Baghdad-Centered Healthcare Facility and Medical Developments in the Abbasids Until the End of the Buwayhid Rule

Abstract

Human health is a phenomenon that has been very important at every moment of life since the existence of mankind and will continue to be vital forever. Throughout history, people have sought treatment for getting rid of diseases, seeking healing, and living a healthy life. The solutions people found as a result of these searches and efforts formed the first knowledge and basis of medical science. This knowledge and experience has developed by synthesizing and interacting with the ancient Greek, Rome, Indian and Sassanid civilizations. Under the influence of this knowledge, medical science in the Islamic history period; It started to emerge with the birth of Islam, made a significant breakthrough during the Umayyad period, and experienced its peak during the Abbasid period. Abbasid caliph Mansur took Baghdad with a strategic location; It was designated as the capital city due to its connections with the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Indian Ocean and gulfs, as well as Egypt, Byzantium and the Maghreb, thus creating the infrastructure of a period when commercial activity and urbanization accelerated. Especially VIII. - XII. Baghdad, which became the important science, culture and civilization capital of the Islamic world between the centuries; by receiving intense immigration from the surrounding regions, it has become a center of attraction where cultural diversity is blended, scholars of different ethnic identities gather and are valued, and many works are translated. As a result of all these developments, especially in H. IV.–V. centuries have been called the "golden age of Islamic civilization" and the "period in which the Islamic Renaissance took place". An important pillar of the developments of this era was innovations and advances in the field of medicine. The city of Cündişâpûr, which is located in today's Iran and where Christians have lived densely since the Sassanid period, has come to the fore as the center of science and especially medicine. With the encouragement and invitation of the Abbasid caliphs, many important scientists who were educated here came to Baghdad after the fall of the Sassanids and began to serve the Abbasid State. Especially the students who studied at Cündişâpur Medical Academy flocked to the Beytü'l-Hikme medical academy in Baghdad with their teachers. This scientific migration movement, centered in Cündişâpûr, which started during the reign of Caliph Mansur and reached its peak during the reign of Hârûnürreşîd, led to the establishment of many hospitals and increased medical developments in Baghdad. In this study, the healthcare facility and medical developments established in Baghdad in the Abbasid State until the end of the Buwayhid rule in Baghdad (1055) will be discussed.