Knowra Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) was an Arab historian and political thinker whose Muqaddimah developed a theory of social change centered on group solidarity, political power, and dynastic cycles.
Muqaddimah : An introductory work on history and society that Ibn Khaldun composed as the opening to his universal history. It presents the method and social theory for which Ibn Khaldun is best known.
Dynastic cycle : A recurring pattern in which ruling dynasties rise, consolidate power, weaken, and are replaced. Ibn Khaldun explained dynastic change through generations and shifts in group solidarity.
Hafsid dynasty : A Muslim dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya, centered on Tunis, from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century. Ibn Khaldun served in the political world of Tunis under Hafsid rule.
Al-Maqrizi : A Mamluk-era Egyptian historian whose works document the politics, economy, and society of his time. He studied with Ibn Khaldun and drew on his historical approach.
Historiography : The study of how history is written, interpreted, and shaped by evidence and method. His insistence on testing historical reports made method central to his account of history.
Asabiyyah : A concept of group solidarity and social cohesion, especially influential in Ibn Khaldun’s account of political power. It explains how cohesive groups gain authority and establish dynasties.
Social cohesion : The degree to which members of a society are connected by trust, shared norms, and mutual commitment. Asabiyyah is a particular account of cohesion as a source of political strength.
Marinid dynasty : A Berber dynasty that ruled much of Morocco from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. His service and imprisonment at the Marinid court shaped his experience of unstable power.
Ibn al-Khatib : A Granada-born statesman, physician, and writer who served the Nasrid court in the fourteenth century. His political and scholarly life intersected with Ibn Khaldun’s diplomatic career in Granada.
Sociology : The systematic study of social relationships, institutions, and collective life. His analysis of social organization is often compared with later sociological inquiry.
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