The Abbasid Ahmed was imprisoned for ten years by his nephew, the then-caliph, after the latter suspected him of aiming to dethrone him.

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 centuries. They ...

Explore the rapid expansion of Islamic empires from Arabia to Europe, Africa, and Asia between the 7th and 9th centuries, and their lasting impact on global history.