A survey of the history of the Middle East from the origins of Islam in the seventh century to the rise and consolidation of the Ottoman Empire in the eighteenth century. Lectures and discussions focus on diversity within the Middle East at the height of the Islamic empires. Topics include the life of Muhammad and early Islamic communities, expansion of Islam into Asia, Africa and Europe, intellectual strength in the medieval period, and the everyday lives of women, Christians, Jews and other minority groups. LEC.