Umayyad Caliphate Discussion

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The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of four major caliphates founded after the death of Muhammad and at its greatest extent covered 11.1 million square kilometers making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of area. The territory was vast and multiculutural including Christians and Jews. In the early caliphate, Christians held prominent positions and some belonged to families that had served the Byzantine Empire - however the highest public offices were reserved for Muslims. During the period of the Umayyads, Arabic became the administrative language and the process of Arabization was initiated in the Levant, Mesopotamia, North Africa and Iberia. Throughout the Empire, the Umayyads constructed grand palaces, mosques and cities to fortify their boundaries. Many of these structures would incorporate Byzantine features including Roman mosaics and Corinthian columns.