The Dark Age's of Europe; Islam

The Dark Age’s Part Three

Europe’s dark ages were a pivotal point in European history. We do not know much about the dark ages, which gives the dark ages its name. Major events include the Black Plague, the decline of Western civilization, and the end of the Western Roman Empire, all of which made this a dark time in European history.  This book was of particular interest because the dark ages of Europe were a black spot in history and the key to explaining the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the immediate consequences. 

This post covers the expansion and strengthening of Muslim power between 630 and 750 AD.

The Muslim Caliphate was not a unique experience in the Middle Eastern world; however, it became one of the strongest empires in the entire world. Islam went from being a religion based in a small city; it being common (AKA there were lots of similar religions/other prophets), to being a global power. The Muslim Caliphate created multi-religious and wealthy cities. The Muslim Caliphate was founded by Muhammad. Islam is one of the major religions in the world, and the Muslim Caliphate created, thriving, and multicultural societies.

Muhammad founded Islam; he was a prophet, politician, and general. He lived between, and (570-632) was the “prophet” of Islam. He was one of the most influential leaders in history. He was, in addition, a political and military leader, outside of his role as a prophet. The author of the book is Wickham who explains, “Around 610 began to get verbal revelations from god; he became a prophet and sought followers.”[1] This was an important piece of information; it shows how the beginning of Islam started and the basic story behind the Muslim prophet. Muhamad viewed his followers as different from other religions, including Christian’s, Pagans, and Jews. [2] Back then, they wouldn’t have known how quickly Islam would impact European’s.

Islam is now one of the largest religions in the world,(it is #2) but it started as a minor player in a small part of Saudi Arabia. Wickham writes, “The first major piece of Islamic architecture was the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.”[3] This shows that Islam started to become a major force ~59 years after Muhammad died. It also shows that Islam was not fully developed by Muhammad; it took other people and a longer period of time to fully develop. The foundation of Islam happened in 622 AD, when Muhammad fled to Medina from Mecca. The Saudi Arabian cities, Mecca and Medina, fought against each other in a large set of wars in the 620s. Muhamad finally conquered Mecca back in the 630s.[4] Muhamad was not the first, or last, prophet in Saudi Arabia. Other prophets led their own new religions in the Middle East in the 600s; however, Muhammad’s immediate successors, who were his companions, led a campaign of reconquering Saudi Arabia.

            The Byzantine Empire, the Eastern part of the former Roman Empire, lost territory to the Muslim Caliphate, which conquered the Middle Eastern Kingdom, the Persians. The Persian Empire was a major player in the world. However, Byzantium and the Muslim Caliphate divided up the Middle East. [5] The Byzantine Empire struggled from attacks from within (civil wars) as well as from wars by the Ottomans, the Persians, and the Muslim Caliphate. The Muslim’s conquered parts of the previous Roman Empire. The Muslim’s conquered parts of Spain. They created a thriving, multicultural, Muslim society. [6]       

The foundation of Islam in 622 was a critical point in world history. It caused a change in Eurasian power dynamics and is still around today.  Islam, today, is one of the largest religions in the world, and is also a key player in world history and politics. The foundation of Islam preluded the many conflicts facing the Middle East today. However, the Middle East is dry, rich in oil, has lots of desert, and is strategically important. This is one reason to believe that not all of Islam’s problems are solely due to Islam. Also, the area was problematic before the foundation of Islam, which should also be considered in this calculus.

Citations:

Wickham, Chris. 2009. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000. New York: Viking.

Duncan, Mike. The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic. New York, NY: PublicAffairs, 2017.

Crawford, Jack. “Understanding Byzantine Economy: The Collapse of a Medieval Powerhouse.” The Collector, December 28, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.thecollector.com/byzantine-economy-collapse-medieval-times/.

Herrin, Judith. Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007.

[1] Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 (New York: Viking, 2009). Pg. 282.

[2] Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 (New York: Viking, 2009). Pg. 282.

[3] Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 (New York: Viking, 2009). Pg.283

[4] Chris Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 (New York: Viking, 2009). Pg.283

[5] Judith Herrin, Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007), audiobook, Audible, chap. 8, 13:30.

[6] Judith Herrin, Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007), audiobook, Audible, chap. 8, 20:30