Hey, I've moved! If you enjoy this post you can find more of my writing at Foreign Exchanges, a Substack newsletter covering a variety of topics in history and foreign affairs. Check it out today and become a subscriber! WARNING: VERY LONG A couple of months ago there was a piece in The Atlantic by … Continue reading Badly-drawn colonial borders are still a problem
Category: history
Oman: Your Friendly Gulf Go-Between
As it turns out, the Iranian nuclear deal that has Saudi royals so concerned was made possible by the country that is probably Saudi Arabia's most nondescript neighbor: Oman. The year-long series of secret talks that were held between negotiators from the United States and Iran were mostly held in Oman and were mediated by … Continue reading Oman: Your Friendly Gulf Go-Between
Islamic History, Part 15: the Second Fitna (680-692) and, finally, some stability
Islamic History Series Early Islamic history is a mess. And here I don't mean that the study of early Islamic history is a mess, although it is, as we've already talked about. But even if we just stick to the traditional narrative, we are now approaching a half-century since the death of Muhammad and already … Continue reading Islamic History, Part 15: the Second Fitna (680-692) and, finally, some stability
Islamic History, Part 14: Muʿawiyah’s Caliphate (661-680) and the Onset of Dynastic Rule
Islamic History Series We can actually close off our first mini-period in Islamic history at this point. Isn't that exciting? See, the first four Caliphs--Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali--are collectively known in later Islamic historiography as the Rashidun Caliphs, from the Arabic word rashid, which means "rightly-guided" or "righteous." This is an incredibly loaded … Continue reading Islamic History, Part 14: Muʿawiyah’s Caliphate (661-680) and the Onset of Dynastic Rule
Islamic History, Part 13: Ali’s Caliphate (656-661) and the First Fitna
Islamic History Series Before you read this one, please read part 12 of the series, on Ali and his accession to the Caliphate. Ali's record as Caliph is incomplete, to say the least. He reigned for a mere 5 years, and most of that time was occupied by answering the many direct challenges that were … Continue reading Islamic History, Part 13: Ali’s Caliphate (656-661) and the First Fitna
Islamic History, Part 12: Ali’s Accession to the Caliphate (656)
Islamic History Series Well it's been quite a while since I did one of these, and I apologize for that. I enjoy writing these long historical pieces but they are not fast and real life often intervenes. Also, this particular bit of our tale is really important, and I wanted to be very careful as … Continue reading Islamic History, Part 12: Ali’s Accession to the Caliphate (656)
The Story of Timur and the Ant
Hey, I've moved! If you enjoy this post you can find more of my writing at Foreign Exchanges, a Substack newsletter covering a variety of topics in history and foreign affairs. Check it out today and become a subscriber! Timur, a late-14th century Mongolian/Turkic warlord who tried to rebuild the Mongolian Empire and didn't care … Continue reading The Story of Timur and the Ant
Sermons, Coins, and Sovereignty
There are two symbols of sovereignty that were historically crucial for any serious claimant to authority. One is called, in Arabic, the khutbah, which is the communal sermon preached at the mosque every Friday. In pre-modern times, when there was no internet or even a newspaper and a person might conceivably not know who was … Continue reading Sermons, Coins, and Sovereignty
The Hajj and Islamic Pilgrimage
If you’re already familiar with the Hajj then this essay isn’t going to break any new ground for you, but if you’re not then I hope you come away with at least a basic understanding of its purpose, origins, and practices. The Hajj is a group pilgrimage to the city of Mecca (whose full name … Continue reading The Hajj and Islamic Pilgrimage
Islamic History, Part 11: The Qurʾan
Islamic History Series There's a strong argument to be made that a series on Islamic history should begin with a look at the Qurʾan. European travelers and commentators, from the first reports of a new Arabian movement in the seventh century until the mid-20th century at least, often used some variation of the term Muhammadanism … Continue reading Islamic History, Part 11: The Qurʾan
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