Islam

History

Islamic Influence

I

slam during the times of 622 to 1500 added many different changes. Though there

where many different impacts I feel the strongest impacts dealt with religion, culture classes,

and gender. The result of the culture and religion lead to the wars between Muslims and

Christians also called the crusades, which then later led to the fall of the Byzantium and Ottoman

Empires down fall.

Islam during this time period allowed protection and well being for all cultures. That

sounds to good to be true and of course it is. Islam allowed Muslims to live for free and be

protected threw there own beliefs.(Berkey, Glossary pg.13) Where as Christians would have to

pay a tax in order to have the services of Islam. Although Christians did not look highly on this it

made people think about what they wanted to do with there life and there beliefs. It was Islam's

goal to try to convert as many people as possible and those not willing to convert paid.

In the year 1095, people were shocked in Western Europe by the words of Pope Urban II, "The

Muslims have conquered Jerusalem". The Muslims forbade Christians and pilgrims to come to

Jerusalem to pray. Pope Urban wanted the Christians to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims.

People shouted "God wills it". All over France these were the words of the Christians.

The French, German, and Italians were the European Christians that went on Crusades.

The word Crusade meant "a war of the cross". During the first Crusade (1095-1097) most of the

knights died of hunger, thirst or disease. When they got to Jerusalem they slaughtered anyone

they could find.

"The impact on gender structure is hotly debated, in large part because that impact has

become so pronounced with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism or revival in many parts of the

world in the last several decades of the 20th century."( Adams , pg 219)

The Qur'an which is the text for Muslims, Holds men and women to be fully equal in

God's eyes both genders capable