Chapter 10 Islamic World

Islamic World
The religion of Islam arose early in the seventh century. From the Arabian peninsula where Islam was established, Muslim rule spread swiftly to Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Lower Egypt. By 710, all of North Africa was under Islamic control. In the following centuries Islamic rule was established in southern Spain, and in the East, Muslim armies gradually eroded Byzantine strongholds. The collapse of the Byzantine Empire occurred when the Ottoman Turks invaded Constantinople in 1453. Islam, one of the world’s great religions, is centered around the 6^th century Prophet Muhammed, whose revelations are written in the Koran, the sacred book of Islam. Throughout its history, Arab thinkers have made significant contributions to world literature, philosophy, science, and mathematics. The art of the Islamic world is particularly rich, with refined traditions in mosque architecture, luxury arts such as carving and metalwork, illustrated books.  Chapter 10 surveys the art and architecture of the Islamic world from its early period in the 7^th century, through the 16^th century, the height of the Ottoman dynasty