Efforts and actions of Abbasid caliphs in the development and prosperity of shipping in the rivers of Iraq

Islamic civilization reached its golden age during the period of the Abbasid caliphate. One of the manifestations of the numerous progresses in that period is the prosperity of shipping in rivers, and particularly in Tigris and Euphrates. Under the control of Abbasid caliphs, new canals and branches of rivers were dug and waterways were dredged. With different social and political purposes, the caliphs facilitated transportation in Iraqi rivers. In the article here, it has been endeavored to describe Abbasid caliphs' efforts and purposes in supporting shipping in rivers and it has been tried to explain how they benefited from so many military and commercial advantages of this kind of shipping. The findings show that these actions of Abbasids led to more government income, agricultural development, growth of urbanization, and transmission of knowledge and culture to capital of caliphate.