sentences:  "Babylon 5" creator J. Michael Straczynski named the planet and race after the Islamic pulpit known as a minbar.They were one of the military forces of the younger races in the previous Shadow War (the Vorlons being the main force) which took place roughly in the Earth year 1260 A.D.The Minbari were completely defeated by the Shadows in this first war and on the verge of total extinction but were saved by the Earth Babylon 4 station.