I am seeking a skilled writer with expertise in late antique history to write a 12-15 page academic essay for a university-level History 404 course. The

I am seeking a skilled writer with expertise in late antique history to write a 12-15 page academic essay for a university-level History 404 course. The essay must focus on how Islamic expansion in the 7th and 8th centuries transformed trade in the eastern Mediterranean, engaging deeply with specified primary and secondary sources. I will attach the essay proposal and outline, which you must follow closely. Below are the detailed requirements, including the sources, formatting, and professor’s feedback, to ensure the essay meets the assignment’s expectations.

Essay Topic and ScopeThe essay should explore the economic impacts of the Islamic conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries in the eastern Mediterranean, as detailed in the attached proposal and outline. It should:

• Analyze how the Islamic Caliphates created new trade routes and economic centers after conquering regions like Egypt and Syria.
• Examine how the Byzantine Empire responded economically, particularly through Constantinople’s role in trade.
• Compare Islamic and Byzantine experiences using primary sources to highlight their perspectives and secondary sources to contextualize economic shifts.
• Focus strictly on the period before 1000 CE, avoiding references to later centuries (e.g., 17th or 18th centuries).

The essay should argue that Islamic expansion increased Mediterranean trade by connecting it to distant regions, while challenging the Byzantine economy by displacing key trading cities.

Required SourcesThe essay must engage extensively with the following sources, as specified in the proposal. No additional sources are permitted unless approved. Please use these to support the argument and provide evidence:

Primary Sources:

1. Ibn Khordadbeh, Kitāb al-Masālik wa’l-Mamālik, trans. M. Hadj-Sadok, 1949.
   • Use to describe Islamic trade routes, markets, and economic policies (e.g., gold dinars, trade connections to India and China). Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.
   • Highlight the Islamic perspective on their trade networks.
2. Theophanes Confessor, Chronicle, trans. Cyril Mango and Roger Scott, Oxford University Press, 1997.
   • Use to illustrate the Byzantine perspective on trade disruptions and their adaptations. Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.
   • Emphasize Christian reactions to Islamic conquests.

Secondary Sources:

1. Kennedy, Hugh. The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In. Da Capo Press, 2007.
   • Use to explain the economic impact of Islamic conquests and the shift of trade routes. Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.
2. Hoyland, Robert G. In God’s Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire. Oxford University Press, 2015.
   • Use to compare Islamic and Byzantine economic changes. Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.
3. Wickham, Chris. Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800. Oxford University Press, 2005.
   • Use to describe the pre-Islamic Mediterranean economy and the growth of Islamic cities. Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.
4. Donner, Fred. Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam. Harvard University Press, 2010.
   • Use to explain Islamic economic policies that supported trade growth. Reference specific pages where provided in the outline.

Essay StructurePlease follow the attached outline to organize the essay, ensuring each section aligns with the specified structure and incorporates the sources as indicated.

Formatting RequirementsThe essay must adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

• Font and Spacing: Times New Roman, 12 pt font, double-spaced. Block quotations (5+ lines) should be single-spaced, indented 0.5”, and without quotation marks. Footnotes should be single-spaced, 10 pt font.
• Margins and Page Numbers: 1” margins throughout. Page numbers start at 1 (excluding the title page).
• Title Page: Include the essay title, my name (Aya Fakhouri), class (History 404, Dr. Samuel Cohen), and date (submission date, e.g., May 20, 2025).
• Citations: Use Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) with footnotes.
  • First citation of a source must be in full (e.g., Hugh Kennedy, The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In [Da Capo Press, 2007], 230).
  • Subsequent citations use short form (e.g., Kennedy, Great Arab Conquests, 245).
  • Specify page numbers for all citations.
  • Include a bibliography listing all sources in full CMS format.
• Length: 12-15 pages, excluding title page and bibliography.

Professor’s Feedback to AddressThe professor provided the following notes, which must be incorporated:

• Focus strictly on the 7th–8th centuries, avoiding later periods (the reference to 17th–18th centuries in the proposal was a typo). Ensure all developments discussed occur before 1000 CE.
• Use Ibn Khordadbeh and Theophanes to present a balanced comparison of Islamic and Byzantine perspectives on trade.
• Leverage secondary sources to contextualize primary sources within the broader economic and political shifts.
• Strengthen analysis by explaining how each source’s argument or method supports the essay’s thesis, rather than just summarizing.
• Proofread carefully to eliminate typos and informal phrasing (e.g., “super important,” “big deal”). Use formal academic language.

Additional Expectations

• The essay should reflect my personal connection to the topic as a first-generation Moroccan American, as noted in the proposal, but keep this brief and relevant (e.g., in the introduction).
• Ensure the writing is clear, analytical, and avoids overly general statements. Each section should tie back to the thesis.
• The essay should demonstrate strong historical analysis by synthesizing primary and secondary sources to support the argument.
• Deliver the essay in a Microsoft Word document, formatted according to the guidelines above, by [insert your deadline, e.g., May 18, 2025].

AttachmentsI will provide the essay proposal and outline, which include the detailed topic, argument, structure, and specific page references for the sources. You must follow these documents closely.