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Position:Home>History> How did the msulims loose their huge empire!!!?Question: How did the msulims loose their huge empire!!!!? I,ve read lots of books saying that the muslims had a huge empire all the way into egypt and I have seen maps of it!. What I,m wondering is how they lost their empire and now live in iraq and afghanistan and other places in the middle east!. Was It The Crusaders who drove them back!? I got no idea!. :(Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The crusaders fought the Great Seljuq Empire 1037 – 1194 which never conquered Egypt!. The long lived empire that controlled most of Northern Africa was the Ottoman empire (over 600 years) was formed after the crusades!. The empire ended just after WWI!. I'll quote the BBC on the reasons for the decline!. ======================================!.!.!. The power of the empire was waning by 1683 when the second and last attempt was made to conquer Vienna!. It failed!. Without the conquest of Europe and the acquisition of significant new wealth the Empire lost momentum and went into a slow decline!. Several other factors contributed to the Empire's decline: * The European powers wanted to expand * Economic problems o Competition from trade from the Americas o Competition from cheap products from India and the Far East o Development of other trade routes o Rising unemployment within the Empire * Ottoman Empire became less centralised, and central control weakened * Sultans being less severe in maintaining rigorous standards of integrity in the adminstration of the Empire * Sultans becoming less sensitive to public opinion * The low quality Sultans of the 17th and 18th centuries * The ending of the execution of Sultan's sons and brothers, imprisoning them instead o This apparently humane process led to men becoming Sultan after spending years in prison - not the best training for absolute powerWww@QuestionHome@Com At one time, an Islamic Empire controlled Southern Spain,all the way to India!. The also controlled South Eastern Europe!. They conquered the region of the Eastern Roman Empire and converted the largely Christian population from the Persian Gulf to Spain!. This is speaking very broadly!. Their empire was never truly united under one umbrella!. Regional, ethnic, and elite based struggles divided this large and diverse area!. However, if you are discussing the Ottomans (Turkish) Empire, World War I and European power had a role in the decline!. The Crusades may have pushed them away from the remaining Christian areas, but this is a debate!. The rise of Spain as a great power is easily argued as a factor in pushing Islamic power out of Spain and pushed them Eastward!. Muslims are spread throughout the world much beyond the Middle East!. Although the old empires declined, I would say Islam has expanded and grown!. Today the religion is found throughout the world and various movements span over a billion people throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe in particular!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The main reason has to do with how they decided the sucession of a Caliph or Sultan!. It was divided up between every male heir, not just the first born and not just those born to the queen (males born of a concubine could inherit the throne)!. As a result most Islamic empires ended up breaking apart upon the death of a powerful Caliph or Sultan!. Some long-lasting empires such as the Ottomans took a unique approach!. Some simply murdered their younger siblings upon taking the throne, others went to war with them!. But, it was generally believed that the one chosen to take the throne had to eliminate his siblings one way or another!.Www@QuestionHome@Com It's also important to remember that these nations that are currently predominately Muslim basically sprang up one day!. European and American powers had a lot to do with how these borders were formed!. I'd love to go into some explanation but it may take days and I certainly don't know everything!. I can tell you that dozens of books have been done of the subject and current events would certainly not be the same without considering this factor!.Www@QuestionHome@Com You also have to realize that the bigger an empire, the harder it will be to control!. If the leader is based in Persia, it would be tough for him to keep the peace in an area in Northern Africa (Berbers would have been tough to control if you did not have forces watching them)Www@QuestionHome@Com Perhaps the Muslims thought their huge empire was just a little too tight!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |