Contents

       Maps

       Introduction

  1   THE FIRST CALIPHS

  2   THE EXECUTIVE CALIPHATE: THE RULE OF THE UMAYYADS

  3   THE EARLY ABBASID CALIPHATE

  4   THE CULTURE OF THE ABBASID CALIPHATE

  5   THE LATER ABBASID CALIPHATE

  6   THREE AUTHORS IN SEARCH OF THE CALIPHATE

  7   THE CALIPHATE OF THE SHIITES

  8   THE UMAYYADS OF CÓRDOBA

  9   THE ALMOHAD CALIPHS

10   THE CALIPHATE UNDER THE MAMLUKS AND OTTOMANS

11   THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND BEYOND

       Acknowledgements

       Glossary

       List of Caliphs

       Notes

       Further Reading

       Index