Turning Points in Middle Eastern History

The geographical region known as Greater Middle East; the range of nations and cultures that define it; historical turning points to witness, encompassing conquests, political alliances and Islam's rise; social, intellectual and economic reforms.

Islam's rise is a major turning point; tracing key phases in the life of Muhammad (PBUH); the founding of the faith through his years of opposition; his establishment of Islam as a religious and political entity; the global impact of these events.

The seventh-century Arab invasion of North Africa brings profound change to the entire region; the Arab armies of the newly created Islamic empire try to conquer the territories of Egypt and others; the lasting Arabization and Islamization.

The establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate's capital in Damascus is a key event in early Muslim history; the Umayyads' achievements; locating the empire's capital away from the Arabian Peninsula; the shift from an Islamic empire to imperial power.

The Battle of Karbala represents a key moment in the split between the two main branches of Islam; the faith comes to violent internal conflict early in its history; the dispute over succession; the political and religious fallout from the battle.

The events surrounding the incursion of Berber-Arab armies into the Iberian Peninsula in 711; Muslim domination of the region lasts 800 years; the fateful Battle of Guadalete; the Arabs' advance north; the invasion's impact on European history.