Islamic empires

This article lists some of the states, empires, or dynasties that were ruled by a Muslim elite, or which were in some way central to or a part of a Muslim empire. The Islamic Empire started by being lead by Muhammad. His friend, Abu Bakr, helped him in this mission.

Scholars debate what exactly constitutes an empire. One definition defines an empire as a state that extends dominion over areas and populations culturally and ethnically distinct from the culture/ethnicity at the center of power.

In the centuries after the life of Muhammad, Muslim armies poured out into all surrounding areas, bringing some of the lands between India and Spain under their control.

With that huge amount of land under their control, the Umayia (and later, the Abbasid) Caliphates allowed merchants and scholars to travel easily through western Eurasia, bringing goods and knowledge which the Muslims greatly expanded upon through the Caliphate and outward to less advanced regions, such as Western Europe.

In 751, papermaking from China made its way to the West through Muslims. Trade introduced Islam to the Africans. In the Middle East, the success of Islam changed the culture forever. Even after the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate, Islam would remain as one of the base institutions of the region. Future states of the region, such as the Safavid, Seljuk, and Ottoman and Mughal Empires, were all "Islamic Empires".

Grouped by capital or core region

Southern Europe

Eastern Europe

Malay Archipelago (East Indies) (Indonesia,Malaysia and Brunei)

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