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Window To World History Grade 7th
Window To World History Grade 7th
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THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire 1 Chapter
Introduction
Some of the well-known civilisations of the world began and flourished near rivers
because people could access water and find food from hunting and fishing. People
developed agriculture as they learned that alluvial soil deposited near riverbanks
were suitable places to grow food crops. Rivers also provided the means to
facilitate trade.
The early river valley civilisations include the Mesopotamian Civilisation along the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the Indus Valley Civilisation near the River Indus,
Ancient Egypt near River Nile, and the Chinese Civilisation along the Yellow River.
In Europe, the Roman Civilisation grew near the River Tiber. The Mediterranean Sea
route connected the ancient Roman empire with other regions for trade.
N
W E
S
London
Europe
Atlantic
Ocean
Asia
Milan
Massilia
Black Sea
Casp
Rome Byzantium
ian S
Toledo
ea
Athens
Carthage
Jerusalem
Alexandria
Memphis
Africa
Key
0 250 500 mi.
Roman Empire
0 250 500 km. Roman road
Map of the Roman Empire
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Chapter 1 THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire
This small city-state turned into a strong and wealthy civilisation of its time by 250 bce, and
soon spread to most of Italy and Greece, and its colonies. The Romans organised a very
superior army called legion. These legions not only made great conquests but also helped
the government to keep peace in the empire.
By the middle of the 1st century ce, Roman legionaries had captured France, Britain,
Germany, some parts of northern Europe, and southern Russia. In the east, they
conquered southern Egypt and some parts of Iraq and Arabia.
The Roman system of governance was based on monarchy. The king ruled the empire as
the sole monarch. Due to corruption and cruelty by the rulers, monarchy was gradually
replaced by a Roman Republic. This was the first ever republic in the world.
The Roman Republic was a political system or form of government in which people elected
representatives to exercise power for them, through bodies like the Senate.
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THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire 1 Chapter
After his death, a civil war broke out and later his adopted
son, Augustus, ascended the throne to become the first
emperor of the Roman Empire. He ruled between 27bce–
14ce.
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Chapter 1 THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire
4 Historians believe that the Romans were superior engineers and builders. They
constructed straight, paved roads which connected the cities and towns in the vast
empire. They supplied water to the cities, through wells and canals. As they were
known to be good engineers, they built aqueducts in 312bce. These aqueducts were
used to transport water to urban areas. Some of these aqueducts transported water
up to a distance of sixty miles from their source.
Education
Romans acknowledged the importance of education. They were greatly impressed with the
Greek system of education. Educated Romans were bilingual as they could speak Greek
and Latin. Formal schooling started at the age of 11 or 12 and young boys studied writing
and counting, and read the works of famous Greek and Latin writers. Oratory, (the art of
public speaking) was also taught at all schools.
1 = I 6 = VI
2 = II 7 = VII The word ‘barbarian’ also means uncivilised.
3 = III 8 = VIII But back in the times of Romans, anyone
4 = IV 9 = IX who could not read or write Latin was also
called a barbarian.
5 = V 10 = X
Roman numerals
Religion
Primarily, the Roman Empire was a polytheistic civilisation. This meant people worshipped
multiple gods and goddesses. The main Roman gods and goddesses included Juno,
Jupiter, and Minerva.
With the passage of time, Roman emperors also started claiming themselves to be gods
and asked people to worship them. During this time, a new religion, Christianity, emerged
in the Middle East, following the birth of Hazrat Isa() (also called Jesus Christ), and
began attracting many people. Christianity is based on the teachings of Hazrat Isa() and
the religion spread all over the Roman Empire.
The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I, ruled between
306–337ce. He became the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity and gave
Christianity a legal status. He granted land to the clergy and built many churches. He
successfully defeated the Barbarians who attacked the Roman Empire. In 330ce, he moved
his capital to the city of Byzantium in Eastern Europe and renamed it Constantinople. It
was later known as the Byzantine Empire.
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THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire 1 Chapter
The ancient Greek and Roman civilisations were the most advanced civilisations of their
time. Both contributed a great deal in the fields of science, engineering, architecture,
government, philosophy, etc. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire around 500ce,
the scientific and cultural development of Europe stopped. With this decline, Western
Europe entered the Dark Ages.
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Chapter 1 THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire
The kings
The kings were at the top of the hierarchy. They
owned all the land but as it was not possible for king
them to control the entire land by themselves,
they kept some part of the land for
tenants-in-
themselves and gave the rest to the chief / nobles
nobles. The kings provided help and
support to the nobles and protected knights
(lords)
them. To avoid rebellions, the lands
were given in different parts of the
peasant
country. The nobles were
responsible for providing
soldiers for the king's army,
especially during war.
The tenants-in-chief/nobles
The rich nobles were granted land by the kings. They had their own system of
governance, taxation, and law. They minted their own coins. The nobles were supposed to
protect their lands and the people who worked for them. Different officials were deputed
to keep a check on the workers and peasants. There were checks and balances to regulate
the whole system.
The knights
Medieval lords and wealthy merchants gave
The knights, also called lesser nobles, large amount of money to churches and
were considered the representatives of monasteries. Some wealthy people paid
the powerful nobles. To attain to have special chapels built where priests
could pray for their souls to go to heaven.
knighthood, they had to follow a code of
conduct known as chivalry. The knights
had to be loyal to the nobles and the
Church. The nobles sublet their lands to
the knights, who in turn granted the lands to the peasants on lease. If the knights did not
perform their duties well, their titles were revoked and their lands were taken back.
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THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire 1 Chapter
The peasants
The most important group of the feudal hierarchy were the peasants. They worked on the
lands given by the knights. The peasants were categorised into two groups: free and
bonded. Free peasants cultivated the rented land and paid the lord. The bonded peasants
worked on their lord’s lands and in return they were given a small piece of land to farm
and live on. They supplied food to the knights.
Key
Eastern Empire
Western Empire
Western
Empire
Rome Byzantium
Eastern
Empire
N
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THE MEDIEVAL WORLD: Rise and fall of the roman empire 1 Chapter
the middle of the Bosphorus, Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. All the important
trade-routes passed through it and the ships that used to anchor there paid heavy taxes.
Constantine rebuilt Byzantium and fortified it with defensive wall and towers. He renamed
the city ‘Constantinople’. The Byzantium
Empire lasted for a millennium after the fall In 980ce, Vladimir I became the ruler of
Russia. Impressed with Christianity and
of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th the Byzantium Empire, he converted and
century ce. It was ruled by different leaders proclaimed Christianity as the official
who turned it into one of the greatest and religion of Russia.
most powerful empires in Europe with a rich
culture. Some of the noted Byzantium
emperors include Arcadius and Constantine
XI.
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EXERCISE
Activity
1. Discuss why historians know very little about the Middle Ages as compared to
other periods in history. Consult reference books and the Internet to make notes
for this discussion.
2. Find more information from the Internet or your school library about the Black
Death in Europe.
Role-play
Conduct a research on the lives of lords, ladies, and warriors during the times of the
Roman Empire and write about them in diaries/journals.
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EXERCISE
Glossary
bilingual : a person who can speak two languages
chivalry : knight, nobleman, or a horseman
epidemic : outbreak of a disease
fortified : to make a place stronger to resist attack, especially by building
high walls
hierarchy : the categorisation according to importance
inscribed : written on
legion : large military units of the Roman army
millennium : p
eriod of a thousand years
monarchs : kings
plague : epidemic spread by mice
prosperity : richness
urban : city settlement
vassal : a
person or country in a subordinate position to another
paved : covered with flat stones or bricks
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3 THE UMAYYAD DYNASTY
(661–750 ce)
Amongst all the Quraysh tribes in Makkah, the tribes of Banu Hashim and Banu Umayya
were the most prominent. The Hashimite were looked upon as the most respectable tribe
as they had the trusteeship of the Kaaba; while Banu Umayya were tradesmen and very
wealthy.
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
According to a famous historical account, the leader of the Umayyad tribe, Abu Sufyan
converted to Islam at the time of the conquest of Makkah in 632ce. Holy Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad(⁄) declared Abu Sufyan’s house as the ‘House of Protection’.
The pious caliph Hazrat Usman(‹) belonged to the Umayyad clan. In 640ce, he appointed
Abu Sufyan’s son, Amir Muawiyah as the Governor of Damascus in Syria. After Hazrat
Usman(‹) embraced martyrdom, Hazrat Ali(‹) became the fourth caliph. During his six
years of caliphate, he was under immense pressure to avenge the death of Hazrat
Usman(‹) by Amir Muawiyah. In order to curb the continuous civil war and ongoing
retaliation, Hazrat Ali(‹) made a peace agreement with Amir Muawiyah. He
acknowledged Muawiyah’s rule in Syria, Egypt, and the areas towards the west.
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Chapter 3 the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce)
unnecessarily, he made a peace treaty with Amir Muawiyah, and resigned from his
position.
Amir Muawiyah took over the caliphate in 661ce. The Umayyad Dynasty was established in
676ce, when Amir Muawiyah declared his son, Yazid I, as his successor. This was the first
time in Islamic history when a caliph nominated his own son to be the next caliph and this
became a legacy for later caliphs. The Umayyad Caliphate stayed in power for about 90
years (661–750ce).
Map showing the spread of Islam from the seventh till the thirteenth centuries
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
1 2 3 4
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Chapter 3 the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce)
Tariq bin Ziyad and his army arrived in Gibraltar in 711ce. The Muslims fought bravely
against the Visogoth army led by King Rodriguez. The Muslims achieved a decisive victory
at the Battle of Guadalete at Gibraltar, Spain, on 19 July 711ce.
Battle of Guadalete
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
The Spanish forces could not fight back, hence, Tariq-bin-Ziyad conquered almost the
entire Spanish territory. The oppressed peasants and Jews of Al-Andalusia welcomed the
Muslim armies. The Muslim rulers established a system governed by justice and equality
and gave religious freedom to the people of all religions.
Further conquests
Between 706–710ce, Balkh in Afghanistan, Bukhara, Samarkand, Khwarizm, and Farghana
were conquered under the leadership of Qutayba-bin-Muslim. Bukhara was made the
centre of Islamic culture and learning. Under the leadership of able Muslim Generals like
Muhammad bin Qasim, Tariq bin Ziyad, Musa bin Nusair, and Qutayba bin Muslim, the
Muslim states witnessed a time of great expansion and glory.
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Chapter 3 the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce)
Cultural life
Town life under the Umayyad Caliphate was of ease and luxury. The simplicity of the earlier
times was replaced with luxuries and pleasures. Byzantine and Persian culture were adopted
by the Arabs. Damascus, the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, was the centre of opulence.
It became the most beautiful city of its age, adorned with magnificent buildings, mosques,
fountains, and palaces. Kufa, Basra, Cordoba, and Granada were important cities of the
Umayyad Caliphate where Islamic culture flourished.
Arabic literature
The Arabs had a natural flair for poetry and literature, hence during this period, Arabic
poetry and literature evolved greatly. Many books were written during that period.
Science
The military organisation of the
It is believed that Khalid-bin-Yazid I facilitated the Umayyad was distinct in several
translation of Greek scientific works in Arabic ways. The Umayyad borrowed
language. This is how scientific development may military equipment, such as
weapons of siege, etc. from the
have started in its initial form during the Umayyad Byzantines.
period. They made significant contributions in They made great advances in
chemistry and are considered the founders of naval warfare. Their navy ruled
the Mediterranean Sea.
Alchemy.
Education
During the Umayyad period, for the first time in
Islamic history, teachers were appointed and paid by the government. Mosques were the
main centres of education and secular learning.
Architecture
A new style of Islamic architecture was introduced during this period. The religious
buildings were mostly built as monuments on historical sites. The Dome of the Rock in
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
Jerusalem was the first significant Umayyad architectural building built in 691 ce. It was
completed during the reign of Caliph Abdul Malik (685–705ce). During the Umayyad
period, Masjid-e-Nabvi in Madina was also expanded.
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Chapter 3 the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce)
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
‘diwans’ (branches). Each diwan was headed by one or more officials called the katib
(in-charge of documentation).
Provincial administration
The Umayyad Caliphate was divided into 114 provinces, both large and small. There were
three tiers of provincial divisions. Moreover, the caliphate was divided into five vice-
royalties called Al-Iqleem. They were named, from east to west, Ira, Al-Jazirah, Egypt, and
Africa, with the home provinces of Syria, and were directly administrated by the caliph.
Provincial officials
The sphere of state activities was confined to four essential functions:
1. The political administration to preserve peace and order
2. Revenue collection to ascertain taxes
3. Police functions to control law and order
4. Judicial functions to provide justice for all
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Chapter 3 the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce)
6. The Umayyad Caliphate was established and ruled predominantly by the Arabs.
However, governors and other officials belonged to different tribes. This hampered
the integration of the empire and became a cause of many rebellions. The Umayyad
rulers imposed more taxes on their people than Islam justified; hence, causing unrest.
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the Umay yad Dynast y (661–750 ce) 3 Chapter
A young Umayyad prince, Abd-al-Rahman escaped the wrath of the Abbasids and reached
Al-Andalusia, where he established his rule. He improved the infrastructure of Al-Andalusia
by building roads, aqueducts, and buildings including the famous mosque of Cordoba.
The Great Mosque of Cordoba was started by Abd-al-Rahman in the 8th century and
completed by Al-Mansur in the 11th century.
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EXERCISE
Activity
Collect pictures of the Umayyad art, architecture, and culture (artworks, artefacts,
mosques, calligraphy, etc.) and organise them into a collage. Display the work on the
soft-board with suitable captions.
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EXERCISE
Internet search
Search the Internet, or use the library resources to find out the details of Allama
Iqbal’s experience during his visit to Spain. Find out which poems he has written on
Tariq-bin-Ziyad and the Mosque of Cordoba. Students should recite these as a group
presentation.
Glossary
catalyst : something that causes a change
influential : dominant; prominent
laurels : glories
mint : vicinity where government facilitates coin-making
natives : local people
retaliation : revenge
revenue : income, earnings
trusteeship : to look after the welfare
opulence : a display of great wealth
treasury : the funds of the state; reserves.
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