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The Foundation of Baghdad
In the source Al-Ya’quibi describes the foundation of Baghdad, twelve
years after the Abbasid revolution in 750. How the site was chosen for the
capital of the new dynasty suggests a great deal about the relationship between
trade and cities, and between cities and civilisations. The Abbasid family
supplied Arab khalifs for the Muslim world from 749 to 1517. Abu Ja’far al-Mansur
was the third son of Muhammad ibn Ali the Abbasid. When he became ruler he
founded, Hashimiya, a new city between Kufa and Hira. After he sent his son,
Muhammad al-Mahdo, to fight the Slavs in 757, al-Mansur came to the then
Christian village of Baghdad. It was al-Mansur
who founded and built the city of Baghdad in 762. On his arrival in Baghdad,
situated on the River Tigris, he is said to have asked, ‘What is the name of
this place?’. When he was told Baghdad he said ‘By God, this is the city my
father told me I must build’. He declared that he would live there and that
his descendants would live there after him. He thought that God had ordered him
to live there, saying it was one of ‘God’s
plans for me’. Benefits of the location, which are not included in the source,
could include the fact there was a conveniently large, flat, open space for the
construction of a city, an extensive grain growing region nearby and no enemy to
be feared on the east.
Al-Mansur could immediately see the obvious advantages of Baghdad’s
location, particularly in trading terms. Around this time the shape and
development of new cities were determined much more than those of our own times
by their setting. Al Mansur said Baghdad’s position between the river Tigris
in the east and the Euphrates river in the west made it ‘a market for the
world’. It was clear from the very start that the trade routes which converged
on Baghdad would be the foundation for its prosperity. Indeed it was a desirable
location. The 1,900 km long River Tigris in particular was crucial for trade and
communication, bringing commerce from the Persian Gulf to Baghdad. The Euphrates
would facilitate trading links with Syria. Al-Mansur declared that
‘All the ships that come from up the Tigris from Wasit, Basra, Ubulla,
Ahwaz, Fars , Uman, Yamama, Bahrayn, and beyond will anchor here’. He realised
that the location of Baghdad meant that ‘wares brought on ships down the
Tigris from Monsul, Diyar-Rabi’a, Mudar, Raqqa, Syria, the border marches,
Egypt and North Africa’ would provide his city with resources from other areas
and a market for any goods it might produce. The geographical position of
Baghdad enabled the exploitation of the lucrative transit trade. This was such a
benefit because the 10 percent duty charged to these ships provided much of the
Abbasid's wealth. As in
Baghdad, favourable trading conditions and a role as a trading centre are
generally the bases upon which many cities expand. Throughout History there have
been many examples of this, such as the medieval European new cities which were
distinctively connected to trading opportunities. They lay on great trade routes
such as the Meuse and Rhine, or were grouped in areas of specialised production
such as Flanders. Wine was one of the first agricultural commodities to loom
large in international trade and this underpinned the early growth of Bordeaux.
Ports often became the centres of maritime regions, as did Genoa and Bruge.
It was mainly its location which led to Baghdad becoming ‘the most
flourishing city in the world’. The Abbasids had virtually no rivals in
supplying manufactured articles to the West and, as they were self sufficient in
food, they were in a favourable position. Baghdad’s favourable position meant
that produce like wheat was transported on a large scale from the surrounding
countryside to the city markets. As in so many cities the surrounding area
became economically dependant on the city and was hence dominated by it. Baghdad
however, was served by a much wider area than most cities. A wider range of
commodities circulated over a larger area than ever before. This revived
commerce in the cities along the caravan routes which passed through the Arab
lands from east to west. Al-Mansur’s prediction Baghdad would be the
‘highway for the people of the Jabal, Isfahan, and the districts of Khurasan’
came true. Many products regularly consumed were transported from the region in
which they were originally grown, for considerable distances by caravan, or by
ship on river or sea. Perhaps for the first time, the products of all the
regions of the Muslim World were available to the rich. There were wide, clean
bazaars all over the ‘flourishing city’, each selling just one commodity. As
in the cities of Medieval Europe, wool, gold, copper, jewellery and textiles
each had its own street.
Al-Ya’qubi’s description of how a site was chosen also suggests a
good deal about the relationship between cities and civilisations. Civilisation
is the name we give to the interaction of human beings in a very creative way.
It occurs when a surplus of resources have been built up. It releases human
capacities for development at a higher level and the development which follows
is typically self sustaining. It is commonly regarded that cities have prompted
innovation better than any other environment so far. Inside the early cities the
surpluses of wealth produced by agriculture made possible other things
characteristic of civilised life. For example the upkeep of a priestly class
which elaborated a religious structure, leading to the construction of great
buildings with new functions. Another example of development was the invention
of Money in Mesopotamia, where values of account were being given in measures of
grain and silver before 2000 BC. The fact that the Egyptians had hieroglyphics
and day to day writing on papyrus in 2000 BC shows that city life resulted in an
acceleration. in the development of civilisation.
A natural movement from
writing as a tool for logging
trade was its use in recording religious ideas, although religious ideas at this
time also went just through spoken word and stories. For example, it has been
suggested that the idea for the flood in Old Testament originated from a much
older Mesopotamian story or a great flood. Many people also believe that the
first ideas
for the ‘life after death’
idea of Christianity came from the ideas of
reincarnation from much older Indian religions. Once
religious ideas could be written down they became an fundamental part of a
civilisation. It was the early cities which were responsible for this
development. Although the civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia did not last
for ever Jewish religious ideas lasted thousands of years through their
recording. It was the new writings of the early cities which made societies take
very different paths, for example in religion.
Baghdad cradled a culture in which Hellenistic, Christian, Jewish,
Zoroastrian and Hindu ideas mingled together. Throughout History civilisation
has accelerated in periods of cross-fertilisation. In collusion and co-operation
they learnt from one another and so increased the total potential of their
societies. Another example of this is when
the Minoans brought the goods and ideas of the first civilisations to Bronze Age
Europe.
As in the case of many cities, after the move to Baghdad the machinery of
government became more elaborate. The Caliphs surrounded themselves with vast
bureaucracies. The consequent wealth they brought in resourced ever greater
enterprises, such as the new buildings which led to Baghdad being called the
"Bride of the World" due of its beauty. With the foundation of a city
law becomes an accepted concept. In the first years of Baghdad the famous
Hanafite, Hanabalite, Malikite and Shafi’ite Schools of Law were founded. In a
city the power of the individual is limited by the laws and the power of the
law-giver increases. Often the state expresses itself in military power and
central authority becomes more and more defensive. Arabic culture under the
Abbasids had closer access to the Persian tradition and became detached from the
Arabic components of Islam. The closer contact with India led to renewed vigour
and new creative traditions. In Baghdad a new importance was given to Persian
influence which was to be very important. The civilisation was not wholly based
on religion. Increasingly loyalty to the dynasty, rather than the dynasty of
Islam, became the basis of the empire and this reflected the old Persian
tradition. This shows the effect a city in relation to civilisation. However,
the Abbasids persecuted non-conformists.
In his speech Al Mansur made some predictions about the future of
Baghdad. He said he would ‘dwell in it as long as I live, and my descendants
shall dwell in it after me.’ He also said ‘then I shall found four other
cities, none of which will ever be ruined’. The fact he said ‘my descendants
will dwell in it after me’ demonstrates his confidence the city would
strengthen the new dynasty’s grip on power. He said Baghdad would become
‘the most flourishing city in the world’. Al Mansur was mainly correct in
his predictions. Islamic civilisation in the Arab lands peaked under the Abasids
with Baghdad at its centre. They based their great empire around Baghdad, which
became the focus of the whole Middle East. Islam provided the political
organisation to hold the huge area together.
Within 50 years of Baghdad’s
foundation the city reached a peak of prosperity and influence under the caliph
Haroon al-Rasheed, whose reign was celebrated in the Arabian Nights. During this
period the city expanded to the eastern bank of the Tigris, which later became
the centre of Baghdad. The ‘flourishing’ Baghdad is reminiscent of the
equally flourishing cities in Victorian Britain. They had great public life with
public debating and self improvement groups, modern universities, museums and
exhibitions and botanical gardens. There were also great developments in
industry and university in the 19th century where
science was able to
extend the boundaries of knowledge
which form bedrock of
sound civilisation. Just as the character of many British cities was
established in the Victorian era, many historians believe the character of the
new Islamic civilisation was established in Abbasdian Baghdad. As
Baghdad ‘flourished’ people of all nations flocked to its streets, believing
them to be paved with gold, a trend repeated throughout the ages as, for
example, in modern America. People were convinced that they would make their
fortunes. The influx of Africans, Greeks, Turks, Armenians and Persians soon
made Baghdad a cosmopolitan city with a new cultural atmosphere. Baghdad became a huge city, with perhaps 500,000 in
habitants. One of the reasons for Abbasid wealth and prosperity was this great
population. Throughout History there have been many examples of great cities
growing quickly. For example in 1800 the population of London was 900,000 and
Berlin 170,000. By 1900 London had 4.7 million and Berlin 2.7 million. Another
example of how Baghdad flourished was that in 770 it was officially given the
name of Medina al Salam, or the City of Peace.
In Al-Ya’quibi’s description a great deal can be learnt about the
cities, particularly the way they influence the surrounding area and advance
civilisation. Abbasidian Baghdad is one of History’s best examples that more
than any other institution cities provide the critical mass which produces
civilisation and hence deserve their place in World History. Bibliography
Microsoft Encarta 2000 articles on the river Tigris,
population, Baghdad and al-Mansur
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