In the 7th to 12 Centuries, the Islamic world from Samarqand to Cordoba was a remarkably advanced and prosperous civilisation while we (Europeans) were still barely above savages. The Islamic world had advanced geology, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy. The Christian European world believed the world was flat, centre of the universe, disease was caused by sin, demons caused epilepsy and insanity, and that God physically resided in little Solar Disk Bread Wafers. European cities were filthy, with excrement all over the streets, and people emptying chamber pots from windows onto the streets below.

The contrast with the Islamic Caliphate was dramatic and word carried back to Europe by travellers and traders. Christian Crusaders in "L'Outre Mer" acquired Islamic customs which were puzzling to Europeans living in filth in Paris, Toulouse, Vienna, and London.

But what happened??????

Why did Islamic Civilisation collapse into the squalor as Europe underwent the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution, and European Science triumphed over Christian Superstition?

I assume Europe profited by the northward flow of knowledge from Cordoba to France, Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Knowledge flowed westward from Samarqand through Constantinople to Vienna.

I just do not understand what happened to the once magnificent Islamic Caliphates.


Amergin

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Militant Agnostic: I don't know, and neither do you. There is no evidence of God so belief is optional.