Religious Aristocracies
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• Haram or sacred shrines – sedentary power as relations pious group take on role as holy family. No murder in Harem so negotiation ground – Nomadic people, usually subordinate sedentary dwellers – became social and economically important as traders realise that they are safe.
• Mansib or head of cult often sued as mediator been tribes and as power to bar from Haram and associated market – if no access to other market. Serious. V important man and family – considered noble or sharif real security from weaker tribesmen, and ability to give protection to weaker tribes – formation religious aristocracy.
• Mansib could construct sizeable political coalition tying tribes together and brining other tribes into a loose confederation. Exercising cultic, social and economic power.
• Political history of northern and central Arabia - rise and fall of small polities competing warrior nomads or holy families – trying to subjugate myriad tribal groupings – or bring into alliance against rivals.
• Stability religious aristocracy greater as economic and cultic power less easy to disband than military power.
• Mansib as adjudicator – doesn’t imply concept of law – first step in that direction. As near strong economic centres – rare but sometimes event non-agricultural specialists like business men, artisans and merchants, germ of concept of legitimacy through rule of law, potential to support class of administrators – sacred enclave more potential to develops into more thoroughly integrated state like structure than nomadic confederations – rudimentary organisational level.

Other Notes in this Category

1. A tribal society
2. Abu Bakr and Ridda wars
3. Causes of Islamic Conquest
4. Conclusions
5. Economics and Social Relations
6. Foundations of the islamic conquest
7. Introductory Points
8. muhammad’s consolidation
9. Muhammad’s Teachings
10. Political life in northern and central arabia
11. Religious Aristocracies
12. State and society in pre-islamic arabia
13. The early islamic world – patricia crone
14. The New Ruling Elite
15. The State and the Nomads
16. Tribe and state in arabia

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