The Eighth Century

The eighth century was the period from 701 to 800 CE in the Gregorian calendar. It is considered part of what historians call the early Middle Ages in Europe, while in Asia and the Middle East it was marked by state consolidation and economic growth.

The century is notable for major shifts in power: the Islamic caliphate passed from Umayyad to Abbasid rule, the Chinese Tang dynasty faced periods of strength and instability, and Western Europe witnessed the rise of Carolingian authority.

The Middle East and the Islamic Caliphate

At the start of the century, the Umayyad Caliphate, based in Damascus, reached its greatest territorial extent, including the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal). In the middle of the century, an Abbasid political revolution brought that dynasty to power, and the capital was moved to Iraq, where Baghdad was founded. This transfer shifted administrative practices and brought Persian cultural influence to the fore.

Europe

In Western Europe, the Carolingian dynasty took power from the Merovingian kings of the Franks. Charlemagne expanded his realm through the end of the century and forged ties with the Pope in Rome. In the north, Viking raids for trade and plunder began late in the century, affecting the coasts of England and France.

Asia and Africa

China under the Tang dynasty ruled vast cities and controlled commerce along the Silk Roads, but faced internal rebellions that weakened central authority. Japan established its capital at Nara, a period marked by advances in the arts and Buddhism. In Africa, trans-Saharan trade and Indian Ocean commerce flourished, with East African coastal towns serving as trading posts linked to Arab and Indian networks.