In the 8th century Middle East, a new dynasty seized control of one of the world’s greatest empires – the Islamic Caliphate. Though little remembered in the west today, the Abbasids reigned for five ...

In 750 AD, a revolution swept across the Islamic world. The Abbasids, claiming descent from the Prophet Muhammad’s family, led a massive uprising that overthrew the ruling Umayyad dynasty and seized ...

India’s Worrying Plans for Dams on Transboundary Rivers Shared with Bangladesh It’s easy to understand why the battle of Talas in 751 between the Abbasid Caliphate’s Arab-Persian army and the Chinese ...

From Athens to the Abbasids to today’s Anglosphere, creativity and commerce drive greatness JOHAN NORBERG is a historian of ideas. This article draws on his most recent book, Peak Human: What We Can ...