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The Abbasid Caliphate: Baghdad at the Center of the World — Fexingo History

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by Fexingo

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191 episodes

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Podcast Overview

In the eighth century, a new dynasty swept across the Middle East, toppling the Umayyads and founding a capital that would become the intellectual and commercial heart of the medieval world: Baghdad. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate, from the bloody revolution of 750 CE to the golden age of Harun al-Rashid and the translation movement that preserved Greek philosophy. They explore the construction of the Round City, the cosmopolitan court where Persian viziers, Arab poets, and Indian mathematicians mingled, and the emergence of the ulema as a political force. The series traces the caliphate's peak under al-Ma'mun, the eventual fragmentation into rival emirates, and the devastating Mongol sack of 1258 that ended an era. Along the way, they examine the Abbasid patronage of science and literature, the rise of Sufism, the role of the mawali (non-Arab converts), and the influence of the caliphate on European thought through Spain and Sicily. This is not a simple narrative of decline: it is a story of how a single dynasty shaped the Islamic world's relationship with power, knowledge, and faith. Why does the Abbasid legacy—from algebra to The Thousand and One Nights—still resonate today? Tune in to find out. #AbbasidCaliphate #Baghdad #HarunAlRashid #AlMamun #HouseOfWisdom #IslamicGoldenAge #MedievalMiddleEast #UmmaraydRevolution #SackOfBaghdad1258 #TranslationMovement #Sufism #Mawali #RoundCity #IslamicScience #RiseAndFall #History #WorldHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo">buymeacoffee.com/fexingo</a>

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4/23/2026

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Recent Episodes

August 11, 2026

The Great Abbasid Fire of 938: Tragedy and Recovery

In 938, Baghdad—the glittering capital of the Abbasid Caliphate—was struck by a catastrophic fire that consumed vast swaths of the city, including the iconic Round City's markets and the famed libraries. This episode explores the fire's causes, its devastating impact on daily life and scholarship, and the remarkable resilience of Baghdad's citizens as they rebuilt. We follow the accounts of chroniclers like Miskawayh and Ibn al-Jawzi, who preserved the memory of that harrowing day, and consider how such disasters shaped urban planning and disaster response in the medieval Islamic world. Through the lens of this tragedy, we uncover the fragility of even the greatest cities and the indomitable spirit of their people. #AbbasidCaliphate #Baghdad #FireOf938 #Miskawayh #IbnAlJawzi #RoundCity #MedievalHistory #IslamicHistory #UrbanDisaster #BaghdadHistory #CaliphAlRadi #IbnMuqla #TigrisRiver #Karkh #Rusafa #HouseOfWisdom #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo">buymeacoffee.com/fexingo</a>

August 10, 2026

The Great Abbasid Siege: How Constantinople Held

In 717, the Umayyad caliph Sulayman launched the most ambitious siege of Constantinople ever attempted. His brother Maslama led a vast army across Anatolia while a fleet of nearly two thousand ships sailed through the Aegean. The Byzantine capital, battered by years of civil war and plague, seemed doomed. But Leo the Isaurian, a general from the frontier, seized the throne and organized a desperate defense. Greek fire and a Bulgarian alliance broke the siege, and the Umayyad fleet was destroyed. This episode of the Fexingo History podcast follows the strategies, the human cost, and the consequences that reshaped the Middle East and Europe. Lucas and Luna discuss the role of Leo's cunning, the strain on Umayyad resources, and how this failure hastened the fall of the dynasty and paved the way for the Abbasids. They also touch on the legendary story of the corn ships and the plague that ravaged the invading army. #Constantinople #UmayyadCaliphate #ByzantineEmpire #LeoTheIsaurian #Maslama #GreekFire #SiegeOf717 #Sulayman #Bulgar #ArabByzantineWars #MedievalHistory #MiddleEast #Byzantium #IslamicHistory #Empire #MilitaryHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo">buymeacoffee.com/fexingo</a>

August 9, 2026

The Barmakids: Fall of a Persian Dynasty

In the annals of the Abbasid Caliphate, few families loomed larger than the Barmakids, the Persian viziers who effectively ran the empire for half a century. Their rise from Buddhist priests in Balkh to the most powerful men in Baghdad is a story of brilliance, ambition, and ultimately, betrayal. This episode explores how Yahya ibn Khalid and his son Ja'far shaped the golden age of Harun al-Rashid, patronizing scholars and poets, building canals, and minting coinage. But their very success made them rivals to the caliphate itself. In 803, Harun abruptly purged the family, killing Ja'far and imprisoning his father. Why? Was it political paranoia, palace intrigue, or forbidden love? We examine the evidence from al-Tabari and others, the legends that grew around their fall, and the lasting legacy of a family whose name became a byword for generosity and whose fate echoed through Persian and Arabic literature for centuries. Join us as we unpack one of the most dramatic downfalls in medieval history. #Barmakids #AbbasidCaliphate #HarunAlRashid #Vizier #PersianHistory #IslamicHistory #MiddleEast #Baghdad #GoldenAge #FallOfDynasty #Ja'far #YahyaIbnKhalid #Al-Tabari #MedievalHistory #CourtIntrigue #ImperialPower #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo">buymeacoffee.com/fexingo</a>

191 total episodes available

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What is The Abbasid Caliphate: Baghdad at the Center of the World — Fexingo History?: In the eighth century, a new dynasty swept across the Middle East, toppling the Umayyads and founding a capital that would become the intellectual and commercial heart of the medieval world: Baghdad. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate, from the bloody revolution of 750 CE to the golden age of Harun al-Rashid and the translation movement that preserved Greek philosophy. They explore the construction of the Round City, the cosmopolitan court where Persian viziers, Arab poets, and Indian mathematicians mingled, and the emergence of the ulema as a political force. The series traces the caliphate's peak under al-Ma'mun, the eventual fragmentation into rival emirates, and the devastating Mongol sack of 1258 that ended an era. Along the way, they examine the Abbasid patronage of science and literature, the rise of Sufism, the role of the mawali (non-Arab converts), and the influence of the caliphate on European thought through Spain and Sicily. This is not a simple narrative of decline: it is a story of how a single dynasty shaped the Islamic world's relationship with power, knowledge, and faith. Why does the Abbasid legacy—from algebra to The Thousand and One Nights—still resonate today? Tune in to find out.

#AbbasidCaliphate #Baghdad #HarunAlRashid #AlMamun #HouseOfWisdom #IslamicGoldenAge #MedievalMiddleEast #UmmaraydRevolution #SackOfBaghdad1258 #TranslationMovement #Sufism #Mawali #RoundCity #IslamicScience #RiseAndFall #History #WorldHistory #FexingoHistory

Keep every episode free: <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo">buymeacoffee.com/fexingo</a>
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

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