Harran University (Middle Ages)
The Harran University, also known as the Madrasa of Harran,
History
The Harran University was founded by the
The university enjoyed its golden age in the late 8th century and 9th centuries,[7] particularly under the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809).[8] At its height, more than 8,000 students gathered at the Harran University,[3] educated in mathematics, philosophy, medicine, astrology,[8] astronomy and natural sciences.[3] Many prominent scholars of their age, including Al-Battani, Jabir ibn Hayyan and Thābit ibn Qurra, studied at the Harran University.[7] The university was also an important site for translations of documents from Syriac and Greek into Arabic[3][8] and thus also an important institution in the history of transmission and preservation of classical Greek and Syriac learning.[3] At some point, Neoplatonism was introduced to the university, though the precise timing is not clear. It might have been brought to Harran by Thābit ibn Qurra in the late 9th century, who could have learnt Neoplatonism in Baghdad. Alternatively, Neoplatonism might have been brought to Harran as early as the 6th century by Neoplatonists such as Simplicius of Cilicia, who fled persecution in the Byzantine Empire.[9]
Though having declined since the 9th century, the university remained active until at least the 12th century, when Harran was under the rule of the Zengid dynasty.[5][10][11] It ceased operations at the latest in 1271, when Harran was severely damaged and abandoned.[2][9] After the Ottoman Empire captured the region containing Harran, Sultan Selim I (r. 1512–1520) repaired the university and made an attempt to revive it, though it declined in importance again after his reign.[8]
See also
- Harran University, a modern university in nearby Urfa
- Islamic Golden Age
References
- ISBN 978-1-59784-657-8.
- ^ .
- ^ a b c d e f g "Harran". www.newgoreme.com. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ISBN 978-0-86315-849-0.
- ^ a b "Remains of first Islamic madrassa found in Turkey's Harran". Daily Sabah. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ Bosworth, C. E. (2003). "ḤARRĀN". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. XII, Fasc. 1. pp. 13–14.
- ^ a b "Harran University Mosque". nabataea.net. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ ISSN 0197-3975.
- ^ S2CID 170507750.
- ^ "Archaeologists Discover 12th Century University Structures At Harran . Archaeological Site". VOI - Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ "First madrasah structure unearthed in Harran". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2022-08-28.