We circle around to end this semester with the ‘Abbasids, now set in a context of conflicting Caliphates. We already talked about the Buyids, but the ‘Abbasids themselves have appeared only intermittently. This week, we will consider the ‘Abbasid revival after the Decade of Anarchy, the relationship between the ‘Abbasids and the Buyids, and the establishment of the ‘Abbasid “Commonwealth.” However, we will also put the ‘Abbasids into a broader context, with the Byzantine Empire in ascendance to the west and the rise of Turkish sultanates to the east.
The Byzantine Empire on One Side
Medieval Islamic History 