Bedouin

=Bedouin= Bedouin culture, a nomadic culture, developed in the Middle East. It was based on camel and goat herding, and the population was divided into separate clans that were kin-related. Survival depended on a clan working well together. Clans were grouped in larger tribes. These tribes only got together in times of war and crisis. Clan councils regulated the use of watering holes and grazing lands that were essential to bedouin life. Shaykhs were the leaders of the clans and tribes. They often turned out to be the richest man with the largest herd, multiple wives, and many children. The Shaykhs were enforced by free warriors, members of the clan who with their families made up the majority of the clan. Slave families were beneath the warriors. Interclan violence was extremely common as feuds erupted over watering holes and pastures. This violence served to strengthen the bond of the clan. A code of chivalry and honor made acts of violence turn inito clan feuds which would last for centuries. This internal fighting allowed outside groups to play the clans off of each other and weaken them further. Later, Islam united the Bedouin tribes into the Islamic Empire.

Back to Unit 3 Terms Created by Max Crawford 10/22/08 Edited by Kelly Herring 10/22/08 Edited by Elizabeth Thompson 10/22/08 Edited by Christina Oelsner 10/22/08