The Spread of Islam
Muhammad had no sons, and when he died in 632 people were distraught because they did not know who should lead. They finally decided that his father-in-law, Abu Bakr should be the caliph. The early leaders after Muhammad fulfilled the custom of the razzia, also called a jihad. Conversion to Islam was voluntary, so people who were captured had to only follow the Muslim rules and pay taxes. In 636, the Byzantine army met the Muslims in Yarmuk, only to be defeated. By 650, they had taken Syria and the whole Persian Empire. They also took control of North Africa and Egypt. Again the problem over who should rule came up, but when Muawiya, the governor of Syria, assassinated Ali in 661, he took over as caliph. He decided that he would make the position hereditary and created the Umayyad dynasty. The capital was moved from Medina to Damascus, and many people became mad at the Umayyads. There were two opposing forces now: the Shi'ites who wanted the caliph to be a descendant of Ali, and the Sunnites who wanted the Umayyads to be caliphs. The Muslims moved even further west, and invaded Spain, conquering it and the Visigoths in by 725. At the Battle of Tours, however, the Muslims were conquered and they stopped expanding. They tried to attack Constantinople in 718, but the Byzantines defeated them and saved the empire as well as Chrisitanity. The Muslims stopped their advance into Europe, although they had already gained control of much of the Mediterranean region. The Muslims also started to be influenced by Greek culture, and by inheriting it, they were beginning a powerful empire combining old Mediterranean culture with their own wisdom.