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570
Birth of Arabia
Muhammad was born in the Mecca, an important religious centre and place for trade. He became the Prophet of Islam. -
622
Beginning of the Muslim Calendar
Muhammad meditated on Mount Hira and the angel Gabriel announced him he was the new Prophet chosen by Allah. A new monotheist religion called Islam started. Muhammad went from Mecca to Medina because of persecutions, it is the Hijra and the beginning of Islamic Calendar. -
630
Conquest of Medina
Muhammad converted the people of Medina to the new religion, attacked Mecca and destroyed their idols. Many Arabian tribes were united under the authority of Medina. -
632
Death of Muhammad and the Holy Koran
Muhammad died in 632. The Arabian Peninsula had been unified. The teachings of Muhammad were collected in the Koran, made up of 114 chapters called surahs. -
Period: 632 to 661
First four Caliphs
In the 7th century the Muslims conquered Syria, Egypt and part of the Persian Empire. The first four caliphs were chosen from Muhammad's family but this created a division between the Shia (believers of a direct descendence of Muhammad) and the Sunnis (believers of an election of Muhammad). -
Period: 661 to 750
The Umayyad dinasty
The Umayyad took the power in Syria and made Damascus the capital. They led a great expansion through the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the rest of Persia. In the Iberian Peninsula the capital was Córdoba and the leader was called an Emir. -
711
The Battle of Guadalete
In 711 the Berbers crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated the Visigoths and their leader King Roderick died. The Visigoths signed a pact of submission with the new Muslim rulers that allowed them to keep their lands. Islam became the official religion and the Hipano-Visigoths converted to Islam. They were known as Muladi. The Christians not converted were known as Mozarabs. -
732
The Battle of Poitiers
The Muslims were defeated in Poitiers in 732 by the Frankish Kingdom and forced to retreat south of the Pyrenees. -
Period: 750 to 1258
The Abbasid dinasty
The Abbasid took the control of the Caliphate and moved the capital to Baghdad. During this period Al-Andalus (independent Emir Abd al-Rahman I), Egypt and Morocco separated themselves. -
929
The Caliphate of Córdoba
In 929 Abd Al-Rahman III proclaimed himself caliph and established the Caliphate of Córdoba, independent from Baghdad. -
Period: 1248 to 1492
The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada
The only territory that survived the Christian advance of the 13th century was the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. It was the most important cultural and commercial centre of Europe. This prosperity allowed the sultans to pay high taxes in gold to Castile and avoid attacks. In 1492 Boabdil the last ruler of this Kingdom was defeated by the Catholic Monarchs. This meant the end of Al-Andalus. -
1453
Conquest of Constantinople
The Turks conquered the Islamic Empire and its capital Constantinople. This was the end of Middle Ages.