The collapse of the eastern Mediterranean : climate change and the decline of the East, 950-1072

As A 'medieval Warm Period' Prevailed In Western Europe During The Tenth And Eleventh Centuries, The Eastern Mediterranean Region, From The Nile To The Oxus, Was Suffering From A Series Of Climatic Disasters Which Led To The Decline Of Some Of The Most Important Civilisations And Cultural Centres Of The Time. This Provocative Study Argues That Many Well-documented But Apparently Disparate Events - Such As Recurrent Drought And Famine In Egypt, Mass Migrations In The Steppes Of Central Asia, And The Decline In Population In Urban Centres Such As Baghdad And Constantinople - Are Connected And Should Be Understood Within The Broad Context Of Climate Change. Drawing On A Wealth Of Textual And Archaeological Evidence, Ronnie Ellenblum Explores The Impact Of Climatic And Ecological Change Across The Eastern Mediterranean In This Period, To Offer A New Perspective On Why This Was A Turning Point In The History Of The Islamic World-- Part I. The Collapse Of The Eastern Mediterranean: Presenting The Events ; Deconstructing A 'collapse' ; 950-1027 -- An Impending Disaster -- Part Ii. Regional Domino Effects In The Eastern Mediterranean, 1027-60 Ad: The Collapse Of Iran ; The Fall Of Baghdad ; A Crumbling Empire: The Pechenegs And The Decimation Of Byzantium ; Egypt And Its Provinces, 1050s-1070s -- Part Iii. Cities And Minorities: Jerusalem And The Decline Of Classical Cities ; Water Supply, Declining Cities And Deserted Villages ; Food Crises And Accelerated Islamization ; Reflections. Ronnie Ellenblum, The Hebrew University Of Jeruslaem. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. As a 'Medieval Warm Period' prevailed in Western Europe during the tenth and eleventh centuries, the eastern Mediterranean region, from the Nile to the Oxus, was suffering from a series of climatic disasters which led to the decline of some of the most important civilizations and cultural centres of the time. This provocative study argues that many well-documented but apparently disparate events - such as recurrent drought and famine in Egypt, mass migrations in the steppes of central Asia, and the decline in population in urban centres such as Baghdad and Constantinople - are connected and should be understood within the broad context of climate change. Drawing on a wealth of textual and archaeological evidence, Ronnie Ellenblum explores the impact of climatic and ecological change across the eastern Mediterranean in this period, to offer a new perspective on why this was a turning point in the history of the Islamic world Machine generated contents note: Part I. The Collapse of the Eastern Mediterranean: 1. Presenting the events; 2. Deconstructing a 'collapse'; 3. 950-1027 - An impending disaster; Part II. Regional Domino Effects in the Eastern Mediterranean, 1027-60 AD: 4. The collapse of Iran; 5. The fall of Baghdad; 6. A crumbling empire: the Pechenegs and the decimation of Byzantium; 7. Egypt and its provinces, 1050s-1070s; Part III. Cities and Minorities: 8. Jerusalem and the decline of classical cities; 9. Water supply, declining cities and deserted villages; 10. Food crises and accelerated Islamization; 11. Reflections. This provocative study argues that many well-documented but apparently disparate events of the tenth and eleventh centuries - including drought and famine in Egypt, mass migrations in the steppes of central Asia, and population decline in urban centres such as Baghdad and Constantinople - were triggered by climatic and ecological change.