Socio-Political+Structure-Umayyad

BACK = Socio-Political Structure = (Yalman) (Hooker) (Yalman) (The Umayyads 2) (Hooker)
 * After Muhammad four caliphs "The Rightly Guided" succeeded
 * Under Mu'awiya, Islam had 20 years of internal peace
 * Arab armies brought new faith from Arabia to the Mediterranean and Iraq
 * Arabic became official language and Islam became principal relgion
 * conquered regions retained local cultural characteristics
 * also influence Umayyad culture
 * introduction of new coinage was important to celebrate Umayyad rule
 * Responsible for a highly efficient and lasting Islamic government structure
 * Fairly uninterested in religions obligations
 * Umayyads adopted kingship from surrounding peoples
 * Separated themselves from Muslim community, surrounding themselves with wealth and ceremony
 * Model of leadership based on idea that authority is for super-normal individuals
 * kept the new empire together
 * more than a monarchy than a traditional tribal or religious leadership
 * model of caliph succession
 * reigning caliph names a successor
 * group of powerful tribal leaders would elect named as nest calph
 * adopted Byzantine administrative and financial systems

Hooker, Richard. "The Umayyad Caliphate." __Jewish Virtual Library__. 2009. The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 5 May 2009 <[]>.

"The Umayyads." __World Timelines__. 9 May 2009 <[]>.

Yalman, Suzan. "The Art of the Umayyad Period." __Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History__. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 4 May 2009 <[]>.