Capital of Umayyad Caliphate
The capital of the Umayyad Caliphate was Damascus, Syria. After Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan established the Umayyad dynasty in 661 CE, he moved the Islamic caliphate’s capital from Medina to Damascus. This city then served as the political, cultural, and economic center of the Umayyad Caliphate throughout its rule until the Abbasids took over in 750 CE. Damascus’s choice as the capital allowed the Umayyads to exert greater control over the vast territories of their empire, which stretched from Spain in the west to India in the east.
Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE)
Muawiyah I established the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE after defeating Ali ibn Abi Talib. It became the first hereditary dynasty in Islamic history, with power passed down through the Umayyad family.
Umayyad Caliphate played a role in the codification of Islamic law and the development of Islamic scholarship. Damascus, Syria, served as the capital, a strategic location at the crossroads of trade routes. The Umayyads significantly expanded the Islamic empire, reaching North Africa, Spain (known as Al-Andalus), and Central Asia.
Table of Content
- About Umayyad Caliphate
- Umayyad Caliphate – Overview
- The Umayyad Caliphate – History
- Historical Events Timeline During Umayyad Caliphate
- Umayyad Caliphate – Achievements
- Fall of the Umayyad Caliphate
- Interesting Facts about the Umayyad Caliphate