Background
Islam began in the Arabian
Peninsula in the early 7th
century CE. It quickly spread throughout the
Middle East before moving across North Africa, and into
Spain and Sicily. By the 13th century, Islam had
spread across India and Southeast Asia. The
reasons for the success of Islam, and the expansion of
its
empire, can be attributed to the strength of the
Arab armies, the use of a common language, and fair
treatment of conquered peoples.
Golden Age
Islamic civilization experienced a golden age under
the
Abbassid Dynasty, which ruled from the mid 8th
century until the mid 13th century. Under the
Abbassids, Islamic culture became a blending of Arab,
Persian, Egyptian, and European traditions. The
result was an era of stunning intellectual and cultural
achievements.
Interdependence
and Trade
Under the Abbassids, a vast
trading network was
created which helped to spread
religion,
culture, and
technology among the different peoples of the empire. New business practices such as,
partnerships, the
use of credit, and banks to exchange
currency, were developed to handle the increase in
trade. The establishment of such vast trading
networks made the many nations within the Islamic Empire very wealthy, and
helped to stimulate many of their cultural and
intellectual achievements. These ideas were later
spread through parts of Africa and to Europe,
which experienced a rebirth in culture and trade as a
result of this contact, and the
Crusades.
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