Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Krijnauw.

In this unit, we are learning about the early Islamic civilization.

And what connected Baghdad to the wider world.

In this lesson, we are going to embark on a fascinating journey through time.

Exploring a city that was once the centre of the world in many ways, and that city is Baghdad.

Baghdad was a place where the east met the west.

It was a melting pot of cultures, knowledge and trade.

In this lesson, we're going to uncover how Baghdad became a crucial link, between the Islamic world and western civilizations.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe, how Baghdad was connected to the West.

And it's my job to support you with the learning materials, and resources.

Some key words that you will encounter in this lesson are the House of Wisdom.

Which was a library and place of learning and Baghdad.

During the Islamic Golden Age.

Euclid.

Euclid was an ancient Greek mathematician, who lived around 300 BCE.

And is often referred to as the father of geometry.

Another keyword is geometry, which is an area of maths.

That explores the shape, size, angles, and positions of objects.

You will also come across the word dinar in this lesson.

Which is the name of the money that was used in Baghdad.

Today's lesson about Baghdad's connections to the west, has two learning cycles.

And the first one is entitled mathematical marvels.

Imagine walking through the markets of mediaeval Baghdad.

You'd see silk from China, spices from India, gold and silver from Africa and books filled with knowledge from ancient Greece and Persia.

However, these markets were not just about trading goods, but also about exchanging ideas and knowledge.

Scholars and thinkers from various places around the world, would meet here making Baghdad, a centre for intellectual and cultural exchange.

Baghdad was strategically positioned along key trade routes, such as the Silk Road.

Connecting it to Europe, and Asia and Africa.

This prime location made it a buzzing and bustling place.

Traders from all over the world brought their goods, and their ideas and their cultures to Baghdad.

And in return, Baghdad's own scholars and merchants, spread their knowledge and innovations far and wide.

Baghdad not only had connections with the east, but also the west.

During the time of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The west referred to places west of Baghdad.

Often specifically the Byzantine Empire, including Greece.

And other kingdoms and regions in Europe and England.

Baghdad, which is located in modern day Iraq.

Was founded in 762 CE, by Caliph Al-Mansur.

It was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Baghdad was a wealthy and popular city.

And soon became a centre for knowledge and learning.

In the 9th century, the famous House of Wisdom, was established in Baghdad.

It was an important place where scholars and experts worked to translate texts from other languages.

They carried out research there, and they also had discussions and debates.

Let's check for understanding.

Which of the following activities did not occur in the House of Wisdom.

A, translating texts from other languages into Arabic.

B, conducting scientific research.

C, circus Acts.

D, debates and discussions.

And the answer is, C.

Of course, there were no circus acts at the House of Wisdom.

The layout of the city of Baghdad was very unique.

It was laid out in the shape of a large circle.

The city was designed as a circle about one kilometre in Radius.

And that is why it was known as the round city.

One reason Al-Mansur planned Baghdad as a circle, was because he loved the ancient Greek science of mathematics.

Many Greek mathematicians considered the circle, to be the perfect shape, because circles are never ending, with no beginning and no end.

And to the ancient Greeks, circles represented divine symmetry and balance in nature.

Let's see what you can remember.

Change one word in each sentence to make it correct.

One, Al-Mansur, the Caliph, who planned the layouts of Baghdad, ordered it to be built in the shape of a square.

Two, he was influenced by the ancient English mathematicians who considered this shape to be perfect.

Pause the video here, and when you have changed one word in each of these sentences.

Press play to check your answers.

Let's check the answers.

One, Al-Mansur the Caliph who planned the layout of Baghdad ordered it to be built in the shape of a circle, not a square.

Two, he was influenced by the ancient Greek mathematicians.

Not the English mathematicians.

Who considered the shape to be perfect.

Well done if you managed to identify those mistakes, and correct them.

The Muslim scholars of the Islamic golden age, held the ancient Greek mathematicians in high regard.

One such mathematician was a man called Euclid.

Euclid lived around 300 BCE, and he was particularly interested in the mathematical branch of geometry.

And he studied the shape and size and angles, and positions of objects.

Let's take a moment to check for understanding.

Which of the following students, is correctly explaining what geometry is.

Jacob says, geometry is the study of numbers and their operations.

Including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Izzy says, geometry is an area of mathematics, that deals with a study of the shape, size, angles, and properties of objects.

Aisha says, geometry is the art of creating beautiful musical compositions, by arranging notes in specific patterns.

So who is correct? Let's find out.

And the answer is B.

Izzy is correct.

Well done if you got that one correct as well.

Euclid is famous for writing a book called The Elements.

which explain the basics of Geometry.

The Muslim scholars at the House of Wisdom, considered this to be a very important book.

It was so important that they translated it.

And often added their own commentaries and insights, making the book easier to understand and more accessible.

The Arabic translation of the elements became widely used throughout the Islamic world, and it soon became a key text studied, and used by mathematicians, scientists and astronomers.

Let's check for understanding.

Explain why Andeep's statement below is correct.

The scholars from the House of Wisdom considered Euclid to be an important mathematician.

Pause the video here, and when you are ready to reflect on the answer, press play.

Here is one example of an answer.

Euclid wrote a book called The Elements.

Which explained the basics of geometry.

The scholars at the House of Wisdom translated it, and it soon became an important text used by mathematicians, astronomers, and scientists.

Well done if your answer is similar to this one.

The influence of the translation of The Elements, didn't stop in the Islamic world.

Copies of the Arabic translations of The Elements, eventually reached Europe.

European scholars, particularly during the 12th century, translated the elements into Latin.

As a result, other European scholars and educators, could also study and teach Euclid's The Elements.

And that influenced the development of maths, and science in the West.

The impact of the translation, and spread of Euclid's The Elements was monumental.

It laid the groundwork for the study of geometry, and it influenced countless mathematicians, scientists, and scholars.

I can't help but wonder how different our world would be, if the scholars at the House of Wisdom hadn't translated and preserved works, like Euclid's The Elements.

We have now come to the first learning task of this lesson.

It says, match the person to their role in connecting Baghdad to mathematical ideas from the west.

The people are Al-Mansur, Euclid, scholars from the House of Wisdom.

And their roles are.

Translated the elements into Arabic, and copy spreads knowledge in Europe.

Inspired by ancient Greek maths, he designed Baghdad as a circle Wrote the elements.

A book about geometry.

Pause the video here, and when you are ready for the answers, press play.

Let's investigate the answers.

Al-Mansur's role in connecting Baghdad to mathematical ideas from the West, was that he was inspired by ancient Greek maths.

And therefore he designed Baghdad as a circle.

Euclid wrote The Elements, a book about geometry.

And the scholars from the House of Wisdom, translated the elements into Arabic, and copy spread this knowledge in Europe.

Well done if you got all of those correct.

The second learning cycle of this lesson is entitled Offa's Coin.

The Abbasid Caliphate was the most powerful empire, in the Mediterranean world.

In the eighth century, especially in trade.

Their gold coins called dinars.

Were highly valued, and widely accepted.

Dinar's were used in many different places, to buy and sell goods all over the region.

Take a moment to study this image of the gold dinars of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Tell your learning partner what you notice about the shape, material and design.

Did you notice that the dinars are round, like the coins we use as money today? And they look as though they are golden? There is also writing on the dinars.

This is Arabic script.

Historians discovered a fascinating gold coin from that period that reveals connections between the Abbasid Caliphate and Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Offa, who was the king of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, called Mercia.

Reigned from 757 to 796 CE.

During his reign, King Offa, was well known for minting currency.

Which means that he was well known for making coins, to use as money.

One of the coins minted during King Offa's reign was unique and differed from any he had produced before.

This coin resembled a gold dinar created by Al-Mansur, the Abbasid Caliph, who ruled at the same time as King Offa.

On one side of the coin, there was an inscription which read Offa Rex which is the Latin for King Offa.

On the other side, there was Arabic script.

This coin closely imitated the Gold dinar's minted during Al-Mansur's reign.

Although historians aren't sure if King Offa, asked for the coin to be made, or if someone made it for him.

It is a fascinating historical object.

Take a moment to study this image of Offa's coin.

Tell your learning partner what you notice.

Did you notice that the coin is round just like the dinar.

That the coin looks as though it is made of gold? Again, just like the dinar.

Did you see the words Offa Rex, in the middle of the coin? There is also writing near the circumference.

It is Arabic script, just like the dinar.

But why would Offa, a Christian King, have gold dinars with Arabic writing? The most likely explanation, is that the coins were made for trade in the Mediterranean.

Where gold dinars were the main type of money, currency used for buying and selling goods.

By making coins that looked like dinars, King Offa made sure his coins would be accepted in trade.

Allowing him to buy luxury goods and other valuable items. It showed that the money, that came from the kingdom of Mercia, could be trusted.

Another reason is that Offa, might have been copying a popular trend.

Gold dinars were highly respected.

So by making similar coins, Offa could show that Mercia was advanced, and connected to the wider world.

Finally, having coins with Arabic writing, could have been a way to show off.

It showed that Offa was the king of Mercia, where high quality coins were minted, making the kingdom look more important and impressive.

Even though King Offa and his subjects, likely did not understand Arabic.

Using the script would've made the coins, more acceptable in trade with Muslim merchants, and regions under Islamic control.

Let's consolidate what we have just learned.

Why might an Islamic trader in the Mediterranean have accepted Offa's coins? A, the coins had beautiful artwork.

B, the coins were made of gold, and similar to the widely accepted dinars.

C, the coins were lightweight and easy to carry.

D, the coins had the name of King Offa in Latin.

The answer is, b.

The coins were made of gold, and similar to the widely accepted dinars.

Good work.

We are now ready for the second learning task of this lesson.

Use the words below to explain how the Abbasid Caliphate, was connected to Anglo-Saxon England during the eighth century.

Here are some words that will help you.

Coin.

King Offa.

Abbasid.

Dinar.

Latin.

Arabic.

Mediterranean.

Pause the video here, and when you are ready to reflect on the answer, press play.

Here is an example of an answer that you could have given.

A gold coin was made during King Offa's reign, that imitated the dinar used in the Abbasid Caliphate at the time.

The coin had King Offa written on one side in Latin, and had Arabic writing on the other.

The coins were most likely made for trade in the Mediterranean with Islamic merchants.

Well done if your answer is similar to this.

And an extra big well done if you managed to use all the words highlighted in green.

We have come to the end of this lesson, about Baghdad's connections to the west.

But before we go, let's summarise what we have learned.

Al-Mansur planned Baghdad as a circle, because he loved the ancient Greek science of mathematics.

Euclid, a mathematician from ancient Greece wrote The Elements a book about geometry.

Scholars from the House of Wisdom translated the elements to Arabic, and copies spread to Europe.

Historians have found coins that were made in the time Offa, King of Mercia.

That resemble the dinars of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The coins were most likely made for trade in the Mediterranean with Islamic merchants.

Well done on all your hard work today.

I have really enjoyed travelling back in time with you, and I hope to see you again very soon.