Islamic History Podcast · Islamic History Podcast

The First Signs of Decay | IHP 11-0

·58 min·3 clips

In 112 AH, the Khazars broke into Ardabil and killed al-Jarrah al-Hakimi.

1. Islamic History Podcast Season 11 opens with a recap of the Umayyad Caliphate and a preview of the years after 120 AH. 2. The host speaks as the show's narrator and explains that Season 4 of the Umayyad series ran on Islamic History Exclusive, the paid feed. 3. The episode's purpose is to lay groundwork so listeners know what to expect from the next phase of the Umayyad Caliphate. 4. The format changes from weekly 25-to-35-minute episodes to only three episodes, each planned for at least two hours. 5. The host says he wants to finish the season by Eid al-Fitr in late March 2026. 6. New listeners are told they can start here, and the host points them to islamichistorypodcast.com/timeline for the broader chronology. 7. Season 4 covered 106 to 120 AH during the reign of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. 8. The host says Yahya Blankenship described this period as the end of the jihad state. 9. The frontier picture shifts from easy conquest to hard resistance from the Turks, Khazars, Franks, and Indians in Sindh and Gujarat. 10. The Siege of Ardabil in 112 AH is presented as a major Caucasus disaster in which al-Jarrah al-Hakimi was killed and tens of thousands were captured. 11. Mardwan ibn Muhammad is named as the new governor who later stabilized the Caucasus front after major fighting. 12. Khorasan is described as a meat grinder where the Muslims fought Suluk's Turkish confederation in the Day of Thirst and the Battle of the Defile. 13. The Battle of Kharistan in 119 AH is described as a surprise Muslim victory that even the caliph struggled to believe. 14. The host says Suluk's death helped trigger infighting among the Turkish factions. 15. The far edges of the caliphate are also under strain, with the Battle of Tours or Poitiers in 114 AH ending further Muslim expansion into France. 16. In India, Umayyad authority in Gujarat collapses and only fortified garrisons remain in Sindh. 17. The episode identifies the Mawali as non-Arab Muslims who were often treated as second-class citizens and, in some cases, still charged both jizya and zakat. 18. The host says the governor of Khorasan reversed a promise to lift jizya, which helped fuel Al-Harith ibn Surayj's revolt and later alliance with the Turks. 19. The tone is explanatory and chronological, with long-form narration, repeated recaps, and occasional quoted material from Philip K. Hitti. 20. Listeners interested in Umayyad politics, frontier warfare, and early Islamic social hierarchy will get the most from it.

As heard by us

A steady setup episode that turns the Umayyad crisis into a clear chain of causes.

Season 11 opens by setting up the Umayyad Caliphate with a clear run of causes rather than rushing to the main conflict. It moves from Berber grievance to the weakness of the caliphs after Hisham ibn Abdul Malik, then into costly war, heavier taxes, corruption, and the civil war…

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You're getting the map before the Umayyad breakdown turns into civil war.

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