Empire and Elites after the Muslim Conquest: The Transformation of Northern Mesopotamia

by Chase F. Robinson

Overview

The study of early Islamic history has flourished in recent years. Chase Robinson's book takes full account of the latest research, interweaving history and historiography to interpret the political, social, and economic transformations in the Mesopotamian region after the Islamic conquests. Using Arabic and Syriac sources, the author focuses on the Muslim and Christian élites, demonstrating that significant social change took place only at the end of the seventh century. This is a sophisticated study at the cutting-edge of a burgeoning field in Islamic studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521781152
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/21/2000
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.63(d)
Lexile:	1640L (what's this?)

About the Author

Chase F. Robinson is Lecturer in Islamic History at the University of Oxford.

Table of Contents

Preface; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Note on dates and citations; Map: the fertile crescent in the early Abbasid period; 1. Conquest history and its uses; 2. The seventh-century Jazira; 3. From garrison to city: the birth of Mosul; 4. A Christian élites in the Mosuli hinterland: the shaharija; 5. Islam in the north: Jaziran Kharijism; 6. Massacre and narrative: the Abbasid Revolution in Mosul I; 7. Massacre and élite politics: the Abbasid Revolution in Mosul II; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"In Empire and Elites, Chase F. Robinson, a university lecturer at Oxford, offers a thorough reassessment of the provincial history and historiography of northern Mesopotamia during the "postconquest" and Umayyad period...the argument as a whole is presented with admirable clarity and breadth of vision...Both for its argument and methodology, Empire and Elites deserves the attention of students of early Islamic history and historiography." History

"For the specialist or advanced graduate student, the book is a jewel." Historian

"...a closely read, densely documented introduction to the conquest and transformation of Muslim and Christian elites from the seventh through the eighth centuries." American Historical Review

From the Publisher