islam

In 632 Abu Bakr undertook many military conquests to spread the new Islamic faith around the world. Abu Bakr died two years later so his nephew Umar took over his plan. In 636, the Muslims occupied Jerusalem, Damascus, and Antioch; in 651, they took over all of Persia. But they also moved west into Africa, for Arabic culture saw itself as continuous not only with Middle Eastern culture, but with northern African culture as well. In 646, the Muslims conquered Egypt and quickly spread across northern Africa, and in ...