The Spread of Islam 611-1520

By avrahge
  • Sep 27, 661

    Islam begins to spread

    Islam begins to spread
    Muslims under Umayyad caliphs began to conquer land in North Africa, Spain, and places around Persia.
  • Jul 11, 711

    Muslims in Europe

    Muslims in Europe
    The Muslim army crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain and made their way north to France. Spain flourished as a center of Muslim Civilization.
  • Jul 31, 732

    The end of Western Spread

    The end of Western Spread
    The Muslims were defeated in France at the battle of Tours. Their advance into Western Europe was stopped.
  • May 7, 750

    Inter-religion violence

    Discontented Muslims found a leader in Abu al-Abbas, who captured Damascus in 750. One of his generals invited members of the defeated Umayyad family to a banquet and killed them all.
  • Jan 10, 850

    The Arab Empire

    The Arab Empire
    Abbassid control over the Arab empire fragmented. In other muslim places, independent dynasties ruled seperate muslim states.
  • Sep 25, 900

    Seljuk Turks

    Seljuk Turks
    The Seljuk Turks migrated into the Middle East from Central Asia. They adopted Islam and built a large empire across the Fertile Crescent.
  • Aug 12, 1055

    Baghdad

    A Seljuk sultan controlled Baghdad, but he left the Abbassid caliph as a figurehead.
  • Dec 25, 1095

    Crusaders

    Crusaders
    Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade. Crusaders were Christians who went to capture Jerusalem.
  • Jul 4, 1099

    Jerusalem and the Crusaders

    Jerusalem and the Crusaders
    After a long, bloody siege, Crusaders captured Jerusalem. For 150 years, the city went back and forth between Muslims and Christians.
  • Oct 5, 1187

    Saladin

    Saladin
    The Muslim general Saladin ousted Christians from Jerusalem.
  • Aug 14, 1216

    Genghiz Khan

    Genghiz Khan
    Genghiz Khan led the Mongols out of Central Asia across Persia and Mesoptamia. Mongol armies returned again and again.
  • Jan 12, 1258

    Abbassid Dynasty's End

    Abbassid Dynasty's End
    The end of the Abbassid dynasty. Hulagu, Genghiz’s grandson, burned and looted Baghdad, killing the last Abbassid caliph.
  • Period: Feb 1, 1300 to Dec 31, 1399

    Islam begins to fall

    Tamerlane, another mongol leader, led his armies into the Middle East. His intentions were to conquer Muslim and non-Muslim lands. His victorious armies overran Persia and Mesopotamia before invading Russia and India.
  • Mar 15, 1492

    Islam loses Spain

    Christian forces had been fighting to reconquer Spain, and seized the final Muslim stronghold.
  • Mar 9, 1520

    The Golden Age

    Christian forces had been fighting to reconquer Spain, and seized the final Muslim stronghold.