The early Islamic conquests rank amongst the most remarkable feats of arms in world history, being carried out by small and indeed often tiny armies, which were nevertheless some of the most successful ever seen. Within a century, the forces of a new religion had inspired and conquered the entire Arabian peninsula, destroying one empire and humbling another. Beyond Arabia, these armies ranged across North Africa and into Europe, crossing the Pyrenees and reaching into France. From the ancient Roman province of Iberia to the heart of the Persian empires in Iran, the conquering Islamic armies irrevocably altered the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean worlds in a remarkably short period of time. This successful conquest and subsequent conversion of the Middle East and beyond has inevitably resulted in a variety of myths and prejudices throughout the ages. It is important to note that the conversion of the peoples of what are now the heartlands of the Islamic world was a largely peaceful process and was separate from the Arabs' military conquest of these same areas. Indeed, the conversion largely resulted from the example set by the early Muslim Arabs themselves and the activities of preachers, missionaries and merchants. A desire for material, cultural and political advantage under the new regime also played a part. This is nevertheless rarely understood by non-Islamic societies, especially in the Western world, where the public often regards Islam as a religion spread by force.
