Kenny Martin’s Blog

The Seljuk Turks came from central Asia. They captured much of the Middle East, which they won from the Arabs. They became Muslims, and became fanatical. In the Roman church, it was encouraged that Christians journey to Israel, the Holy Land. The Seljuk Turks were violent to these pilgrims, and, 1071 A.D., won the Battle of Manzikert, taking a large portion from Christendom. The church found out, and Pope Urban II “… responded enthusiastically by proclaiming the beginning of crusades for the western European, Roman control of the Holy Land.” History Book, page 153. I think the Seljuk Turks affected our world in the Middle Ages, because they affected the decision of the pope to begin the crusades.

Pontifex Maximas was the title that Roman emperors used, but popes began to use this title. They used it because they were at the very top of the Roman church’s hierarchy.

Pope Gregory the Great was born in 590 A.D., and died in 604 A.D.. He was a very great pope, and he used religion to get political power. He had something about him that made others want to follow him, and he even joined with barbaric tribes, being the 1st to do so and not be destroyed. Gregory ruled over many areas in Europe where there was no leader. Pope Gregory, along with the catholic church after the germanic tribes had invaded, were sometimes the only way to have unity among people, because areas sometimes did not have leaders.

I think that Pope Gregory the Great might have naturally been a leader, and I think that he affected the world when he lived, because of his leadership and how he led other groups of people that had no leader.

Hierarchy is the order of people according to their power. Hierarchy was used in the Roman church. The pope was at the top of the hierarchy, which meant he was supreme over all the other church leaders. The pope even used the title “Pontifex Maximus,” the title once used for the Roman emperors, even though the emperors had more power than pope.

1453 A.D. was such an important date because it “… marked the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.” History Book, page 155. Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, and were led by Mohammed II, or at least, that is what this man called himself. The Ottoman Turks were the most powerful Muslim force in the Middle East at the time. Constantinople had been held by Christendom, but now the lost even more of their land. I think that this date affected our world for the same reason why it was important, because that was the year when the Eastern Roman Empire fell.

In religion, a pilgrimage is a journey to a place, such as a shrine, and is sometimes a requirement of a religion. Different religions sometimes have sites to journey. In Islam, for example, one should journey to kiss the Black Stone in Mecca. I think pilgrimages have a major affect on the world. Millions from all over the world travel to Mecca each year for the annual pilgrimage, Hajj.

The Battle of Tours was important because it stopped the growth of Islam. If the Muslims had won that battle, Christianity might not be anything like it is today, because Western Europe was a major site of Christianity. Although Islam had been spreading with Muslim conquest, their victories had ceased around 715 A.D.. The Muslims failed in trying to siege Constantinople from 717-718 A.D., and the Muslims had been forced out of Iran by Turkish forces. The Battle of Tours, 732 A.D., was another loss of the Muslims. Charles Martel defeated them, and fought many other battles with them, which earned him the title “Hammer,” or Martel.

I think the Battle of Tours affected our world history dramatically, because if the Battle of Tours had not been won by Charles Martel, the state of Christianity would probably be very different.

Caliphs were the political successors of Mohammed, and were sometimes known as “Commander of the Believers.” These able men led armies of Muslims, not necessarily strong armies, on jihads, and won their battles because of their leadership and the armies’ religious fanaticism. The Muslims “… conquered much of the Middle East… part of the Far East, North Africa, and even Spain in Europe.” History Book, page 151. But after about 715 A.D., the Muslim victories stopped, their most famous loss probably the Battle of Tours in 732 A.D.. But I think that even with their losses, the caliphs were impressive group of leaders.

The Koran is the compilation of the teachings of Mohammed. It was first collated in 650 A.D. by Othman, the third caliph, in Medina. Mohammed taught his religion, Islam, so therefore the Koran is the holy book of Islam.  ”Koran” means recitation, and the Koran teaches that it should be “… in slow, measured rhythmic tones.”Koran 73:4. Mainly, the Koran teaches monotheism, that Allah is the only god. It also teaches that Mohammed is Allah’s greatest and last prophet, and that the prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, had received words from Allah, but Christians distort the words. But a very controversial teaching of the Koran is that Jesus is not the Son of God, merely a prophet; this goes against a basic Christian teaching.

I think the Koran has affected the world very much and still does to this day, since 20-25% of the world is Muslim, and once was the quickest growing religion in the world.

Medina is the second holiest city in Islam, Mecca is the holiest. Mohammed arrived in Yathrib in 622 A.D., traveling from Mecca. Mohammed and his followers arrival at Yathrib ended their flight from Mecca, called Hegira. The city became known as “the city of the Prophet,” referring to Mohammed, or Medina.