Astronomy and Astrology in the Islamic World - (New Edinburgh Islamic Surveys) by Stephen P Blake (Paperback)

About the Book

This textbook surveys the major advances in the heavenly sciences from Isfahan, Maragha and Samarqand. It looks at the development of astronomy and astrology in the Islamic world from the 9th to the 17th century, and their influence on the beliefs and practices of individuals and institutions in the Islamic world and Europe.

Book Synopsis

It was the astronomers and mathematicians of the Islamic world who provided the theories and concepts that paved the way from the geocentric theories of Claudius Ptolemy in the second century AD to the heliocentric breakthroughs of Nicholas Copernicus and Johannes Kepler in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Algebra, the Arabic numeral system, and trigonometry: all these and more originated in the Muslim East and undergirded an increasingly accurate and sophisticated understanding of the movements of the Sun, Moon, and planets. This nontechnical overview of the Islamic advances in the heavenly sciences allows the general reader to appreciate (for the first time) the absolutely crucial role that Muslim scientists played in the overall development of astronomy and astrology in the Eurasian world.

From the Back Cover

Surveys the contributions of Islamic astronomers and mathematicians to the development of astronomy and astrology It was the astronomers and mathematicians of the Islamic world who provided the theories and concepts that paved the way from the geocentric theories of Claudius Ptolemy in the second century AD to the heliocentric breakthroughs of Nicholas Copernicus and Johannes Kepler in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Algebra, the Arabic numeral system and trigonometry: all these and more originated in the Muslim East and undergirded an increasingly accurate and sophisticated understanding of the movements of the Sun, Moon and planets. This non-technical overview of the Islamic advances in the heavenly sciences allows the general reader to appreciate (for the first time) the absolutely crucial role that Muslim scientists played in the overall development of astronomy and astrology in the Eurasian world. Key Features - The first accessible, non-technical history of Islamic astronomy and astrology - Surveys the major advances in the heavenly sciences from Isfahan, Maragha and Samarqand from the seventh to the sixteenth centuries - Shows the impact of astronomy and astrology on individuals and institutions - Looks at the influence of almanacs and horoscopes in the Mughal, Ottoman and Safavid Empires - Considers the ways Islamic astronomy and astrology shaped beliefs and practices in the medieval and early modern Islamic and European worlds Stephen Blake is Associate Professor Emeritus at St Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. His books include Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires (2013), Shahjahanabad: The Sovereign City in Mughal India, 1639-1739 (2002) and Half the World: The Social Architecture of Safavid Isfahan, 1590-1722 (1999). Cover image: 'Taqi al-Din and other astronomers at work in the observatory of Sultan Murad III in Constantinople'. Turkish miniature painting, 1581 from a Shahnameh (Book of Persian Kings). Roland and Sabrina Michaud/akg-images Cover design: [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN [cover] 978-0-7486-4909-9 [PPC] 978-0-7486-4910-5 Barcode

Review Quotes

'a detailed yet readable account of personalities and locations linked to the use and development of algebra, the Arabic numeral system, trigonometry, and the astronomical charts known as the zij... which provides access to this specialized field without burdening the reader with extensive technical information.'--Mohammad Mesbahi, The Islamic College, London "Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies"

About the Author

Stephen Blake is Associate Professor Emeritus at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. His books include Shahjahanabad: The Sovereign City in Mughal India, 1639-1739 (Cambridge University Press, 2002); Half the World: The Social Architecture of Safavid Isfahan, 1590-1722 (Mazda, 1999); and Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires (Cambridge University Press, 2013).