Реферат: Islamic Conquests Up To 700 Ad

money and close-knit administration was primarily the result of the sapping

Persian war, as well as the cultural and religious divisions that beset the

empire in the 7th century.The Byzantine Empire, in part at

least, survived the 7th century, but by the middle of the 7th

century the Sasanian Empire had been totally destroyed.? The Sasanian Empire had of course

experienced the same debilitating effects of war that the Byzantine Empire

had.? Thus we can say that both empires

were stretched in terms of resources, as well as psychologically

war-weary.? Short-term problems also

afflicted the Sasanians with the floods and plagues of the early to mid 7th

century being the prime examples.? More

long term, structural weaknesses were exposed as a result of the Byzantine

war.? The dynastic rule of the Sasanian

house caused problems in terms of succession.?

It was difficult for new rulers to gain the credibility and respect that

was needed to maintain the support of the independently minded

aristocracy.? The ten different Sasanian

Kings between 628 and 632 bear testament to this problem.? Internal struggles, as in the Roman Empire,

plagued the Sasanian Empire.? Bloody

fights for succession and the Madzakite revolutions of the 5th and 6th

centuries are indicative of an empire with severe political and social

problems.? Again, there is little in the

way of military evidence to explain the chronic poor performance of the

Sasanians.? We can point to lack of

resources and war exhaustion, but at the decisive battle of Qadisiyya Rustam

had a significantly larger force under his command than his Muslim

counterpart.? The loss of this key

battle and the subsequent loss of the capital Ctesiphon highlight another

weakness.? The location of Ctesiphon,