Cast of Characters | p. 8 |
Map of the African and Middle Eastern World | p. 10 |
Introduction | p. 12 |
Chapter 1 Camels, Caravans, and the Ka'ba: The Arabian Peninsula Around 600 | p. 15 |
On the Road Again-and Again |
Gods on the Go: Worshipping Idols |
Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography of Cosmas, an Egyptian Monk, 548 |
Chapter 2 The Messenger of Allah: Muhammad and the Beginning of Islam | p. 24 |
Wanted: Prophet and Preacher |
The Move to Medina |
Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Biography of the Messenger of God, 8th century |
Chapter 3 The Sword of Allah: The Islamic Expansion | p. 35 |
Umar Rules |
The Smell of Water |
Ahmad ibn-Jabir al-Baladhuri, The Origins of the Islamic State, 9th century |
Chapter 4 Managing the Empire: Islam Grows into an Empire of Faith | p. 45 |
Family Favorites and Bitter Factions |
Ali's End |
Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa, 14th century |
Chapter 5 The House of Islam: The First Worldwide Civilization | p. 55 |
Building Baghdad |
Revolts and Rebellions: Kharijites and Shiites |
Yaqut bin Abdallah al-Hamawi, Geographical Dictionary, 13th century |
Chapter 6 Living by the Rules: Ulama and Philosophers | p. 68 |
Religion and Reason |
Sufism Takes Shape |
Al-Tabari, History of al-Tabari, 9th century |
Chapter 7 Houses of Wisdom: Islamic Arts and Sciences | p. 77 |
Measuring the Earth: Astronomy, Medicine, and the Sciences |
"A Book of Verse-and Thou": Islamic Arts and Letters |
"The Tale of King Sindbad and the Falcon," The Thousand and One Nights, 10th-14th centuries |
Chapter 8 Now It's Istanbul, Not Constantinople: The Ottoman Empire | p. 91 |
Cannons Rule the Day |
Suleyman, How Magnificent! |
Ambassador Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Letters, 1554-1562 |
Chapter 9 Where Gold Grows As Carrots Do: Ghana and the African Grasslands | p. 103 |
Caravans and Kingdoms: Trade Gives Rise to Ghana |
West Africa Finds Allah-and Learns a New Language |
Muhammad Ibn Hawqal, Description of the World, 980 |
Chapter 10 Saddlebags Stuffed With Gold: The Empires of Mali and Songhay | p. 114 |
Muslims Speaking Mandinka |
The Songhay Fight Back |
Griot of Mali, The Epic of Sundiata, 13th century |
Chapter 11 Onis and Obas: The Forest Kings of West Africa | p. 129 |
River Routes and Forest Paths |
Ife's Offspring and the Obas of Benin |
Benin oral tradition, around 12th century, recorded by Chief Jacob Egharevba, A Short History of Benin, 1934 |
Chapter 12 There's Treasure in Those Hills!: Great Zimbabwe and the Shona of Southern Africa | p. 138 |
City Made of Stone: Great Zimbabwe |
Of Kings and Gold Miners |
Hymn to Mwari, Rain God of the Shona, sometime after 600 |
Chapter 13 The Emperor's Giraffe: East Africa's Swahili Coast | p. 148 |
Swahili Days |
Golden Age of City-States |
Joao de Barros, Da Asia, around 1580 |
Epilogue | p. 159 |
Glossary | p. 161 |
Timeline | p. 164 |
Further Reading | p. 166 |
Websites | p. 169 |
Index | p. 170 |