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Oct 2021
26m 43s

Episode 32: Yazid bin Abdulmalik

ZAYD
About this episode
Yazid came to power following the transformative reign of the pious Omar II. The new caliph faced some immediate resistance, and after dealing with it he went about undoing all his predecessors reforms, effectively returning the caliphate to what it had been before. While the cracks are too fine to see in this episode, Yazid’s reign will prove to be disastro ... Show More
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Oct 2021
Episode 33: Hisham bin Abdulmalik
In the nine years between al Walid’s death in 715 and Hisham’s ascension in 724 the umma went through three caliphs, each with a radically different vision for its future. This swinging between political projects greatly undermined any stability Umayyad power was founded upon, an ... Show More
24m 58s
Nov 2021
Episode 34: Hard mode
Hisham’s armies faced many different opponents during his long and formidable reign. The mismanagement of the half-brothers who preceded him had taken its toll on the umma’s unity, and the caliphate’s borders were no longer as secure as they had once been. We’ll take a whirlwind ... Show More
28m 23s
Nov 2021
Episode 35: Turgesh troubles
Khurasan and the East remained as volatile as ever, and Hisham had to contend with the new threat of the Turgesh throughout his long reign. We’re fortunate that our sources contain so much information on the region during this chaotic time, especially because the area will be of ... Show More
25m 19s
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