History in Baghdad

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In 1258 A.D., the newly-created Muslim empire expanded into the region of Iraq, which at the time was part of the Persian Empire.  Muslim armies, under the command of Khalid ibn Waleed, moved into the region and defeated the Persians.  They offered the mostly-Christian residents two choices: embrace Islam, or pay a jizyah tax to be protected by the new government and excluded from military service.

The caliph Omar ibn Al-Khattab ordered the foundation of two cities to protect the new territory:  Kufah (the new capital of the region) and Basrah (the new port city).

Baghdad only came into importance in later years.  The city's roots date back to ancient Babylon, a settlement as far back as 1800 B.C.  However, its fame as a center for commerce and scholarship began in the 8th century A.D.