Islamic Golden Age

The Islamic Golden Age, also sometimes known as the 
Islamic Renaissance, lasted from the 8th century AD to the 13th century. It is regarded as starting with the reign of Harun al-Rashid. Some scholars think one should count even the 15th and the 16th centuries to this period.
This period was called "Golden Age", because engineers, scholars and traders in the Islamic world did much for the arts, agriculture, economics, industry, law, literature, navigation, philosophy, sciences, and technology in this time. They built upon earlier traditions and added inventions and innovations of their own. Howard R. Turner writes: "Muslim artists and scientists, princes and laborers together created a unique culture that has directly and indirectly influenced societies on every continent."