Muslim Expansion in the West
circa 900

Golden Web

For at least one thousand years, Islam, set astride the world's great trade route known to historians as the "Golden Web."

This Golden Web route spread out through the Middle East, and was one of the most lucrative.

This route allowed gigantic trains of over sixty thousand people and as many animals to arrive on a regular basis from the great cities of China and central Asia to Eastern Europe.

The route covers several major cities such as Samarkand and Bukhara and the Abbasid Capital of Baghdad. The Capital population then was about two million.

From Baghdad, the same goods would then be shipped on to other destinations like Constantinople in Eastern Europe and south to Busra and Yemen. Yemen was a great source for spice and perfume. From Busra we find the sea route to India and from there to the Indies.

Islamic Coins

Finally, there was the trade to Europe. The influence of the Muslims was felt on the Southern fringes of Europe along the Mediterranean Sea.

In Southern France, for example, in the town of Langouste Begeeni there were Muslim settlements known to historians as Frahcenatum, not far from present day Nice. Also on the Italian cost there were a number of small Muslim settlements along the cost. Anaglyph was best known among these cities because of the trading developed under the Muslim rule of Sicily.