æ d , uː ˈ -/ , US : / uː ˈ m aɪ ( j ) ə d , - aɪ æ d / ; ) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad . The caliphate was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty ( , al-ʾUmawīyūn , or بَنُو أُمَيَّة , Banū ʾUmayyah , "Sons of Umayyah "). The third Caliph , Uthman ibn Affan (r. 644–656), was a member of the Umayyad clan. The family established dynastic, hereditary rule with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan , long-time governor of Syria , who became the sixth Caliph after the end of the First Muslim Civil War in 661. After Mu'awiyah's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in a Second Civil War and power eventually fell into the hands of Marwan I from another branch of the clan. Syria remained the Umayyads' main power base thereafter, and Damascus was their capital. The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests , incorporating the Transoxiana , Sindh , the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula ( Al-Andalus ) into the Muslim world. At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered 15,650,000 km (6,000,000 sq mi) and 22 million people, making it one of the largest empires in history in both area and proportion of the world's population. The dynasty was eventually overthrown by a rebellion led by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established themselves in Cordoba which, in the form of an Emirate and then a Caliphate , became a world centre of science, medicine, philosophy and invention, ushering in the period of the Golden Age of Islam . The Umayyad caliphate ruled over a vast multiethnic and multicultural population. Christians , who still constituted a majority of the Caliphate's population, and Jews were allowed to practice their own religion but had to pay a head tax (the jizya ) from which Muslims were exempt. There was, however, the Muslim-only zakat tax, which was earmarked explicitly for various welfare programmes . Prominent positions were held by Christians, some of whom belonged to families that had served in Byzantine governments. The employment of Christians was part of a broader policy of religious accommodation that was necessitated by the presence of large Christian populations in the conquered provinces, as in Syria. This policy also boosted Muawiya's popularity and solidified Syria as his power base. History of the Old world . The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). "Umayyad" (US) and "Umayyad" . History of the Old world . A History of Spain . A Short History of Chemistry . World and Its Peoples .

Second Islamic caliphate (661–750 CE) For the dynasty that ruled the Umayyad Caliphate, see Umayyad dynasty . Southern Ancient Arab states Arab empires and caliphates Eastern dynasties Western dynasties and caliphates Arabian Peninsula East Africa Current monarchies v t e The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . The caliphate was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty , also known as the Umayyads. Uthman ibn Affan ( r. 644–656 ), the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member of the clan. The family established dynastic, hereditary rule with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan , long-time governor of Greater Syria , who became caliph after the end of the First Fitna in 661. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in the Second Fitna , and power eventually fell to Marwan I , from another branch of the clan. Syria remained the Umayyads' main power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital. The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests , conquering Ifriqiya , Transoxiana , Sind , the Maghreb and Hispania ( al-Andalus ). At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered 11,100,000 km (4,300,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of area. The dynasty was toppled by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established themselves in Córdoba which, in the form of an emirate and then a caliphate , became a world centre of science, medicine, philosophy and invention during the Islamic Golden Age . The Umayyad Caliphate ruled over a vast multiethnic and multicultural population. Christians, who still constituted a majority of the caliphate's population, and Jews were allowed to practice their own religion but had to pay the jizya ( poll tax ) from which Muslims were exempt. Muslims were required to pay the zakat tax, which was earmarked explicitly for various welfare programmes for the benefit of Muslims or Muslim converts. Under the early Umayyad caliphs, prominent positions were held by Christians, some of whom belonged to families that had served the Byzantines . The employment of Christians was part of a broader policy of religious accommodation that was necessitated by the presence of large Christian populations in the conquered provinces, as in Syria. This policy also boosted Mu'awiya's popularity and solidified Syria as his power base. The Umayyad era is often considered the formative period in Islamic art . The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). A History of Spain . A Short History of Chemistry . World and Its Peoples . Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . Based on original work by Linda Komaroff. There are <ref group=pron> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ).

Second Islamic caliphate (661–750 CE) For the corresponding ruling dynasty, see Umayyad dynasty . Southern Ancient Arab states Arab empires and caliphates Eastern dynasties Western dynasties and caliphates Arabian Peninsula East Africa Current monarchies v t e The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire ( UK : / uː ˈ m aɪ j æ d / , US : / uː ˈ m aɪ æ d / ; Arabic : ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة , romanized : al-Khilāfa al-Umawiyya ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty . Uthman ibn Affan , the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member of the clan. The family established dynastic, hereditary rule with Mu'awiya I , the long-time governor of Greater Syria , who became caliph after the end of the First Fitna in 661. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in the Second Fitna , and power eventually fell to Marwan I , from another branch of the clan. Syria remained the Umayyads' main power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital. The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests , conquering Ifriqiya , Transoxiana , Sind , the Maghreb and Hispania ( al-Andalus ). At its greatest extent (661–750), the Umayyad Caliphate covered 11,100,000 km (4,300,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of area. The dynasty was toppled by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established themselves in Córdoba which, in the form of an emirate and then a caliphate , became a world centre of science, medicine, philosophy and invention during the Islamic Golden Age . The Umayyad Caliphate ruled over a vast multiethnic and multicultural population. Christians, who still constituted a majority of the caliphate's population, and Jews were allowed to practice their own religion but had to pay the jizya ( poll tax ) from which Muslims were exempt. Muslims were required to pay the zakat , which was earmarked or hypothecated explicitly for various alms programmes for the benefit of Muslims or Muslim converts. Under the early Umayyad caliphs, prominent positions were held by Christians, some of whom belonged to families that had served the Byzantines . The employment of Christians was part of a broader policy of religious accommodation that was necessitated by the presence of large Christian populations in the conquered provinces, as in Syria. This policy also boosted Mu'awiya's popularity and solidified Syria as his power base. The Umayyad era is often considered the formative period in Islamic art . The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). A History of Spain . A Short History of Chemistry . World and Its Peoples . Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . Based on original work by Linda Komaroff. There are <ref group=pron> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ).