T h e A r t i o s H o m e C o m p a n i o n S e r i e s ... · Ishmael, the eldest son of Abraham. They had in their keeping the Kaabah (also spelled Kaaba or Kaa’ba) or sacred

Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 5: The Rise of Islam and the Saracen Conquest of Spain

T h e A r t i o s H o m e C o m p a n i o n S e r i e s

Unit 5: The Rise of Islam and the Saracen Conquest of Spain

T e a c h e r O v e r v i e w

THE RELIGION of Islam was founded by an Arabian camel driver named Mohammed during the sixth century, after Mohammed claimed to receive revelations from the angel Gabriel telling him to do so. The founding of Islam was a turning point in the world’s history, and Islam is one of the world’s major religions today.

Manuscript of the Qur’an at the Brooklyn Museum

Reading and Assignments

In this unit, students will:

Complete two lessons in which they will learn about the rise of Islam and the Saracen Conquest of Spain, journaling and answering discussion questions as they read.

Define vocabulary words.

Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

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http://www.artioshcs.com/


Leading Ideas

An individual’s character will be reflected in his leadership.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. — Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

There is power in the spoken word to do evil or to do good.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

— Matthew 12:34 The rise and fall of nations and leaders is determined by God.

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

— Proverbs 21:1 God’s Word is the supreme source of God’s revelation to man.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

— 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Vocabulary

Lesson 1: contemplation mosque Qur’an caliph hajj Lesson 2: Saracen malcontent onslaught

Key People , Places ,

and Events

Mohammed Abu Bakr Roderick Tariq Rock of Gibraltar

The first four verses (ayat) of Al-Alaq, the 96th chapter (surah) of the Qur’an

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L e s s o n O n e

H i s t o r y O v e r v i e w a n d A s s i g n m e n t s

The Rise of Islam

“Mohammed went to the mountain a number of times and prayed in the cave. Every time he went he said the angel came to him and told him more and more about the new religion, till at last Mohammed felt that the angel had told him enough to put into a book, whereupon the angel said, “Now go and deliver all this news to your people. Tell them that there is but one God and that Mohammed is His prophet.”

— Lawton B. Evans

Muhammad’s name, followed by his title “Apostle of God,” inscribed on the gates of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (By الل ك ب دوي (Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20912230 - ال

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Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: A Camel Driver Becomes a Prophet.

Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.

Define each vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook.

Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Vocabulary

contemplation mosque Qur’an caliph hajj

Key People ,

Places , and

Events

Mohammed

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the origin and background of the Kaabah.

2. How are the Arab and Jewish people tied together in ancient history?

3. Discuss Mohammed’s early life.

4. Summarize the rise of Islam through the teaching of Mohammed from its founding through its founder’s death.

Abraham dismissing his son Ishmael and his mother, by Pieter Lastman

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Adapted for Middle School from the book:

Old Time Tales by Lawton B. Evans

A Camel Driver Becomes a Prophet and from the book:

The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

The Rise of Mohammedanism

Many hundreds of years ago there lived

in Mecca, a city of Arabia, an old couple who

were poor and who had a son named

Mohammed. In spite of their poverty they

were very proud, for they were descended

from princes. One day the father of

Mohammed said to him, “My son, though I

am too poor to leave you any of the goods of

the earth, I leave you that which is better. In

your veins flows the blood of the princes of

Arabia. Never forget it.”

Soon after this the old man and his wife

died, and Mohammed went to live with his

uncle, a kindhearted man named Abu Talib.

The uncle was not rich, nor was he poor, and

as many others of that day, he made a living

by trading in sheep and camels. So the boy

learned to look after the sheep, and after a

while learned to ride the camels and to drive

them through the streets of Mecca.

Mohammed’s family belonged to a

princely tribe who traced their descent to

Ishmael, the eldest son of Abraham. They

had in their keeping the Kaabah (also

spelled Kaaba or Kaa’ba) or sacred temple

of the Arabs. Kaabah means “cube,” and the

name was given to the temple because of its

shape, which was square. It had only one

window and one door, and until the time of

Mohammed it was roofed only by a great

black carpet which hung down on all sides.

This temple was said to have been first

built by Adam from a plan sent down from

heaven, but had been restored several

times, by Seth, by Abraham, and last by

Ishmael. Since that time the tribe to which

Mohammed belonged had had it in their

keeping. It enshrined a great treasure, for in

the northwest corner of the wall there was

set a black stone which was said to have

been brought by the angel Gabriel from

paradise and given to Abraham. According

to Muslim tradition, it was white at that

time but had since turned black through the

many kisses bestowed upon it by sinful

although devout lips.

Historical picture of Kaa’ba taken in 1880

In spite of their history, which connects

them with the Jews, the Arabs were

idolaters, and within the Kaabah there were

gathered three hundred and sixty idols in

the shapes of men and beasts. Every year

vast numbers of pilgrims came from all

parts of Arabia to do homage to them and,

above all, to the sacred black stone. The

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possession of this stone made the Kaabah

the most venerated temple in all Arabia,

indeed, because of it the whole district

around Mecca was considered holy, and it

was forbidden to kill anything there save

animals for sacrifice.

It was therefore in a city already held

sacred that Mohammed was born. He

caused it to be held still more sacred, and

made the name of Mecca famous

throughout the whole world.

When he was fifteen or sixteen years of

age Mohammed’s uncle took him on

journeys to different parts of Arabia. On

their journeys Mohammed had charge of a

train of camels, and gave orders about

loading and marching, resting and feeding.

He soon became so skillful a camel driver

that his uncle said, “Mohammed, you are

the best driver in Mecca. I shall recommend

you to my friends and they will send you on

long and important missions.”

Mohammed replied, “I shall always be

faithful and honest in my work and words.

When I give my promise, I shall abide by

what I say.”

And so it was. Mohammed became

known in Mecca for always telling the truth

and never breaking a promise. In fact, the

people of that town gave him a name, Eli

Amin, which means, “the true and faithful

one.” If men wanted to know the facts about

any camel that was offered for sale they

would send for Mohammed, and if he knew

anything he would tell them and they

believed him.

Now, much of the trade of Mecca was

carried on by camels that went in caravans

from town to town, and even to the sea

coast, bearing on their backs the rich wares

of the Arabians, to be loaded on ships and

sent to the cities of Europe. Mohammed at

sixteen years of age had charge of many of

the caravans, rich in valuable goods and

worth large sums of money.

The long lines of richly laden beasts

would wind slowly over the desert, hill and

valley, the drivers urging the camels

forward and keeping a sharp lookout for

robbers on the way. At night the caravan

would draw up by a well or spring, and the

camels huddled on the ground, close

together for warmth and protection.

Mohammed always hid his wallet of

money and his letters to the merchants, and

slept very lightly for fear of marauders, but

nothing ever happened to him, and the

traders always received a full return of their

accounts from the faithful camel driver. One

merchant would say to another, “Is

Mohammed in charge of your caravan?” If

the answer was yes, the one would remark,

“Then you need have no fear. They will

return safely, and every coin will be

accounted for.”

Mohammed was too poor to go to

school, and too busy to get any kind of

education. He could neither read nor write,

but he had a good memory and a fine mind

for business. Whatever he once heard he

could always repeat with accuracy, and

remembered the details of every

transaction.

Mohammed had reached twenty-five

years of age when one day he was walking in

the marketplace of Mecca, and the chief

camel-driver of a wealthy woman

approached him, saying that his mistress

desired to speak with him. Mohammed

hastened to the place where the woman

lived and presented himself at her door. He

was young and strong, with a fine face and a

noble air.

The woman said to him, “The traders tell

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me you are a skillful driver of camels, and

can be trusted with a caravan. I have much

business between Mecca and the coast, and

I desire you to give me all of your time and

your services.”

Mohammed was delighted and

immediately engaged himself to the wealthy

woman. He was all the more pleased to do

so because she was not only wealthy but

lovely, and seemed to look with unusual

favor upon the young man himself.

Mohammed served his mistress well, while

more and more responsibility was put upon

him.

At last he was relieved of managing the

camel train and was taken into the house

and had much to do with the business

affairs of his employer. A relationship

developed between them, and soon they

were married.

Mohammed was ever devout in religion,

and being now the husband of a wife who

was wealthy, he had sufficient time to

devote himself to the contemplation of

religious affairs. Of course, he still

continued to attend to his wife’s business,

but he had much time to watch the priests,

and to learn about the new religion of

Christ, which was beginning to spread all

over the world.

Very few of the Arabians at that time

were Christians. Nearly all of them

worshiped idols, and some of their practices

were very barbarous indeed. Mohammed

was not satisfied with the religion of Christ,

and he abhorred the worship of idols to

which most of his people were bound.

He became more and more serious and

felt the need of being alone. One day, at the

age of forty, he said to his wife, “I shall go

into Mt. Hira and there spend several weeks

in prayer and meditation.”

Accordingly he provided himself with

food and repaired to the mountain and

dwelt in a cave. All day long he sat quietly

looking at Mecca and turning over in his

mind the eternal facts of life and death.

Many hours he spent upon his knees. He

said that one time as he prayed he felt the

presence of the Angel Gabriel near him. The

angel spoke to him long and earnestly and

told him many things about the new religion

which he was to teach his people.

The cave Hira in the mountain Jabal al-Nour where,

according to Muslim belief, Muhammad received his

first revelation

The Beginning of Islam

Mohammed went to the mountain a

number of times and prayed in the cave.

Every time he went he said the angel came

to him and told him more and more about

the new religion, till at last Mohammed felt

that the angel had told him enough to put

into a book, whereupon the angel said,

“Now go and deliver all this news to your

people. Tell them that there is but one God

and that Mohammed is His prophet.”

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Now you will remember that

Mohammed could neither read nor write,

but he had a good memory, so he told all

these things to some learned men who

wrote them in a book. The book was called

the Qur’an (sometimes spelled Koran). This

book became the Bible of the

Mohammedans and remains so to this day.

When Mohammed told his wife of the

vision he had in the mountain, she fell upon

her knees and said, “Truly there is but one

God, and Mohammed is His prophet.”

He then went into the marketplace and

began to preach to the people. Many of them

laughed him to scorn, especially when he

reviled the idols that they had long revered.

The leading men of Mecca said that he was

a dreamer and spoke of foolish things.

There were a few poor people and some

slaves who believed what he said and

accepted the new religion.

Mohammed went on preaching,

regardless of the insults of the people. He

spoke every day, saying that the Angel

Gabriel had spoken to him, and then he

would tell the people what they must do and

what they must believe. Sometimes when he

was speaking great crowds would press

around him just as they always do around

preachers who have a vision of heavenly

things. In the vehemence of his oratory his

face would grow pale, his body would

tremble, and his eyes would be fixed upon

the skies. He would then tell the people that

he saw a vision and that heavenly voices

were speaking to him.

You can easily see the effect this had

upon the multitude. His fame spread all

over Arabia, and crowds came from far and

near to hear him preach. At last the chief

people of Mecca began to be alarmed and

annoyed at the stir Mohammed was

making. They said, “This street preacher is

stirring up the people. He is preaching a

strange doctrine and soon will upset all our

faith. He is an impostor that must be

rebuked.”

So his enemies gathered secretly and

resolved to put him to death, saying that he

was an enemy of his country and should not

be allowed to revile their gods as he was

doing. He had other enemies in Mecca who

told him that he must cease his preaching in

the marketplace or be stoned to death. To

this Mohammed replied, “If not in Mecca,

then in some other place of the earth.”

Accounts of his preaching had long since

reached Medina, and the people there sent

him word, “Come to Medina and preach to

us here. What Mecca rejects, Medina will

rejoice in.”

The Hegira

Mohammed secretly left his native city

and with a few faithful companions fled to

Medina. The time of his flight from his

native city was the turning point in the

history of his followers, who are called

Muslims. It is called the Hegira and is said

to be the beginning of the Muslim Era. In

fact, with the Muslims everything dates

from the Hegira (A.D. 622), just as the

Christians date everything from the Birth of

Christ.

At Medina he was received with great

demonstrations of joy. A great church,

called a mosque, as all Muslim churches and

places of worship are called, was built for

him. In Medina he lived for the rest of his

life and from this city the Muslim religion,

called Islam, spread over Arabia.

It is the belief of the Muslim religion that

it is right to make converts by the sword,

that war on unbelievers is righteous, and

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that those who die in the holy wars are

especially favored in the world to come.

Therefore Mohammed, who was a warrior

as well as a prophet, raised an army and

fought many battles with unbelievers of

Arabia. He marched against his native city,

Mecca. His followers surrounded the town

and cried out, “We come in the name of

Mohammed, and demand you to abandon

your idols and accept his faith. There is but

one God, and Mohammed is His prophet.”

The Prophet and his companions advancing on Mecca,

attended by the angels Gabriel, Michael, Israfil and

Azrail

The people, more in fear than in

conviction, opened the gates to

Mohammed, and he and his army marched

in. He then made all the people join his

religion and destroy their old idols. It was

not long before all Arabia and many other

countries were converted to the Muslim

religion, and they have remained so until

the present day.

After a while Mohammed died and was

buried in Medina, a town which has ever

since been sacred to the Muslims. His

followers believe that his body has never

changed its appearance since he died, and

the story is told that his coffin hangs

somewhere between heaven and earth,

being too sacred to rest upon earthly soil.

Mohammed was succeeded by his

faithful friend and father-in-law, Abu Bakr,

who became the first caliph, which means

“successor.”

Mecca is now considered the holiest city

of the Muslims, because it is the birthplace

of the prophet. Every year that city is visited

by great crowds of pilgrims, and every

Muslim once in his life must make a

pilgrimage to Mecca, called a hajj. It is

required of all the followers of the prophet

that they pray five times a day, and each

time they must kneel with their faces toward

Mecca.

In all Muslim cities there is a mosque

and on top of each mosque is a tower. At the

hour of prayer there is an officer of the

church, called a muezzin, who goes to the

tower and in a loud and solemn voice calls

the people to prayer. As soon as the call of

the muezzin sounds over the city, everybody

stops, no matter what he is doing, and

kneels with his face toward Mecca and bows

to the ground and says, “There is no God but

our God, and there is but one God, and

Mohammed is His prophet.”

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L e s s o n T w o

H i s t o r y O v e r v i e w a n d A s s i g n m e n t s

The Saracen Conquest of Spain

FOLLOWING the rise of Islam, the Arab Empire began to spread out of the Middle East and into parts of Africa and Europe. This lesson will detail the expansion of the Arab Empire and the spread of the religion of Islam.

Title page of La Crónica del Rey don Rodrigo (The

Chronicle of the Lord King Roderic) published by Juan

Ferrer, recounting the legendary deeds of Roderic

Key People , Places , and

Events

Abu Bakr Roderick Tariq Rock of Gibraltar


Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: The Conquest of Spain by the Arabs.

Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration.

Define each vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook.

Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Vocabulary

Saracen malcontent onslaught

Discussion Questions

1. What was the philosophy of the leaders of Islam regarding the expansion of their religion?

2. How did the uncertainty of leadership in Europe aid the expansion of Islam? Be specific.

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Adapted for Middle School from the book:

The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

The Conquest of Spain by the Arabs

The Conquests of Abu Bakr

Abū Bakr ‘Abdallāh bin Abī Quḥāfah aṣ-

Ṣiddīq, popularly known as Abu Bakr, was

the first caliph, or successor of Mohammed

He was filled with as great a zeal for the faith

as had been Mohammed, and with an even

greater lust for gold and power. So the

triumphant march of the Muslims, or

Saracens as they came to be called, through

the world began. With sword in one hand

and holy book in the other they set out to

conquer and convert the whole world. To all

prisoners of war they offered but one choice

— death or the Qur’an.

Thus a new terror was born into the

world, a new danger that made all Europe

tremble, and for many ages the cry of “Allah,

Allah!” was to blanch the cheek and stir fear

in the hearts of all who heard it.

Calligraphic name of Allah in Arabic

The Muslim soldiers were as fearless as

they were feared. Death to them held no

terror. It was viewed as just the gateway into

a new and glorious life, for they believed

that if they died fighting for their faith they

would at once enter into a paradise of

endless delights. If they hesitated, only the

pains of hell awaited them.

So with fanatic zeal and lust for blood

and gold burning within them, the Saracen

horde swept onward. All of Persia fell before

them, from the Caspian Sea to the Indus.

Syria, the Holy Land, and Armenia, were

torn from the Roman Empire. Egypt, too,

bowed to the yoke.

Constantinople stood firm, however,

and again and yet again the ravening host

was rolled back from its walls, beaten.

But the Golden Gate of Constantinople

was not the only way of reaching Europe.

The Mediterranean lay open to the Muslim

ships, and soon the trade routes of the world

were in their hands. Throughout the length

and breadth of the inland sea they sailed at

will. They overran the north of Africa, and

the kingdom of the Vandals, which

Justinian had reconquered for the Eastern

Empire, became another jewel in the

caliph’s crown. Through Africa the

conquering Arab marched until he reached

the shores of the Atlantic. There, like a new

Alexander, he stood, sighing for more

worlds to conquer. Westward lay the barren

Outer Sea, the great double continent which

lay across its wide waters still unknown and

unguessed at. Southward lay the trackless

desert. Northward then to Europe the

conqueror’s eyes were turned.

Across the narrow Straits lay Spain.

Since the days when Ataulphus the son of

the Wolf had led his followers there, the

power of the Visigoths had spread until at

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length they held sway over the whole of

what is now Spain, and over a great part of

southern Gaul as well. For nearly three

centuries foreign foes had scarcely touched

their borders. Yet the Goths did not prosper

for they were a turbulent people, and the

kingdom was nearly always in a state of

unrest. Many of their kings died by murder,

many were deposed, and revolutions were

frequent and bloody.

Roderick and Tariq

Now, instead of uniting against the

Muslim danger, they still quarreled among

themselves. A noble named Roderick (also

spelled Ruderic) had usurped the throne.

But there were many who hated him, among

them the sons of the late king, and a certain

Count Julian, to whom he had done a deadly

wrong. The Jews, too, of whom there were

many in the land, were ready to revolt, for

they were cruelly persecuted.

The Arab love of plunder was well

known, and it seemed to all these

malcontents that it would be well to have

their help to depose the hated king,

Roderick. The Arabs would come, thought

the Visigoths, defeat and depose their king,

and, having plundered him to their heart’s

content, would then depart again to their

own land.

So Count Julian went to the Arab leader

and offered to help him if he would but

come and free the country from the yoke of

the usurper. The Muslims were willing

enough, and a young and skillful officer

named Tariq ibn Ziyad was sent to depose

King Roderick. He landed at the rocky

southwestern corner of Europe which, after

him, was called Jabal-Tariq, or the

mountain of Tariq. It is still called by that

name, “Gibraltar,” although the last syllable

has fallen away. (Gibraltar is the Spanish

derivation of the Arabic name Jabal Tariq,

meaning “Mountain of Tariq.”)

The Rock of Gibraltar’s north front cliff face from

bayside showing the embrasures in the Rock

Upon landing, Tariq called out an order

to burn the ships, for he had come to

“conquer — or perish,” for in truth he had

no intention to simply help depose the

Visigoth king. He intended to conquer the

whole land. Tariq fortified his camp, and

thus more than twelve hundred years ago

began the military history of one of the most

famous fortresses of the world.

King Roderick hastened to meet Tariq,

and not far from the town of Xeres a great

fight took place. But when the armies drew

near to each other, we are told, “the Gothic

princes began to spin the web of treason.”

They, with their followers, deserted and

joined the Saracen ranks, and soon the rest

of the Gothic army broke and fled in

disorder.

King Roderick had entered the battle as

if he were going to the theater, so disdainful

was he of the heathen invader. Clad in

flowing silken robes, with a jeweled diadem

about his brow, he reclined in an ivory

chariot, drawn by milk-white mules. But

when he saw the day lost and his soldiers

fleeing in rout, he sprang from the chariot,

and leaping upon his fleetest horse, joined

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the rout. He fled from battle, however, only

to meet death in another fashion. For in

trying to cross a river which flowed near the

battlefield, he drowned.

The Saracen victory was complete. But

instead of being content with their triumph

and plunder as Count Julian and his fellow

conspirators had expected, the victorious

troops marched further and further into

Spain. Everywhere towns opened their gates

to them. Hardly anywhere did they meet

with the slightest resistance, and in a few

months the Visigothic kingdom was wiped

from the map of Europe. It vanished even as

the Ostrogothic kingdom had vanished, and

the whole of Spain, save a little strip in the

northwest, became a province of the great

Muslim Empire.

The Moorish castle’s Tower of Homage, symbol of the

Muslim rule in Gibraltar

But the conquerors were not content

with Spain only. They swept on over the

Pyrenees Mountains, and before long all the

south of Gaul was in their hands. Nothing, it

seemed, could stay their conquering march.

In less than a century and a half, the Arabs

had built up almost the greatest empire the

world had ever seen. Now it appeared as if

all Europe might bow the knee to Allah and

pay tribute to the caliph.

Arab Rule in Spain

Yet it is well to remember that where the

conquering Arab passed he did not destroy

as the Hun and the Goth had destroyed.

Beneath the onslaught of the Christian-

barbaric Teutons, the art and learning of

Rome to a great extent had disappeared,

and Italy especially had been left forlorn

and desolate.

It was not so much that the Teutons

deliberately set themselves to destroy the

splendid monuments of Roman art and

learning, as we are taught to imagine by the

modern use of the words “Goth” and

“vandal.” Indeed, many of the chief

Teutonic leaders had been trained in the

school of Rome and desired to preserve all

that was best of Roman tradition. But even

so, the genius of the two peoples was so

diverse that much that was Roman was

bound to disappear. Besides, although some

of the leaders were more or less civilized,

their followers were still brutishly ignorant.

War was the only art known to the mass

of the Teutons when they invaded the

empire. For a long time after their invasion

war was the rule rather than the exception,

and people who live in a constant state of

war cannot well cultivate the arts of peace.

But with the Arabs it was different. At

the time of their assault upon Europe they

were already advanced in arts and learning.

They brought their learning with them and

implanted it in the conquered countries.

And for many generations Spain owed her

advance in the arts of peace to the

domination of the Arabs.

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Documents

T h e A r t i o s H o m e C o m p a n i o n S e r i e s ... · Ishmael, the eldest son of Abraham. They had in their keeping the Kaabah (also spelled Kaaba or Kaa’ba) or sacred