Located along the Tigris River, the city was called Madinat al-Salam or City of Peace by its founder. Baghdad grew rapidly to become the largest urban center of the medieval world and became an economic and intellectual powerhouse. The city comprised a learned society benefiting from numerous bookshops and public libraries and became a hub for students traveling in search of knowledge. By the 11th century, Baghdad became almost the exclusive name for the city.
See Also: Abbasid Dynasty Family Tree
The Abbasid Vision: A New Capital
After the fall of the Umayyads, the first Muslim dynasty, the victorious Abbasid rulers wanted their own capital from which they could rule. They chose a site north of the Sassanid capital of Ctesiphon, and on 30 July 762 AD/CE, the caliph Al-Mansur commissioned the construction of the city.
Building Under the Barmakids’ Supervision
The city’s construction was managed by the Barmakids, a powerful Persian family known for their administrative skills. Al-Mansur envisioned Baghdad as the center of the Islamic empire, reflecting its power and grandeur.
Symbolic Planning of the City
According to the Persian historian Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, before the constructions began, Caliph Al-Mansur commanded to draw the outline of the city in ashes. After walking around the city’s imaginary streets and courtyards, Al-Mansur ordered cotton seeds and oil spread along the outline, which was then set on fire for the Caliph to see the city as a whole.
Baghdad: The Intellectual and Cultural Hub
Within a generation of its founding, Baghdad became a hub of learning and commerce. The city flourished into an unrivaled intellectual center of science, medicine, philosophy, and education, especially with the Abbasid Translation Movement began under the second caliph Al-Mansur and thrived under the seventh caliph Al-Ma’mun.
The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah)
Baghdad became home to Bayt al-Hikmah, or the House of Wisdom, one of the most renowned academies of the medieval world. By the 9th century, it housed the largest collection of books in the world, attracting scholars from different backgrounds.
Prominent Scholars of Baghdad
Notable scholars based in Baghdad during this time include:
- Hunayn ibn Ishaq – A renowned translator of Greek texts into Arabic.
- Al-Khwarizmi – A mathematician and the father of algebra.
- Al-Kindi – A philosopher and pioneer in Islamic thought.
Although Arabic was used as the international language of science, the scholarship involved not only Arabs, but also Persians, Syriacs, Nestorians, Jews, Arab Christians, and people from other ethnic and religious groups native to the region. These are considered among the fundamental elements that contributed to the flourishing of scholarship in the Medieval Islamic world.
See Also: Umayyad Dynasty Family Tree
The Architectural Marvel: The Round City
The heart of Baghdad was the Round City, designed in a circular format to reflect unity and strength. The city’s layout included:
The Central Palace – The residence of the Caliph, featuring a green dome as a symbol of authority.
The Grand Mosque – Built alongside the palace for religious and state affairs.
Administrative Buildings – Offices for governing the empire.
Troop Quarters – Housing military personnel for protection and control.
Legacy of Baghdad
Baghdad’s rise as the intellectual capital of the Islamic world influenced generations of scholars, scientists, and traders. It remained a symbol of cultural and scientific advancement for centuries.
