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New Islamic Dynasty

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Historians consider primary sources one of the major building blocks when conducting research; they have questions about the past and analysing a primary source as evidence provides further insight when looking to answer those questions. One such example of this is “A New Islamic Dynasty”, written by Ahmad al-Ya’qubi, who was an early historian and a descendant of the Abbasids. This work actually consisted of al-Yaqubi’s firsthand observations when he travelled to Baghdad as a young man. He later compiled his observations and included them in one of his geographical works, titled Kitab al-buldan, which he wrote towards the end of his life. “A New Islamic Dynasty” gives historians more insight into the Islamic World during the ninth century …show more content…

He starts by describing Baghdad before the Abbasids determined it as their capital. It was only a village in Badaraya, and at the time, the Chosroes, who occupied Iraq prior to the Abbasids, had chosen al-Mada’in as the country’s capital . al-Ya’qubi provides some more background information during the war of the Arabs, but notes that the aftermath of these wars resulted in a pivotal event for Baghdad’s transition – “the notables, and the rich merchants moved to Baghdad.”. al-Ya’qubi, however, also mentions the Umayyads, another significant Islamic Empire, before moving on to a new lineage of Caliphs who changed Baghdad’s destiny– the Abbasids. However, by mentioning the Umayyads, al-Ya’qubi touches on an important fact; there were other Muslim Empires that existed at the same time (to some extent). At this point, al-Yaqui describes how his ancestors saw the assets that Iraq held and why, after comparing other places to Iraq, they decided to settle there. It is vital to see how al-Ya’qubi writes when describing the history behind Baghdad’s transition, as it is here where readers may begin to doubt just how reliable the source itself …show more content…

This document teaches historians about the Islamic Empire under the rule of the Abbasid Empire and how, during al-Ya’qubi’s time, Baghdad was the heart of the huge network the Islamic Empire had created. Al-Ya’qubi lived during the ninth century and his observations on Baghdad in “A New Islamic Dynasty” gave historians more insight into the Islamic World regarding: a) the central role that Baghdad played in the Islamic State during his time, b) Baghdad’s transformation from village to powerful city and c) perceiving how al-Yaqubi’s personal ties to Baghdad affected his observations. Although al-Ya’qubi may have exaggerated when describing some people or events, he certainly highlighted the historical period and society where he lived by mentioning how central and pivotal Baghdad as a city was to the Islamic World both during his time – and, to an extent, for world history as a

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