Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate succeeded the Umayyads as rulers of the Islamic world, moving the capital from Damascus to the newly founded city of Baghdad. Under early Abbasid caliphs like Harun al-Rashid and al-Mamun, Baghdad became the world's largest city and the centre of the Islamic Golden Age, hosting scholars, scientists, and artists from across the known world. Over time the caliphs lost political power to military strongmen and Turkish sultans, while retaining religious prestige. The caliphate came to a catastrophic end in 1258 when Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan sacked Baghdad, killing the last caliph and destroying the House of Wisdom.

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