Starter quiz
- Match the word to how it related to Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.
- Arabic⇔main language spoken ✓
- Islam⇔main religion ✓
- circular⇔shape of the city's layout ✓
- What is a peninsula?
- a sea surrounded by land on three sides
- land that juts out into the sea and is surrounded by water on three sides ✓
- a mountain range with steep cliffs and rugged terrain
- land that is completely surrounded by water
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- Match the person to their faith.
- Christians⇔Christianity ✓
- Jews⇔Judaism ✓
- Muslims⇔Islam ✓
- The building where Muslims pray and worship is called a ______.
- mosque ✓
- church
- synagogue
- temple
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- Baghdad became a wealthy city because of its location on trade routes known as the ______.
- Silk Street
- Baghdad trade route
- Silk Road ✓
- China Road
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- A period in history, roughly from the 8th to the 14th century, during which Islamic civilisation experienced significant advancements is known as the Islamic ______.
- Age of Wisdom
- Industrial Age
- Middle Age
- Golden Age ✓
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Exit quiz
- Match the word to its meaning.
- emperor⇔ruler of an empire ✓
- king⇔ruler of a kingdom ✓
- caliph⇔ruler of a caliphate ✓
- emir⇔ruler of an emirate ✓
- Who was Abd al-Rahman?
- an exiled prince of the Umayyad dynasty ✓
- an Abbasid caliph
- a Carolingian emperor
- emir of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba ✓
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- Córdoba was located in ______.
- Syria
- Al-Andalus ✓
- Persia
- China
-
- Which architectural influences are features of The Great Mosque of Córdoba?
- Visigoth ✓
- Syrian ✓
- Roman ✓
- Chinese
-
- In both Baghdad and Córdoba, people built beautiful buildings for worship and prayer called ______.
- 'mosques' ✓
- The architectural influence seen in Baghdad mainly came from ______.
- China
- Al-Andalus
- Persia ✓
- Rome
-
Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Cordoba was part of Al Andalus, Muslim Spain, when it was captured by the exiled Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman.
- Although ruled by the Abbasid’s rivals, Cordoba had many similarities to Baghdad.
- It was a centre for art and learning, known for its jewellery made from Chinese jade as well as its great colleges.
- Christian and Jewish scholars were encouraged to visit Baghdad; in Cordoba Christians and Jews worshipped freely.
- Cordoba’s mosques mirrored Visigothic, Roman and Syrian styles, in contrast with Baghdad’s Persian influences.
Common misconception
Baghdad and Cordoba were identical in their cultural and architectural influences during their respective golden ages.
Baghdad was influenced by Persian, Greek, and Indian cultures. In contrast, Cordoba, part of Al-Andalus, had a unique blend of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish influences, contributing to its distinctive architectural styles and cultural heritage.
Keywords
Al andalus - Al-Andalus was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula, including modern-day Gibraltar, Portugal, Spain, and Southern France
Abd al-rahman - Abd al-Rahman was the founder and first emir of the Emirate of Córdoba, ruling from 756 to 788 CE
Emir - an emir is a ruler or king in Islamic countries
Emirate - an emirate is a region or territory ruled by a leader called an emir
Visigoth - the Visigoths were a Germanic tribe of Goths from regions in what is now Eastern Europe. They settled in what is now Spain and Portugal in the 5th century CE