Islam

Muhammad
-Muhammad was born 570 AD in Mecca. First revelation from God, the he preached. He religion was Islam ("surrender").
-One God was Allah
-Muhammad was Allah's spokesperson, and the final seventh prophet (Abraham was first, Jesus was sixth)
-Muhammad had followers
-Everyone fled to Medina in 622 AD (this is when Islam really becomes a religion, since people have to choose religions--stay or go?) This also marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar
-Islam started in Arabia and spread to Palestine, Persia, Byzantine, Egypt (by 640), North Africa and Spain
-Islam united the people of the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabs
-The Berbers were the rivals of the Arabs, eventually conquered and converted to Islam 
-The armies united, crossed at Gibraltar in 771, eventually defeating the Visigoth forces. Later the Franks forced a retreat behind the Pyrenees Mountains 

The Fatimid Dynasty (969 AD- 1250 AD) 
-The Bedouins captured Egypt and established the dynasty. 
-Capital in Cairo.
-Wealth came from taxing the peasants and controlling all the trade in the area.
-Tolerant of all religions
-Army consisted of slaves
-Calvary=Turkish horsemen "Mamluks"
-Foot soldiers= Sudanese captives 
-In 1250 AD the Mamluks freed themselves from Fatimid control

The Turks
-A central Asian people
-Strictly Islamic
-Cousins to the Fatimids 
-Conflict with two different civilizations 

Islam spread super fast!