World 979 CE
Asia is home to brilliant civilizations of great scientific advance and technological progress. Europe, however, remains chaotic, backward and ignorant.
Subscribe for more great content – and remove ads
Civilizations
Subscribe for more great content – and remove ads
World history in the year 979
The two most dynamic centers of cultural advance at this period of world history are the Middle East and China. The advances being made in these two great regions of the world mean that this period is seeing major steps forward in technology and science.
The Middle East
In the Middle East, Islamic civilization is flourishing. Influences from China, India and the West are mingling with Arab and Persian elements to form a brilliant cultural synthesis.
In the Muslim world of the Middle East, Baghdad became the capital of the Islamic empire (the Caliphate) in the mid-8th century, but that great empire is now slowly fragmenting. This does not hinder the Muslim faith from putting down strong roots in all the regions ruled by the Caliphate.
East Asia
In China, the great empire of the Tang dynasty has been replaced by the much smaller, but economically more dynamic, Song empire. The Song dynasty period will be one of great economic progress.
Korea and Japan are developing their own unique civilizations as Chinese influence declines.
Europe
Europe has sunk into chaos and ignorance. For Europe, this is a brutal and barbarous age. Under the hammer blows of Vikings, Magyars and Arabs, royal power breaks down in much of western Europe. Anarchy reigns, but a new order slowly begins to emerge, based on the power of local lords.
Within Europe, illiteracy and ignorance are almost universal – except within the Church. This is doing its best to preserve Europe’s Classical heritage, and acts as a civilizing influence on a barbarous society. It is in fact expanding its influence into central and eastern Europe at this time.
Whilst the Viking raids have struck terror far and wide within Europe, they have also developed trade networks linking western Europe more closely with the lands to the north and east. They are even laying the foundations for the rise of a huge new extension of European civilization, in Russia.
South Asia and Africa
Southern India is now coming into its own as a major cultural and economic force. The powerful Chola empire has established it as a major center of South Asian civilization. The Indian Ocean trade is thriving, and it is drawing the east African coast into its orbit. Here, Muslim traders are establishing trading posts.
Elsewhere in Africa, the trans-Saharan trade routes continue to expand, and as a result, new states are appearing in West Africa.
South East Asia
In South East Asia, the Srivi Jaya empire is in decline, and the Khmer kingdom in Cambodia has begun its ascent to regional power.
The Steppes
On the steppes of central Asia, the decline of the Khazar confederacy allows lesser Turkic tribes to become more restless. The Magyars and Pechenegs move westward to attack more settled peoples in central and eastern Europe. On the eastern steppes, the Uyghurs have taken over from the Gok-turks.
The Americas
In the Western Hemisphere, the Mayan civilization of Central America is now in steep decline, while the Toltec people are now on the ascendant in Mexico. Elsewhere in North America, towns of the Mississippi culture are emerging as major centers of trans-continental trade.
A new state has emerged on the Pacific coast of South America. This is the Chimu empire, one of the most advanced states in pre-Columbian America.
Dig Deeper
The Steppe peoples of Central Asia
For details of the different civilizations, click on the relevant timeline above.
More ‘Dig Deeper’ links may be found in the regional maps. To access, click on the markers in the world map.
Premium Units
China at the time of the Song empire
India at the time of the Chola empire
Subscribe for more great content – and remove ads
Civilizations of the world
3500BCE - 300BCE Ancient Mesopotamia 3000BCE - 300BCE Ancient Egypt Civilization 2700BCE - 550CE Ancient Indian civilization 1766BCE - 1912CE History of China 1700BCE - 200CE The civilization of Ancient China 1300BCE - 550BCE Ancient Israel 1000BCE - 1550CE Pre-Columbian Civilization of Central and South America 800BCE - 50BCE Ancient Greek Civilization 750BCE - 500CE Ancient Rome: civilization and society 500CE - 1450CE Medieval Europe 550CE - 1750CE Medieval India 600CE - 1850CE West African kingdoms 600CE - 1250CE Islamic Caliphate 1200CE - 1450CE The Mongol Empire 1350CE - 1900CE Ottoman Empire 1400CE - 2000CE Western Civilization 1950CE - 2000CE A Global CivilizationSubscribe for more great content – and remove ads
What else is happening in the rest of the world...

Ancient Middle East II: Age of Empire history 950BCE
In the late 13th century BCE, population movements in Europe caused groups to take to the sea and raid the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean. These groups appeared in the records as the “Sea Peoples”. Their impact was devastating. By the end of the century the Hittite empire had been destroyed. Several Indo-European groups such […]
The Classical Age of China history 500BCE
The decline of the Zhou kingdom In northern China, kings of the Zhou dynasty came to power in the 11th century BCE. Their kingdom expanded over an ever-larger area of China. To help them govern their growing realm, the Zhou kings divided it into many districts, each under a powerful local lord. These lords served […]
Greece and Persia history 585BCE
The Middle East In 585 BCE the Assyrian Empire, which had dominated the region for centuries, had been replaced by three large states. These were the Babylonian Empire, ruled by the famous king Nebuchadnezzar; the empire of the Medes, an Indo-European speaking people who had come down from central Asia and settled in Iran; and […]
The Classical Age of India history 500BCE
The Indus Valley civilization vanished over a thousand years before this date. Since then, Aryan tribes have been spreading out across northern India. The Indus Valley civilization This civilization flourished between about 2700 to 1800 BCE (see the Premium Unit Early Civilizations). After that time, it vanished. Modern scholars do not understand the reasons for […]
Lost your way? See a list of all maps
Subscribe for more great content – and remove ads