Final answer:
By 850 AD, despite previous losses, the Byzantine Empire was recovering and retaining some of its former territories, while the Carolingian Empire in Western Europe was expanding. The Islamic world had established significant control over North Africa and Spain, with advanced socioeconomic structures compared to Europe. This period was marked by contrasts between the prosperous Islamic and Byzantine realms and the comparatively undeveloped Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Historical Context of 850 AD
By 850 AD, a significant amount of time had passed since the early spread of Islam and the Arab invasions that shaped much of the known world. After the division of the Roman Empire, the Western part continued to deal with the fallouts of the previous centuries, including depopulation, deurbanization, and barbarian invasions. The Byzantine Empire, on the other hand, had experienced invasions from Persians and Arabs leading to major territorial losses and an economic downturn in the 7th century. During this period, the Byzantines and the Arab Caliphates were at the forefront of cultural, economic, and scholarly achievements, while Europe was primarily rural and economically undeveloped compared to the sophistication found in Islamic kingdoms.
However, by 850 AD, the Carolingian dynasty in Europe was establishing a dominion that expanded over much of Western Europe. This era also witnessed the establishment of monetary economies and urban centers in the Islamic world, as well as shifts in global trade and power dynamics, especially with the Islamic conquests of North Africa, parts of the Middle East, and the spread of Islam into Spain. The Byzantine Empire, facing pressure from Arab forces, made attempts to reassert control by pushing back incursions in Anatolia. Overall, the two worlds of Byzantium and the caliphates, and most parts of Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, presented a striking contrast in terms of development and prosperity.