The Futuh al-Sham (The Conquests of Greater Syria), usually attributed to Abu Isma'il Muhammad b. 'Abdallah al-Azdi al-Basri, is one of the primary sources used for historians studying the early Muslim expansion into Greater Syria. This study revaluates the Futuh al-Sham narrative and the question of its compiler-author, investigating the history of the narrative as text through an analysis of a new manuscript and important parallel texts, and revisiting the evidence and hypotheses previous scholars have put forward on both al-Azdi's life and the Futuh al-Sham narrative's text. It thus offers an overview of the history of Oriental and Islamic Studies on the basis of one work.

Baghdad: From its Beginnings to the 14th Century offers an exhaustive handbook that covers all possible themes connected to the history of this urban complex in Iraq, from its origins rooted in late antique Mesopotamia up to the aftermath of the Mongol invasion in 1258. Against the common perception of a city founded 762 in a vacuum, which, after experiencing a heyday in a mythical "golden age" under the early 'Abbasids, entered since 900 a long period of decline that ended with a complete collapse by savage people from the East in 1258, the volume emphasizes the continuity of Baghdad's urban life, and shows how it was marked by its destiny as caliphal seat and cultural hub. Contributors Mehmetcan Akpinar, Nuha Alshaar, Pavel Basharin, David Bennett, Michal Biran, Richard W. Bulliet, Kirill Dmitriev, Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst, Hend Gilli-Elewy, Beatrice Gruendler, Sebastian Gunther, Olof Heilo, Damien Janos, Christopher Melchert, Michael Morony, Bernard O'Kane, Klaus Oschema, Letizia Osti, Parvaneh Pourshariati, Vanessa van Renterghem, Jens Scheiner, Angela Schottenhammer, Y. Zvi Stampfer, Johannes Thomann, Isabel Toral.

This book narrates the battles, conquests and diplomatic activities of the early Muslim fighters in Syria and Iraq vis-a-vis their Byzantine and Sasansian counterparts. It is the first English translation of one of the earliest Arabic sources on the early Muslim expansion entitled Futuh al-Sham (The Conquests of Syria). The translation is based on the Arabic original composed by a Muslim author, Muhammad al-Azdi, who died in the late 8th or early 9th century C.E. A scientific introduction to al-Azdi's work is also included, covering the life of the author, the textual tradition of the work as well as a short summary of the text's train of thought. The source narrates the major historical events during the early Muslim conquests in a region that covers today's Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iraq in the 7th century C.E. Among these events are the major battles against the Byzantines, such as the Battles of Ajnadayn and al-Yarmuk, the conquests of important cities, including Damascus, Jerusalem and Caesarea, and the diplomatic initiatives between the Byzantines and the early Muslims. The narrative abounds with history and Islamic theological content. As the first translation into a European language, this volume will be of interest to a wide range of readership, including (Muslim and Christian) theologians, historians, Islamicists, Byzantinists, Syrologists and (Arabic) linguists.

This book narrates the battles, conquests and diplomatic activities of the early Muslim fighters in Syria and Iraq vis-a-vis their Byzantine and Sasansian counterparts. It is the first English translation of one of the earliest Arabic sources on the early Muslim expansion entitled Futuh al-Sham (The Conquests of Syria). The translation is based on the Arabic original composed by a Muslim author, Muhammad al-Azdi, who died in the late 8th or early 9th century C.E. A scientific introduction to al-Azdi's work is also included, covering the life of the author, the textual tradition of the work as well as a short summary of the text's train of thought. The source narrates the major historical events during the early Muslim conquests in a region that covers today's Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iraq in the 7th century C.E. Among these events are the major battles against the Byzantines, such as the Battles of Ajnadayn and al-Yarmuk, the conquests of important cities, including Damascus, Jerusalem and Caesarea, and the diplomatic initiatives between the Byzantines and the early Muslims. The narrative abounds with history and Islamic theological content. As the first translation into a European language, this volume will be of interest to a wide range of readership, including (Muslim and Christian) theologians, historians, Islamicists, Byzantinists, Syrologists and (Arabic) linguists.

The conquest of Damascus is one of the main events of the Islamic conquests in bil d al-Sh m. Consequently, it appears with approximately 1000 narratives in the Islamic literature. This book shows the dependencies of these narratives. It therefore exemplifies the historiography from 700-1300 CE using one single event. Using the method of isn d-cum-matn-analysis the oldest forms of Islamic historiography are reconstructed. Among them are not only the version by Ibn Ish q, but also the narratives in the fut h-work ascribed to al-Waqid and in al-Azd 's Fut h al-Sham. Finally, the course of the events is described on the basis of the oldest reconstructed versions. Die Eroberung von Damaskus geh rt zu den bedeutendsten Ereignissen der fut h im historischen Syrien. Folglich ist sie mit circa 1000 Einzel berlieferungen ein h ufig vorkommendes Element in der islamischen Literatur. Die Zusammenh nge und Abh ngigkeiten der berlieferungen zu analysieren, ist das Hauptanliegen dieser Studie. So k nnen Aussagen ber die Historiography von 700-1300 n. Chr. an Hand eines historischen Beispiels getroffen werden. Mit Hilfe der isn d-cum-matn-Analyse gelingt es zudem die fr hesten Formen muslimischer Geschichtsschreibung zu rekonstruieren. Zu diesen geh ren neben der Version Ibn Ish qs auch die Erz hlungen, die sich in dem Fut -Werk, das al-Waqid zugeschrieben wird, und dem Fut al- h m al-Azd s finden. Auf Grundlage dieser ltesten rekonstruierten Fassungen zeichnet diese Untersuchung abschlie end die Eroberung von Damaskus nach.

Diese Monografie zeichnet die Einfuhrung und Umsetzung von Judenabzeichen im islamischen Kulturraum und den christlichen Landern Mitteleuropas nach. Dabei wird insbesondere die Ersteinfuhrung dieser Stigmata unter dem Kalifen al-Mutawakkil (im 9. Jahrhundert) untersucht. Die Beschlusse des IV. Laterankonzils (1215) und deren Interpretation markieren den Anfang der Judenabzeichen im christlichen Europa. Diese historische Linie findet mit dem Judenstern im Dritten Reich ihren menschenunwurdigsten Hoehepunkt. Griff Joseph Goebbels bei der Einfuhrung des Judensterns auf mittelalterliche Vorbilder zuruck? Waren den Bischoefen im Mittelalter die islamischen Abzeichen fur Juden bekannt? Kann es ein Zufall sein, dass alle drei Stigmata gelb waren?