After the Battle of Talas, Islamic expansion halted for 300 years. Explore Baghdad's emergence as an intellectual and economic center of the Islamic world as well as the religion's cultural achievements during this period, particularly in architecture. Then, learn why Turkish merchants converted to Sunni Islam - or their version of it - starting in the 8th century.

The Kurds are the worlds' largest ethnic group without a state of their own. Most live in the mountainous region historically known as Kurdistan; however, this region, which includes parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, never existed as a political entity. Under the rule of others, the Kurds were discriminated against and sometimes persecuted, so the dream of a national home holds a powerful grip on the Kurdish imagination. Many Kurds hope that...

Discover the faith, culture, and history that have shaped the modern Islamic world.

Having survived a close shave in England, where she was falsely accused of spying for the French, Delilah has set out with her companion Selim for more agreeable adventures in central Asia. But when she stumbles on an artifact that may be a clue about the location of the legendary third pillar of Hercules, Delilah and Selim are drawn back to Europe on an Indiana-Jones-style archeological caper that pits her against a ruthless enemy . . . and forces...

Chronicles the plague that swept through central Asia from 1347 to 1350, describing how the disease was spread and how it ultimately benefited the poor who survived.

Discusses the history of Buddhism, from its origins in central Asia, to its influence in various Asian cultures.