The Muslim world of the 11th century was a great civilization, a center of art and science stretching from Spain to the Middle East, while Europe lay slumbering in the Dark Ages. The two worlds knew little of one another. Slowly, inevitably, however, Europe and Islam came together through trade and war, crusade and diplomacy. The Muslims began to take note of the Europeans and to write about them, to acquire information on languages, science, government, religion, economics.