Umayyad Caliphate

The Umayyad (Arabic: Banu Umayya) was a Qurayshi dynasty that ruled the second caliphate of Islam, spanning approximately 661 to 750 CE. The capital of the state was Damascus in the Levant, differing from the earlier period when Medina served as the seat of government. Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who had previously been governor of the Levant, is credited as the founder of this caliphate.

During this period the state expanded across vast territories: to the east it reached Central Asia and the borders of India, while to the west it extended into North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). The administration combined earlier Byzantine and Sasanid practices, which were then gradually Arabicized.

Rise to Power

Following the civil wars resulting from the death of the Caliph Uthman and the conflict involving Ali ibn Abi Talib, power passed to Mu'awiya. A significant change he introduced was the hereditary succession of the caliphate to his son Yazid, establishing a dynasty-based monarchical system. This led to considerable political discord and numerous rebellions, including the events at Karbala.

Administration and Economics

Under Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (late seventh century) important administrative reforms were carried out: Arabic became the language of state administration, and an Islamic currency without images was introduced. He also built the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. State revenue was based on land taxes and head taxes levied on non-Muslims.

Culture and Architecture

Umayyad art combined Byzantine architectural forms with Islamic decoration. The Great Mosque of Damascus ranks among the most celebrated examples. Castles and palaces were also built in the desert where the rulers occasionally resided.

Decline and the Andalusian Branch

In 750, a rebellion led by the Abbasid family defeated the Umayyad armies, and power passed to the Abbasid Caliphate with its capital in Iraq. One surviving member of the family, Abd al-Rahman I, reached the Iberian Peninsula and established the Umayyad Emirate of Cordoba, which later became an independent caliphate.