The Abbasid Caliphate was a major Islamic empire that ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, known for its cultural, scientific, and economic achievements. It succeeded the Umayyad Caliphate and established its capital in Baghdad, which became a center of learning and trade during the Islamic Golden Age. Under the Abbasids, advancements in various fields such as mathematics, astronomy, and medicine flourished. The caliphate promoted a rich cultural exchange, leading to the preservation and enhancement of knowledge from ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Persians, which significantly influenced the development of the modern world.