When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World: The Rise and Fall of Islam's Greatest Dynasty
By:
Hugh Kennedy
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Description:
The "golden age of Islam" in the eighth and ninth centuries was as significant to world history as the Roman Empire was in the first and second centuries. The rule of Baghdad's Abbasid Dynasty stretched from Tunisia to India, and its legacy influenced politics and society for years to come. In this deftly woven narrative, Hugh Kennedy introduces us to the rich history and flourishing culture of the period, and the men and women of the palaces at Baghdad and Samarra-the caliphs, viziers, eunuchs, and women of the harem that produced the glorious days of the Arabian Nights.
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
too anecdotal - The Abbysid dynasty witnessed Islam's "golden age" as the Islamic world grew and flowered both economically and socially. Prof. Kennedy has written a great anecdotal history of the region that shows the Abbysid caliphate in all its glory. For me, however, Kennedy's use of anecdotes was a little much.
To be fair, Kennedy is well aware of his use of anecdotes, stating that the majority of primary sources from this era *are* anecdotal, and in the spirit of the age they are used to illustrate larger themes. (The generosity - or frugality or meanness - of a particular caliph for example.) I struggled with this even as I understood why Kennedy chose to do this.
The organization of the book was another point with which I struggled. The first third of the book details the political history of the Abbysids from its founding in 750 to the regin of Mu'tadid in 892; his discussion of the civil war between Ma'mun and Amin was excellent. From there, Kennedy topically discusses the Abbysid Near East - the building of the city of Baghdad, court life, the role and importance of poetry, economics. The utility of a topical orgnization like this makes sense, but for me it made some frustrating reading, as I found myself having to reference back and forth to gain a better chronological perspective of what was going on.
I give _When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World_ four stars primarily for Kennedy's writing - clearly he intended this book for the lay-person, and he succeeded brilliantly in outlining the importance and relevance of the 150 year reign of the Abbysids politically, socially and economically. In brief, the Abbysids standardized Islam, encouraged the development of the four major legal interpretations of shari'a, and made Islam (politically and intellectually) an inheiritor of classical Greek, Latin and Persian knowledge. Recommended for those with a specific interest in the region or the time.
Customer Review: 2 out of 5
Misleading Title and Back Cover Description - The title and back cover mislead you into believing this book is about the conditions that led Baghdad to becoming the intellectual, economic and military power of the world at the time. But reading this book it's only about gossip, court intrigue, the harem, singers & poets of the court. This book is no different than reading about the life style of the rich and famous of the Abbasid Dynasty.
The back cover states "Professor Hugh Kennedy's lively and compelling study shatters many of the preconceptions held by both sides and gives some indication of the roots of our current impasse". I have no idea what preconceptions this book is trying to shatter because it only details the life of the Caliphs Court. Understanding today's problems in the Muslim world has nothing to do with the singers, poets and harem of an eighth and ninth century court.
I was hoping (expecting) to find in this book the conditions that led to the rise of the Muslim Golden age during the reign of the Abbasid dynasty. There were giants in the field of astronomy and mathematics who walked the streets of Baghdad conjuring up theories and ideas that never existed before. What established this environment and spirit of free thought? What created this dynasty's enormous wealth? What were the foundations of the Caliphs power? Unfortunately, this book does not answer these questions.
Also, the Abbasid dynasty is considered the golden age of the Islamic civilization but this book gives a skewed impression of a morally bankrupt society. When an era is considered the Golden age, there are reasons for that label. Those reasons are not explored here; instead the opposite impression is given.
For those who enjoy reading about the life style of the rich and famous, they will find this book a very interesting read. But for myself, compared to what I was expecting and what I got, I was disappointed.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Great Introduction - This is one of the best history books that I have read. The best thing about it is that it reads like a novel. When you start reading it you cant stop because you really want to know what happens next, and most of the time I already knew what was going to happen!
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Needed a few more details to make it perfect - Hugh Kennedy has done a wonderful job here of writing about one of the greatest dynasties in history. The history is comprehensive providing details about the caliphs, the battles for successions, their harems, the names of important men in each reign, and court intrigues etc., The book is very easy to read and at no point does the reader lose interest. In spite of breaking up the narration, of successive reigns and interspersing it with descriptions of court culture and palaces built by the rulers, the author has maintained a wonderful flow in the book.
My only disappointment was that the author did not provide more indepth information on 1. the famous libraries of Baghdad and 2. the economic and financial system prevalent at the time. I looked in vain for details of trading markets and goods brought in to Baghdad at the time and for any mention of the modus operandi of monetary transactions.
However, the book is still one of the most comprehensive English Language histories of the dynasty that I have come accross.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
An Era I Knew Little About - So much of the study of history is concerned with dates. I can remember in college with cram sheets of when things happened. Mr. Kennedy doesn't write much of dates. He writes of people, people living more than a thousand years ago when our own western history was in a period we call the dark ages when learning was forgotten and the Roman Catholic church ruled all.
This was the time when the Shia and the Sunni were falling apart and beginning the conflict that rages to this day (In the morning paper a group of terrorists in Iraq stopped a bus or two, let the Sunni people go and murdered the Shia.)
This was the time that Osama bin Laden seeks to re-establish. An old glory such as Mussolini felt about Roman times.
For a couple of centuries a family ruled most of the Islamic world from Baghdad. For those of us more familiar with the antics of the kings of England there is a striking resemblance, palace intrigue, key supporters changing sides, murder, imprisonment, struggles over succession.
This book brings to life an aspect of history that few of us have heard before but which is increasing in importance in our time.
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