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Jun 9, 747
First revolt against Umayyad Rule
Abu Muslim and almost 10,000 other soldiers initiated an attack in Marv, a city in modern day Iran. -
Jan 1, 750
Abbasids take over the Umayyads
A successful revolt by the Abbasids manage to dispose the Umayyad Caliphate and the new Abbasid Capliphate is put into power. -
Jan 1, 762
Capital of the Abbasids moves to Baghdad
The capital of the Caliphate was originally in Kufa, however it was moved after 12 years. They chose to go to Baghdad since it was not only right on the Tigris River but it was also closer to their non Muslim supporters, the Persians. -
Jan 1, 1055
Seljuqs take more power away from Caliph
The Seljuqs, Muslims from Turkey, invaded and took much of the remaining power and influence the Caliph had over most Muslims, however he remained the religious leader of all Muslims. -
Jan 1, 1096
First Crusade Begins
The first of many religious battles between the Christian and Islamic worlds began the intense divide between the two faiths that still exists to this day. -
Feb 20, 1258
Mongol Invasion destroys Abbasid Caliphate
The Mongols, as they had done with several other civilizations, like the Kievan Rus and the Kwarzemians, destroyed the capital in Baghdad and slaughtered most of the immediate relatives to the Caliph and the remaining ones were sent back to the Mongols and married off. This ended the Abbasid's rule.... for now. -
Jan 1, 1261
Abbasid Calpiphate is reestablished in Cairo
When the Mamluks took power in Egypt, they put the Abbasid Caliphate back on the map, just in a different location, with the capital situated in Cairo. -
Jan 1, 1517
Abbasid Caliphate falls again
With the capture of Al-Mutawakkil III, the Abbasid Caliphate had no other rulers left and the empire fell out of power, this time for good. -
Buyids invade Baghdad
Local Rivals from Iran, the Buyids march into the capital of the Abbasids and demand to be considered the rulers of their own territory. This was the first major show of weakness from the Abbasid Caliphate. -
Major Educational Advances
Around this time, under the rule of Haroon Ar-Rashid, the Middle East was the site of tremendous educational advances and discoveries including the invention of the Scientific Method and Algebra.