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16th Century Entertainment was made up of many things that one may find strange today, but was normal to people living in the 16th and 17th Century.

Arts

The popularity of the theatre rose with both rich and poor alike, during the sixteenth century. This popularity was helped by the rise of great playwrights such as Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare as well as the building of the Globe Theatre in London.

Eating

Banquets were a really popular form of entertainment for the rich, but the poorer folk would also hold feasts on special occasions. If there was a great public event such as a royal wedding then the monarch would pay for wine and food to be placed in the streets for the poor people to join in the celebrations. The diners would be entertained by mummers, jugglers, jesters or fire eaters. masquerade balls were also a common form of entertainment

Execution

A public execution was an event not to be missed and people would queue through the night to get the best places. There was always a carnival atmosphere and a good trade was done by pie sellers and ale merchants. Public executions always produced a carnival-like atmosphere with large crowds attracting peddlers, minstrels, jugglers and other street performers anxious to use this ready-made audience.

Entertainment in the Renaissance is more complicated than initially thought.  In the course of research, it is evident society in a post dark age period of plague was ready to embrace life as evidenced in the prolific works of art such as Cimabue’s, “The Virgin and Child Enthroned and Surrounded by Angels” and Giotto’s “Madonna Enthroned”(1), sculptures reflecting the classical perspective such as Michelangelo’s “David” (2) and writings and verse such as “The Decameron” (3) by Giovanni Boccaccio. All of these were indicative of the cultural reawakening in this period.  The appreciation of the wide range and variety of art is but one form of entertainment in the period.  The music and songs also saw cultural growth in this period such as the popular tune “Greensleeves” (4) (click on title to listen) allegedly written by King Henry VIII of England.

Having acknowledging there was a great breath of cultural advancements in the arts; one must pause to consider the economic conditions of the times. While there was prosperity, it was not evenly distributed. There were basically three classes in society. High society which was comprised of nobility and the wealthy, tradesman or merchant class and the peasantry or common laborers. As a result, the degree of access, and forms of entertainment also was tiered accordingly.  This was actually documented in a set of cards called the “Mantegna Tarocchi” (5) used as an educational aid in Ferrara, Italy which defined a hierarchy for the “Conditions of Man”, largely ignoring the rural population comprised of Beggar, Servant,  Craftsman,  Merchant – presumably living mostly off income as a landlord, 5 Gentleman and Ladies, Knight,  Doge- i.e., a local ruler or Lord  (in England), King, Emperor and Pope.  The high class would commission the artisans to entertain them with works of art, music and theater.  They would also enjoy or participate in the sports of fencing, falconry, horse riding and the hunt for pheasant deer or fox.  They also would enjoy extravagant parties and dances, and attend the first run performances of opera and had the best seats at the theater. Cricket was also played by the nobility.  The middleclass of merchants, wrights, inn keepers and the like would occasionally enjoy the fine arts, but would normally enjoy a more coarse variety of music and drinking songs rife with satire and topical humor named for the town of Vire, France known as “Vaudevire” (6).  They would be able to attend the theater, but would more often attend bear baiting (7) or other blood thirsty sports like bull baiting, dog or cock fights. Traveling troupes of actors entertained the masses. Enterprising bards would settle and build theaters such as William Shakespeare’s Globe Theater (8) in London, England.  The poor could rarely afford the theater and when they could they would get the standing room space in the theater. They did sing and dance and attend church.  The common laborers lives were still primarily focused on survival and maintaining their meager existence, but they still enjoyed songs, occasional dances and coarse humor.  There were fairs that could be enjoyed by all three classes, and there were many forms of entertainment to be enjoyed.

“Fiber arts such as spinning, weaving, sewing, embroidery and knitting not only produced necessary clothing and linens, but were also a means of creative expression for the women of the time.  Games of skill were enjoyed by all, participants and audience, alike. Jousting, archery, swordsmanship, wrestling and falconry are a few examples of these. An early form of “football” was also played by teams of men with a straw filled, leather ball.  Table games and games of chance were popular among the nobility and common folk. Knuckle bones and dice, as well as board games such as backgammon and chess were played.”(9)

There were story tellers that provided a way of keeping the community history and would cry out the news of the day as well as story tellers also roamed the lands providing oral history of far away places, people, and events.  These story tellers also provided entertainment telling fables and fairy tales.

So by examining the entertainment in the Renaissance one sees it was a prolific period of innovation and growth, but that it is more complicated, based on class and economic status more than anything else.  Looking to today, this paradigm is still true, but to a lesser extent.  By this one can see the wealthy enjoy access to travel and attend the best concerts, sporting events, etc., whereas those who are in the middle class can attend, but tend to conserve their monies for the movies and local events or watching videos/television or playing videogames, and the poorest have access to public libraries and public sponsored events.

Bibliography

(1) Renaissance Art PPT

(2) © 24 Oct 2005, Nicolas Pioch http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/michelangelo/

(4) http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/renaissance/renaissa.htm

(5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class#Renaissance_Europe

(6)  Wayne Keyser “Vaudeville & Burlesque History & Lingo”

http://www.goodmagic.com/carny/vaud.htm

(7) “Bear-baiting from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear-baiting

(8)  “The Old Globe Theater History” Copyright © 2005

William Shakespeare info

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm
(9) Helen B. Wharton “Renaissance Entertainment”http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art39866.asp

Other References not cited

Giovanni Boccaccio: Biography from Answers.com

www.answers.com/topic/giovanni-boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio Biography Summary

www.bookrags.com/Giovanni_Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio | LibraryThing

www.librarything.com/author/boccacciogiovanni

Giovanni Boccaccio — Infoplease.com

www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0808047.html

Giovanni Boccaccio – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio

Dr. Fidel Fajardo-Acosta’s World Literature Website “The Decameron (1353)“

http://fajardo-acosta.com/worldlit/boccaccio/decameron.htm

LIFE IN THE 1500′S
http://www.lifesupporters.com/forums/entertainment/life-1500s-1794.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_entertainment_was_there_in_the_1500′s

The Renaissance Era Vocal 15^th Century

http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/history/history-ren-voc.htm

Cricket http://www.sportspower.com.au/index.cfm

Post a draft of your citations to your blog. Make sure they adhere to the guidelines set out on the Wikipedia: Citing Sources page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_article_doe….

Remember, your citations need to adhere to the format already established on the page. If no citations presently exist, then please use MLA format.

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Gascoigne, Bamber. “History of Theatre” HistoryWorld. From 2001, ongoing.    

http://www.historyworld.net/about/sources.asp?gtrack=pthc.

Annenberg Media. “Arts and Entertainment: What was it really like to live in the middle ages?”

Annenberg Media. From 1997, ongoing. http://www.learner.org/intera

ctives/middleages/artsentr.html.

“The Renaissance Era.” Thinkquest. Last updated 2010, 28 January.

            http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/history/history-ren-voc.htm

Write post about current entry and your structure/contributions: Due Jan. 28 DUE: Jan 28, 2010 1. Write a blog post critically assessing what material/information presently exists on your stub and noting *precisely HOW* you will add to and improve this entry. 2. Carefully consider what sections you will add or amend in your revised entry and what sources that you wrote about previously will help bolster those new sections.

In my Wikipedia stub, entertainment in the sixteenth century, there is a major deficient in information discussed. There are three tabs: one for theatre, one for eating and dining, and one for execution. These headings leave a vast quantity of data that is not conferred making this stub exceedingly easy to extend on in several aspects. In order to make sure to not over-write the page, I am going to narrow it down to one subject which has plenty of information on it in multiple locations, arts of the age. I plan to use varies of steadfast sources which interlink and connect similar information in order to cover all of the art possible, swiftly and concisely.

1. Write a blog post on what the most useful (and those that you’ve critically assessed and vetted) sources — both internet and non-internet — will be for your Wikipedia article. Come prepared to discuss your particular sources and what you’ve gleaned from each in class tomorrow.

http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/artsentr.html- teacher-made website

http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/history/history-ren-voc.htm- education foundation

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm – secondary source

            The only consistent sources I was able to find were those made by educational foundations. There was enough data available in order to aid the length of the stub Wikipedia page, while at the same time giving dependable information which is reliable and is able to be tested against other sources. The facts from these websites were easily corroborated and had supporting information that could be validated. By the process of contrast and comparison throughout several sources, these three sites seem to supply the most value to the subject of study.

Giovanni Boccaccio (Born 1313, Paris, France — died Dec. 21, 1375, Certaldo, Tuscany) was an Italian poet and story-writer who helped to initiate the humanist movement in Florence.  His most famous work is The Decameron, a collection of 100 novelle or tales.  According to multiple sources, The Decameron is a collection of bawdy tales of love presented in allegorical form about seven young women and three men who flee from the bubonic plague in Florence Italy, and the ten nights of tempestuous pleasures in a villa.  These collected works describes the effects the plague has had on the physical, emotional and social conditions in Europe.  In The Decameron, each of the women plays queen for a day and sets the theme for the day.  The tales often ended in tragedy, and is indicative of the humanistic influence of the period. The essence of the tales is to live for the day, for surely you will die tomorrow.  According to Dr. Fidel Fajardo-Acosta, “common targets of the tales is the hypocrisy of religious and moral authorities; superstitions and the gullibility of people are also often ridiculed” which implies that the stories describing a comparative study of vices versus virtues was also a commentary of the influence of the Church in society. 

Famous Quotes by Giovanni Boccaccio:

 ”His hair stood upright like porcupine quills.”  —Giovanni Boccaccio on Hair

 ”While farmers generally allow one rooster for ten hens, ten men are scarcely sufficient to service one woman.”  —Giovanni Boccaccio on Men and Women

 ”Do as we say, and not as we do. ”  —Giovanni Boccaccio on Preaching

Italian poet and scholar. His life was full of difficulties and occasional bouts of poverty.  His early works include The Love Afflicted (c. 1336), a prose work in five books, and The Book of Theseus (c. 1340), an ambitious epic of 12 cantos.  He is best known for his Decameron, a masterpiece of classical Italian prose that had an enormous influence on literature throughout Europe.  A group of 100 earthy tales united by a frame story, it was probably composed 1348 – 1353.  After this period he turned to humanist scholarship in Latin.  With Petrarch, he laid the foundations for Renaissance humanism, and through his writings in Italian he helped raise vernacular literature to the level of the classics of antiquity.

Bibliography:

Giovanni Boccaccio: Biography from Answers.com

www.answers.com/topic/giovanni-boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio Biography Summary

www.bookrags.com/Giovanni_Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio | LibraryThing

www.librarything.com/author/boccacciogiovanni

Giovanni Boccaccio — Infoplease.com

www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0808047.html  

Giovanni Boccaccio – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio

Dr. Fidel Fajardo-Acosta’s World Literature Website  “The Decameron (1353)“  

http://fajardo-acosta.com/worldlit/boccaccio/decameron.htm

     In examining the Cimabue, The Virgin and Child Enthroned and Surrounded by Angels, 1280 and Giotto, Madonna Enthroned, ca. 1310, at first seem to be very similar.  On closer inspection, there are definite differences in the style and perspectives between them.  In the latter work of art, it appears that the economy and prosperity is in a better state than the one only thirty years prior.  The Giotto, Madonna Enthroned, ca. 1310, certainly makes a more lasting impression because the details are clearer and the overall use of colors seems much brighter.

     Madonna Enthroned is extremely detailed and entails the fine artistic concentration on the high class of the period due to the focus behind the mother sitting on the throne hemmed with patterns of gold. Looking at both of the pictures side by side, the change in physical condition is quite obvious in the The Virgin and Child Enthroned and Surrounded by Angels. Several of the people look as though they are tired, dirty, and lacking nutrition, while on the other hand, Giotto’s individuals give the impression of being affluent, unsoiled, and their health, stable.  An example of riches being acquired within the three decades is between the comparisons of the two children sitting on the mothers’ lap. The infant from Cimabue’s work maintains the aspects of an unsympathetic existence seeing how he is thin, dresses in rags and looks to be grimy. The baby on the left appears to be plump and well taken care of much unlike The Virgin and Child Enthroned and Surrounded by Angels which depicts a harsher atmosphere to survive in, signaling strife. The quality of the painting implies that perhaps there were inferior materials available compared to the painting on the right which is crisp, clean and of higher quality. Without knowing the detail about the painters’ background and how they grew up, it is difficult to interpret whether or not their works were influenced by these upbringings and how they responded to any major disasters of that time, (e.g. The Black Death).

     After listening to the in depth discussion by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker about these two pieces, it appears the original observation was on the correct track in order to determine how the key points of comparison within these images transitioned culturally, leading these images to differ in important ways. Although they differ, though, these two specialists make the point that they are alike as well.  They have a “material that has symbolic quality and it was meant to reflect the light of heaven” (Harris and Zucker at SmartHistory).   It is important that we look at more than two paintings to determine the overall climate of the financial and cultural changes in this period, but they do provide a snapshot which can provide vital clues as to what is going on at the time the paintings are created.  In the conversation between Harris and Zucker, they discussed many of the artistic elements that dominate and define the characteristics of the two pieces being compared.  Because both paintings depict the same subject, it allows for a comparison of the elements that are unique and different rather than the subject matter.

     Both paintings had multiple planes of perspective to consider.  The position and elevation of the mother and child are at the forefront and are the focus of the painting.  The background of angels framing the pictures gives a surrealistic affect of heaven and divine presence surrounding the mother and child, and in the Giotto, the representation of the prophets is placed in the bottom of the painting (almost like they form a foundation for the picture, while in the Cimabue painting the angels share the ethereal backdrop with the prophets).  Additionally in both paintings the horizontal line has us focus on the baby’s eyes and all of the angels and prophets are below this horizontal line denoting a subordinate position in the painting.  The exception to this is in the Giotto painting where the two archangels assume a superior position, but are elevated far enough away as to compliment the child.  In the Cimabue painting the archangels are at the bottom of the painting, which implies that the focus on the importance of the Christ child was more prominent in the later years; perhaps indicating that the church was gaining stature in the community as a result of the prosperity of the times. In addition the bottom step almost appears as if it comprises the masses (one can almost see people in the abstract patterns). The vanishing point in both paintings appears to be behind the throne in both paintings around the neckline of the mother.  In the Giotto painting the aerial perspective appears to be slightly above the mother looking down (as if from someone standing at the same level) as the haze builds downward to the angels at the bottom and in the Cimabue painting the perspective shifts that the throne is elevated where the viewer is at the same height or viewing from the same level as the horizontal line in the painting because the haze is more pronounced at this point.

     In the Giotto painting the illusion of foreshorting is achieved by distorting the length of the torso of both mother and child (Contrapposto), but in the Cimabue painting foreshortening is achieved by reducing the scale of the people around the Mother and child; the higher in the painting, the smaller the scale.  In the Cimabue painting, the positioning of the mother’s knees are evenly placed, providing orthogonal balance and implying a more dominant or prosperous pose.

     In slide five the additional elements present but not labeled, are the orthogonal representations by the receding parallel lines that are transversal as denoted by the parallel lines are intersected by a transversal at the vanishing point which makes the corresponding angles congruent.

• Humanism - the spirit of learning that developed at the end of the middle ages with the revival of classical letters and a renewed confidence in the ability of human beings to determine for themselves truth and falsehood. http://bit.ly/101J5Q
• Secularism - a new outlook which basically said that religion shouldn’t interfere with living life to its fullest. They were not atheists. http://bit.ly/70XS6I
• Classicism – Classicism is a specific genre of philosophy, expressing itself in literature, architecture, art, and music, which has Ancient Greek and Roman sources and an emphasis on society. It was particularly expressed in the Enlightenment, and the Age of Reason. http://bit.ly/8WoBOy
• Realism – Painters began to enhance the realism of their work by using new techniques in perspective, and for the first time rendering the world in three dimensions. They also began incorporating new techniques that more realistically contrasted the play between natural light and shadow. http://bit.ly/4ZBWCZ
• Idealism – the philosophical theory that maintains that the ultimate nature of reality is based on mind or ideas. In the philosophy of perception, idealism is contrasted with realism in which the external world is said to have a so-called absolute existance prior to, and independent of, knowledge and consciousness. http://bit.ly/QT7ru
• Christianity – The new ideals of humanism, although more secular in some aspects, developed against a Christian backdrop, especially in theNorthern Renaissance. Indeed, much (if not most) of the new art was commissioned by or in dedication to the Church. http://bit.ly/7wOeLF

     Sando Botticelli’s use of foreshortening in The Cestello Annunciation reflects the value of Realism because it makes the painting seem as though there is severe depth to the photo, which causes one to feel as if they are present in the picture itself. They way that Botticelli accomplishes this is in the way he formats the tiling on the floor. Another method he is able to create this allusion with, is the way he highlights and angles the image behind the shadowed angel which appears to be a planter/flowerbox. It formulates the idea in the mind of the on-looker that the garden assistant is very short in comparison to the scenery behind. Realism was mostly likely sought after in this period because times were improving.

     Sando Botticelli’s use of chiaroscuro using a strong contrast between light and dark to give the illusion of depth or three-dimensionality in Birth of Venus replicates the value of Classicism because specific genres of philosophy express themselves in literature, architecture, art, and music, which has Ancient Greek and Roman sources and an emphasis on society. This painting obviously maintains qualities from previous artistic times, but are re-invented into a more three dimensional representation using the new discoveries and techniques of that period.

     Masaccio’s use of perspective in Tribute Money suggests the use of humanism because he focuses concentration on the observable properties of the physical world. The contrast between the foreground and background with the vibrant colors and realism of the men in the photo causes the eyes to be drawn throughout the entire picture.

     Overall, the art selected for comparison shows us a glimpse into the current societal values, ideals, and relative feelings about the times by those who capture them in oil and other media.  It is by examining the art of the time that helps corroborate the written and oral histories which gives a texture that is observable and is easily measured as artifacts that persist beyond their times.  All of these pieces of art have survived the plagues, wars, political upheavals and silently provide the truth in unvarnished terms.

Bibliography:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=df2x5k2p_197f26dhrcs = instructions

http://www.smarthistory.org/proto-renaissance.html = comparative site must use!!

“Picture plane.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/picture plane>.

“Linear Perspective.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Linear Perspective>.

“Aerial Perspective.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Aerial Perspective>.

“Foreshortening.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Foreshortening>.

 ”Chiaroscuro.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Chiaroscuro>.

“Contrapposto.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Contrapposto>.

Math for Morons Like Us – Geometry: Parallel Lines
library.thinkquest.org/20991/geo/parallel.html

Steven Kreis  ”The History Guide – lectures on Modern European Intellectual History” http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html

“The Humanism of the Renaissance”

http://www.all-about-renaissance-faires.com/renaissance_info/renaissance_and_humanism.htm

“Secularism” http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13676a.htm

“Classicism and Neoclassicism” http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/120317/Classicism

“Realism or the Realist school and realism” http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/r/realism.html

“Idealism” http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07634a.htm

“Christianity” http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=2927

Write and post a blog entry explaining the process that you went through in deciding what you wanted to write about and why you find that topic particularly interesting. Also briefly address what plans and/or strategy you have for researching this topic — where will you find sources, how will you organize your search, how will you determine the validity and/or value of the sources you encounter? What strategies do you have to make your entry congruent with Wikipedia’s guidelines?

Whilst scrolling through all of the unclaimed stub options on Wikipedia’s Historical Stubs Page, nothing really jumped out or interested me.  The second time reading the page, I saw a few that I was on the fence about until the very last minute when I finally came to a decision about a topic I felt more compelled to learn about.  After going through the four options I had left, the slave bell, white slavery, entertainment of the 16 century, and the history of the Jews in Fiji, I thought how much more I could elaborate on the already semi-published page and where I would get this supplement of information. Seeing as the entertainment of the 16^th century covers 100 years of art, theatre, eating, and other engaging activities which were very briefly discussed, I decided to go with this because I have had the most exposure to this information.  Personally, I find the theatre of the 16^th century intriguing because that is when Shakespeare originated his works, making one of the biggest impacts on literature in the present day. Another point of interest is the fact that when one looks closely at the art or theatre, it usually is a commentary on the present time it is written, helping one obtain the pattern of the goings on centuries ago, today.

In order to obtain additional information, I plan to use several books from the library, including works from 16^th century European authors like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Sir Philip Sidney, Ben Johnson, John Donne, John Dryden, Edward de Vere. The challenge is whom to read and who to research.  Additionally, I will search the Internet for articles published about entertainment in the 16^th century, although, when it comes to online sources with information one must take into consideration all aspects of the author writing and how dependable their information is.  In order to validate that this information is accurate, one must delve into the topic and try to find other articles or books which agree or disagree with the view point. (Looking at a ratio of people for and against the subject without a bias or opinion of the writer is useful).  It is often useful to look at the period from the perspective of the politics of the time, and read articles penned in the newspapers or other official documents to see if the entertainment reflects a commentary or satire on the goings on in government, or if there is a major event which occurred that acted as a catalyst for the entertainers of that time.

In order to make my entry congruent with Wikipedia’s guidelines, I intend to thoroughly vet the research, provide attribution, and list all sources, such that the veracity of the research can be independently verified.

12/8/09

in 1206 CE, Temujin, the most dynamic leader of the Mongols, proclaimed himself ruler (Khan) staking a claim to a steppe-wide empire.

Genghis Khan-united nomadic tribes of Northeastern Asia. He founded the Mongolian Empire the started reaids/invasions.

Khan is depicted as a constant devotee of Tengri, the sky, conceived as a supreme diety.

when his army conquered the city of Herat in Afganistan, it killed the entire population.

The Mongols captured the Georgian capital, Tbilisi in 1234 CE, turning it into a puppet kingdom.

The Khan relied on the Uighurs for administrators and ordered the adoption of the Ugihur script for the Mongols’ language

in 1219, a Chinese Daosit sage, Changchun, answered the Khan’s call for wise experts

Theodoric – the Ostro-gothic king whose realm was typically hybrid. he ruled from 493-526 CE. Jenna Lee

Clovis – Frankish chief who took over most of Gual (modern-day France) in the 480s CE. Jenna Lee

Olof Skötkunung – started minting coins with Christian symbols before the 1000s and by the time the Stephan of Hungary was corinated in 1001 it was the official religion of the country. Jenna Lee

Lombards- Invaded Italy (568) from the North during the Justininan Wars. Jenna Lee

Boethius- was the chief minister of Theodoric. he was a Roman senator, not a Goth, who clung to the old order of the Roman Empire. he wrote the Consolation of Philosophy. Jenna Lee

Sati – the burning of a widow on her husbands funeral pyre in 510 CE. Jenna Lee

Lombards- Invaded Italy (568) from the North during the Justininan Wars. Jenna Lee

King Agilulf – was the King of the Lombards. they designed the Lombard cross after his influence. Jenna Lee

 Parthians – the Iranian dynasty that followed the death of Alexander the Great. Jenna Lee

“party” of Ali (the nephew of Muhammad)- Jenna Lee

Islamization – the process of a society’s conversion to the religion of Islam. -growth was explosive (622-822 CE) it spanned from China to Spain people converted to Islam because they were fed up with other rigemes let/allowed Jews/Christians to keep their ideals when they conquered territory wanted soludarity Jenna Lee

 al-Aqsa – made by the caliph Abd al-Malik who effectivly proclaimed Islam’s superiority to Christianity and Judaism by building the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa in late seventh century Jeruselam. Jenna Lee

Abd al-Rahman – was ruler of Musilm Spain in the 8th century. By 10th century Cordova was his capital and it had a special garden growing exotic plants. Jenna Lee

al-Mahdi – Under the caliph al-Mahdi, Yahya ibn Khalid was led a mission to India to study medicinal drugs. Jenna Lee

Yahya ibn Khalid – Under the caliph al-Mahdi, Yahya ibn Khalid was led a mission to India to study medicinal drugs. Jenna Lee 

Mahmud of Ghazni – self-appointed guard of Islam whose 17 raids into India gathered so many captives that the slave market of Afganistan tumbled. Jenna Lee

Almanzor – stron-arm general in the late 10th century who kept the potentially mutinous armies & regional aristocracies of the Spanish busy fighting wars. Jenna Lee

1. Determine which texts were written by Christian authors and which by Muslims.

a. What are the main differences between the Christian and Muslim accounts?

2. Determine the chronological order in which the accounts were written.

a. What are the differences between the earlier and later accounts?

1, 2, 6 – Christian

3, 4, 5 – Musilm

The excerpts written by the Christian author is very apparent to which ones they were. The second excerpt is written by a Christian because of the way the author refers to that of “Divine Will” which refers to the concept of G-d as having a plan for mankind, and as such desires to see such plan fulfilled relating to the concept that claims it is G-d’s will that human beings be saved from death. Also, the passage about “Divine Will” is concluded by saying “Amen,” showing devotion to the concept of Divine Will. Another matter the writer brings up was time as “the year of Our Lord 713″. It is apparent because the documents which are clearly written by Muslims were still in the year 92. Passage six speaks of how the Muslim, Musa ibn Nusayr, invades Spain. This shows that they were not only enemies but were very protective of their territory against foreign invaders.

The author introduces the text of the third excerpt by talking about “Musa ibn Nusayr…[and] the caliph of Damascus”. The revealing of a caliph, the “successor” of the prophet and a supreme Islamic authority, being involved shows the Islamic ideologies the author carries. Description four’s author discloses their principles by saying that the happening took place in, “the end of the year 90″. By saying this, means that the author goes by the Islamic calendar which began when Muhammad began his travel from Mecca to Medina. Excerpt five was also written in Muslim context. The author states that the “Almighty G-d” caused Rodrigo and his men to perish.” The calling on of this high, powerful G-d is very unique to the way the Muslims went about capturing the Iberian Peninsula. The author of excerpt four mentions how the Christian, Julian, wrote Musa, the man in charge of Spain, with “humility” for impregnating the Christians’ daughter.