1.06
WORLD HISTORY ON FILE™
EXPANDING ZONES OF EXCHANGE AND ENCOUNTER, 300–1000
THE EXPANDING WORLD
Decline of the Byzantine Empire 644–710
The Byzantine Empire, which reached its greatest extent
under Justinian (527–565), steadily lost territory during the 7th
century. The Lombards took Italy and the Visigoths recaptured
Spain. Bulgars from central Asia threatened the Balkans.
The empire’s greatest challenge came from Arab Muslims
who began their conquest of North Africa in 640. They had
overrun Egypt by 642, and continued to push steadily westward along the Maghrib. The Byzantines resisted the Muslim
advance but, by 710, had lost all their African possessions.
The mosque of Ibn Tulun, built in 876–879,
is the oldest surviving mosque in Egypt.
640 Arab conquest of North Africa.
650
600
750
700
710 Byzantine Empire loses all African possessions.
644
Black Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Byzantine Empire
Arab Empire
710
0
0
250
500 mi
500
1000 km
Black Sea
Mediterranean Sea
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