Just wanted to say I've come to the same conclusion about the Islamic "Golden Age". They rose because of captured talent and stolen intellectual property.
It explains why they eventually stagnated after their expansion ceased and haven't contributed anything meaningful after that period.
The Dark Ages were not a reset. It's a myth.
The name Dark Ages was due to the fact that until recently very little was known of that epoch.
Just wanted to say I've come to the same conclusion about the Islamic "Golden Age". They rose because of captured talent and stolen intellectual property.
It explains why they eventually stagnated after their expansion ceased and haven't contributed anything meaningful after that period.