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Abu Bakr's rule was short but crucial. Tribes who believed they had pledged allegience only to Mohammed began to revolt to gain former independence. Abu Bakr used wisdom and leniency to continue unifying Arabia. Ghazu raids increased during this time period.
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Umar turned ghazu raids against non-Muslims in places such as Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and later the Persian Empire. He encountered stiff resistance in the Byzantine Empire.
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Umar is stabbed to death in the mosque in Medina by a Persian prisoner of war.
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Uthman gained much new territory with Cyprus and Tripoli. However, he isolated other Muslims do to his practice of nepotism.
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A group of unhappy Arab soldiers mutiny against Uthman and murder him in his Medina home.
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Ali was married to Fatima and did not avenge Uthman's death. He ruled during the Fitnah, a five year civil war with a name that translates to "time of temptation". Uthman's family did not think he had the right to be caliph; as a result, he was unpopular in Syria.
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Began after the last Caliph. Moved the capital from Medina to Damascus because they felt it was more politically expedient for them and because they could direct military action and conquest from there. They relied on locals to run things and Shiite Muslims especially despised them because they felt they dishonored everything Mohammed had called for.
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The Abbassid Dynasty took over in Damascus and killed the family at a banquet. At this point in type, the assassination of a noble family in this way was unthinkable.
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This dynasty led to a domination by northern groups as opposed to the traditional Arab leaders. Persian traders strongly influenced the Abbassid Dynasty. Islam became a universal religion, and philosophers flocked to Abbassid's court.
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Hulagu, Ghengis Khan's grandson, burned and looted Baghdad and killed the last Caliph. The Mongols also adopted Islam.
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While the Caliph system was beginning to decline, the Seljuk Turks migrated in. They converted to Islam and took control of Baghdad.
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Baghdad reaches its peak under Harun al-Rashid's rule, and his reign was symbolic of wealth and splendor.
