Muslim Expansion and Byzantine Collapse in North Africa
Muslim Expansion and Byzantine Collapse in North Africa Who 'lost' Christian North Africa? Walter Kaegi examines these perennial questions, with maps and on-site observations, in this exciting book.…
Specifikacia Muslim Expansion and Byzantine Collapse in North Africa
Muslim Expansion and Byzantine Collapse in North Africa
Who 'lost' Christian North Africa? Walter Kaegi examines these perennial questions, with maps and on-site observations, in this exciting book. Who won it and how?
While the Muslims forcefully and permanently turned Byzantine internal dynastic and religious problems and military unrest to their advantage, they brought their own strengths to a dynamic process that would take a long time to complete - the transformation of North Africa. Persisting clouds of suspicion and blame overshadowed many Byzantine attempts to defend North Africa, as Byzantines failed to meet the multiple challenges from different directions which ultimately overwhelmed them. An impartial comparative framework helps to sort through identity politics, 'Orientalism' charges and counter-charges, and institutional controversies; this book also includes a study of the decisive battle of Sbeitla in 647, helping readers to understand what befell Byzantium, and indeed empires from Rome to the present.