The Armies of the Caliphs
Subtitle: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State (Warfare and History)
Publisher: Routledge
Published: August 24, 2001
Language: eng
Number of pages: 252
ISBN-13: 9780415250931
First sentence: The armies of the first Caliphs were formed in the Prophet's lifetime and during the spectacular conquests which followed his death in 11/632.
Description: "During the Medieval period, the Middle East was a battleground in which the Umayyad and the Abbasids Caliphs fought for dominance of an empire that stretched from Spain to the borders of India. The Armies of the Caliphs is the first major study of the relationship between army and society in the early Islamic period, and reveals the pivotal role of the military in politics. -- Over the key period of 600-945, the Muslims developed a salaried, semi-professional army, dependent on the state for its livelihood. In this extraordinary survey, Kennedy shows how the army began to influence and eventually dominate the political system, and reflects on how the involvement of the military in Middle Eastern politics today has its origins in this period. Through an examination of recruitment, payment, weaponry and fortifications in the armies, The Armies of the Caliphs offers the most comprehensive view to date of how the early Muslim Empire grew to control so many people. Using Arabic chronicles, surviving documents, and archaeological evidence, this book analyzes the military and the face of battle, and offers a timely reassesment of the early Islamic State."