Final answer:
The Umay_yad Caliphate succeeded Muhammad as rulers, with Damascus as their capital, and expanded into Spain before being replaced by the Abbasids based in Baghdad, which signified the start of the Islamic Golden Age.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Umay_yadCaliphate ruled the first empire after the death of Muhammad, making Damascus their capital and expanding Muslim power into Spain. In 750, they were replaced by the Abbasids, who established their rule from Baghdad. This shift marked the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age. The Umay_yad were the first to create a hereditary dynasty and moved the capital from Medina to Damascus, becoming a significant imperial power. They laid down what differentiated Islamic culture from other traditions. The Umay_yad rule saw massive territorial expansion but eventually slowed down due to civil wars and nepotism within the ruling family.
The Abbasid Caliphate ushered in a period of flourishing cultural and intellectual success, contributing to the economy, science, technology, and arts. Under the Abbasids, with Baghdad as their capital, the Islamic world saw an unprecedented prosperity. However, after the Mongol invasion and the sack of Baghdad in 1258, Cairo became the new center of the Muslim world until it too faced decline due to internal conflicts.