Precursors
Islamic World
622
Prophet Muhammad's emigration (hijra) from Mecca to Medina
632
Prophet Muhammad dies
638
Caliph 'Umar takes Jerusalem
661-750
Dynasty of Omayyads (Ummayads)
700
Islam controls whole of coast of Northern Africa (Byzantine loses control of Egypt and Syria)
711
Islamic forces invade Spain
by 731
Islamic forces conquered most of Spain
mid-8th century
earlier unity begins to fail
750
'Abbasids replace Omayyad caliphs
750-1258
Caliphate of the 'Abbasids
755
Emirate of Omayyads of Cordova founded
868-905
Tulunids rule in Egypt (still nominally under 'Abbasids)
869
Caliphate of Cordova founded
in ninth century
Islam conquers Sicily
969
Emperor Nikephoros Phokas of Byzantine seizes Antioch in Syria from 'Abbasids
969
Fatimids, a Shi'ite dynasty, seize Egypt.
969-1071
Fatimid dynasty rule in Egypt; Fatimids try to take Syria and Palestine from 'Abbasids until 1060s & 1070s when driven out of Syria by Turks
1002
al-Mansur, grand vizier of Cordoba dies
1009
Al-Hakim, caliph of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, begins persecuting Jews and Christians, destroys church of the Holy Sepulchre. This ends the previous peace in Palestine
1021
al-Hakim disappears
1031
Disintegration of Omayyad Cordova Caliphate into small kingdoms, making it easier for Christians to continue to retake Spain
mid-11th century
Turks migrate from central Asia to Middle East, "reunification of eastern Muslim domains shifted the ...balance...in favour of the east" (20)
1040s
Turks under Tughrul conquer Persia and invade Armenia and Iraq
1055
Seldjuk Turks capture Baghdad
1059
Seldjuk Turks under Toghrul Beg (Sunnite, of Persia) savages "Armenian town of Sebastea, in Byzantine territory" (37)
1063
Toghrul Beg dies, "nephew, Alp-Arslan, intensified the raids on Armenia" (40)
1067
Turks secure Armenia, further raids into Byzantine territory
1070
Seldjuk Turks take Jerusalem from the Fatimid dynasty
1071
Emperor Romanus IV tries to recapture Armenia. Defeated by Alp-Arslan at Battle of Manzikert (Malazgerd) on August 19. Seldjuks found Sultanate of Rum in Asia Minor
1085
Antioch (northern Syria) conquered by Turks
1085
Toledo captured by Castile under Alfonso VI
1096
start of the First Crusade
http://www.umich.edu/~eng415/timeline/precursors.html
