"We witness in this era that the rulers of the regional sultanates, though politically independent of the caliph in Baghdad, have turned their courts into centers of great learning. The court of the Seljuks is filled with astronomers and poets, while the colleges of Cairo under the Mamluks rival any libraries that came before them."
—Adapted from a twelfth-century travelogue
Which of the following developments in the Islamic world is best illustrated by the passage?
- AIslamic states adopted European feudal political systems to govern their decentralized territories.
- BThe political division of the caliphate led to a widespread decline in scientific and cultural advancements.
- Regional Islamic states continued to patronize and expand intellectual achievements despite political fragmentation.Answer
- DThe rise of regional sultanates led to complete cultural isolation and the end of scholarly exchange between cities.
Answer
Regional Islamic states continued to patronize and expand intellectual achievements despite political fragmentation.
The correct answer is correct because regional rulers in the post-Abbasid world, such as the Seljuks and Mamluks, actively patronized scholars and supported educational institutions, demonstrating that political fragmentation did not cause a cultural decline.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Political Fragmentation and Cultural Continuity in Dar al-Islam
Estimated Time:45s