After the global revolution and prior to the great destruction much of the internet was preserved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). Sounds and visions from planet Earth were cherished on long excursions aboard Laurasia. Especially as a sleep aid, but also for entertainment. This - is Justin Timberlake.
Museum
Selections of art taken from Chris Lehrer's Lyceum under the heading: Window to the Past.
A Winter Landscape with Figures Skating on a Frozen Waterway, by Andries Vermeulen: 1799
Radio Laurasia
Listen to Soma FM streaming radio, a favorite of the space station Laurasia since the global revolution. You may or may not have to download the free Winamp or Real audio player.
Old Norse:konungr (king, symbolizing European feudal power)
English:High Medieval Horizons
Knowledge and faith light the path of nations. - Arabic maxim, c. 900 CE (adapted from Abbasid scholarly texts)
From 800 to 1200 CE, the high medieval world witnessed a surge of intellectual, technological, and cultural achievements amid dynamic conflicts. The Abbasid Caliphate, centered in Baghdad, led a golden age of science and philosophy, preserving Greek texts. Song China (960–1279 CE) pioneered movable type and gunpowder, driving economic growth. In Europe, feudalism solidified under kings like Otto I, while the Crusades (1095–1192 CE) sparked cultural exchange and conflict with Islam. Viking raids and trade reshaped the North, while Mongol tribes began uniting in Asia. Iron technology and trade networks, like the Silk Road and Baltic routes, linked these regions, exchanging paper, spices, and ideas. Archaeological finds, such as Baghdad’s manuscripts and Song kilns, reveal vibrant societies. Religious fervor—Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism—shaped identities, driving both unity and division. This era’s innovations and conflicts laid the groundwork for global transformation.
A Connected Medieval World
Scholarship, technology, and warfare bridged cultures, reshaping civilizations.
Pillars of the Era
Abbasid golden age (c. 750–1258 CE).
Song China’s technological advances (c. 960 CE).
European feudalism and Crusades (c.1095 CE).
Viking trade and raids.
Mongol tribal unification.
Silk Road and Baltic trade networks.
Global Horizons
This period’s achievements and conflicts forged a dynamic medieval world.
The Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE), centered in Baghdad, flourished as a hub of scholarship and trade. The House of Wisdom (800 CE) translated Greek, Persian, and Indian texts, with scholars like Al-Khwārizmī (780–850 CE) advancing algebra, as seen in his Kitāb al-Jabr. Iron tools boosted agriculture along the Tigris, supporting about 1 million in Baghdad. Trade with China and India brought silk and spices, evident in Basra’s ports. The Abbasids standardized Arabic coinage, like the dinar, facilitating commerce. Islamic law (sharia) and Sufi mysticism, as in Al-Ghazali’s works (1100 CE), shaped society. Archaeological finds, like Samarra’s mosques, show architectural grandeur. Political fragmentation, with rival caliphates in Spain and Egypt, challenged unity, but cultural output thrived. The Abbasids’ preservation of knowledge and trade networks influenced Europe and Asia, laying foundations for the Renaissance, despite later Mongol threats.
Scholarly Zenith
The House of Wisdom and trade made Baghdad a global intellectual hub.
Abbasid Achievements
House of Wisdom (c. 800 CE).
Al-Khwārizmī’s algebra (c. 825 CE).
Iron tools and agriculture.
Trade with China and India.
Islamic law and Sufi mysticism.
Samarra’s architectural grandeur.
Archaeological Evidence
Samarra’s mosques and Baghdad’s manuscripts reveal cultural wealth.
Global Impact
Abbasid scholarship shaped global science and philosophy.
The Song dynasty (960–1279 CE), founded by Zhao Kuangyin, ushered a technological and cultural renaissance in China. Movable type printing (1040 CE), invented by Bi Sheng, spread literacy, with books like the Diamond Sutra. Gunpowder weapons, like fire lances (1100 CE), revolutionized warfare, as seen in military manuals. Iron smelting and canal systems, like the Grand Canal, supported approximately 100 million people, per Song censuses. Trade with Abbasids and Southeast Asia brought porcelain and tea, evident in Jingdezhen’s kilns. Confucian bureaucracy, with about 400,000 officials, governed efficiently, while Neo-Confucianism, led by Zhu Xi (1130 CE), blended ethics with metaphysics. Archaeological finds, like Kaifeng’s iron pagoda (1049 CE), show architectural innovation. Buddhism and Daoism flourished, with temples housing thousands. The Song’s economic and technological advances influenced East Asia, despite Jurchen invasions (1127 CE), leaving a legacy of innovation and cultural depth.
Technological Renaissance
Song innovations in printing and gunpowder reshaped economy and warfare.
Song Achievements
Movable type printing (c. 1040 CE).
Gunpowder weapons (c. 1100 CE).
Grand Canal and iron smelting.
Trade with Abbasids and Southeast Asia.
Neo-Confucianism and bureaucracy.
Kaifeng’s iron pagoda (c. 1049 CE).
Archaeological Insights
Jingdezhen kilns and Kaifeng pagoda reveal Song ingenuity.
Cultural Legacy
Song advances shaped East Asian culture and technology.
In Europe, feudalism structured society, with kings like Otto I (962 CE) consolidating power under the Holy Roman Empire. Lords and vassals managed land, with iron plows boosting agriculture, supporting about 30 million, per Domesday Book (1086 CE). The First Crusade (1095–1099 CE), launched by Pope Urban II, captured Jerusalem, blending faith and conquest, as chronicled by Fulcher of Chartres. Trade with Byzantium and Islam brought silk and spices, evident in Venice’s markets. Christianity unified Europe, with cathedrals like Chartres (1194 CE) showcasing Gothic architecture. Archaeological finds, like Cluny Abbey’s remains, show monastic influence. The Crusades spurred cultural exchange, introducing Arabic numerals to Europe, but also deepened Christian-Muslim tensions. Feudal hierarchies strengthened local power but limited mobility. This era’s religious fervor and economic growth laid foundations for medieval Europe’s cultural and political evolution.
Feudal and Crusading Europe
Feudalism and Crusades shaped Europe’s political and spiritual identity.
European Milestones
Otto I’s Holy Roman Empire (c. 962 CE).
First Crusade (c. 1095–1099 CE).
Iron plows and agriculture.
Trade with Byzantium and Islam.
Gothic cathedrals like Chartres.
Monastic influence and reforms.
Archaeological Evidence
Cluny and Chartres reveal Europe’s religious and economic growth.
Lasting Impact
Crusades and feudalism shaped medieval Europe’s culture.
Vikings, from Scandinavia (793–1066 CE), raided and traded across Europe, reshaping the North. Longships, built with iron tools, enabled raids like Lindisfarne (793 CE), as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Trade routes stretched from Byzantium to Greenland, exchanging furs and amber for silver, evident in Birka’s hoards. Viking settlements, like Dublin and York, grew into trade hubs, with 10,000 residents. Norse mythology, with Odin and Thor, guided rituals, as seen in runestones. Archaeological finds, like Oseberg’s ship burial (834 CE), show craftsmanship and belief. Vikings adopted Christianity by 1000 CE, with churches in Norway. Their raids disrupted Europe but spurred economic connectivity, influencing feudalism. The Norse legacy, from Norman conquests (1066 CE) to maritime skills, shaped medieval Europe’s political and cultural landscape, blending pagan and Christian traditions.
Viking Expansion
Raids and trade connected Scandinavia to the wider world.
Viking Milestones
Lindisfarne raid (c. 793 CE).
Trade routes to Byzantium and Greenland.
Settlements in Dublin and York.
Norse mythology and runestones.
Christianization (c. 1000 CE).
Norman conquest (c. 1066 CE).
Archaeological Insights
Oseberg and Birka reveal Viking craftsmanship and trade.
Cultural Legacy
Vikings shaped medieval Europe’s connectivity and identity.
From 800–1200 CE, Mongol tribes in Central Asia began unifying, setting the stage for their later empire. Iron weapons and horse breeding strengthened nomadic clans, as seen in burials with stirrups. Temüjin (1162–1227 CE), later Genghis Khan, started consolidating tribes by about 1200 CE, using alliances and warfare, as recorded in Secret History of the Mongols. Trade along the Silk Road brought Chinese silk and Abbasid silver, evident in Karakorum’s early sites. Shamanism and Tengri worship guided spiritual life, with rituals in felt tents. Archaeological finds, like steppe kurgans, show nomadic wealth. Mongol unity disrupted settled empires, like the Khwarazmians, foreshadowing invasions. Their mobility and trade connections linked East and West, spreading technologies like stirrups. By about 1200 CE, Mongol stirrings reshaped steppe dynamics, influencing Eurasia’s future through conquest and cultural exchange, despite their nascent power.
Steppe Consolidation
Mongol unity laid foundations for a transformative empire.
Mongol Milestones
Temüjin’s early unification (c. 1200 CE).
Iron weapons and horse breeding.
Silk Road trade with China and Abbasids.
Shamanism and Tengri worship.
Steppe kurgans and burials.
Disruption of Khwarazmian empire.
Archaeological Evidence
Karakorum and kurgans reveal Mongol wealth and mobility.
Global Impact
Mongol unity reshaped Eurasian connectivity and power.
Summary: Medieval advances in technology and faith drove progress but deepened inequality. Elite control of trade and warfare marginalized commoners, embedding systemic disparities.
Summary: Abbasid scholarship, Song innovations, and European Crusades balanced progress with conflict, forging vibrant civilizations. Hierarchies grew, but cultural legacies enriched history.
Summary: Medieval systems and faiths established enduring order, preserving values through knowledge and conquest. This era reflects humanity’s pursuit of stability and meaning.
Lyceum
Welcome to Space Station Laurasia! All passengers and crew members receive a personal device called a Lyceum, which serves as a journal to record and share information with family and friends via neutrionic mobile or desktop devices back on Earth’s surface. This is the Lyceum of Raymond Sheen.
Animations: Dragonset, Matters of Grave Concern, The Pillars of Barad-Dur, Heart of Stone, Golden Leaves, Gravity, and Dragons in Moonlight, by Steven David Bennett
Quo Vadis? [Latin] - Where Are You Going?
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go. - Dr. Seuss
