“Islam’s imperial ambitions to resist. From 1 CE to 1500 CE, no region in the world – including China – had a larger share of global GDP. Its copious supply of pearls, diamonds, ivory, ebony, and spices ensured that India ran what amounted to a thousand-year trade surplus.”

“Islam’s imperial ambitions to resist. From 1 CE to 1500 CE, no region in the world – including China – had a larger share of global GDP. Its copious supply of pearls, diamonds, ivory, ebony, and spices ensured that India ran what amounted to a thousand-year trade surplus.”

— Steven Johnson