The islamic empire emerged in the seventh century in the arabian peninsula. It was born form the union of the sassanid empire in persia and the byzantine empire, occupying the byzantine provinces of asia and nothern africa ( syria and egypt). its extension reached the iberian peninsula, the island of sicily and other european lands. However, the expansion of their cultured reached india, china, ethiopia, western sudan , southern gaul and constantinople, projecting their influence beyond their terrotorial limits.