Lhis volume covers the history of Africa from the 7th to the 11th century. The book begins by placing Africa in the context of world history at the dawn of the 7th century, then the general impact of Islamic penetration, the continued expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples and the rise Sudanian civilizations of West Africa. The following chapters study the successive Islamic dynasties of North Africa and their influence. The last three chapters deal with the African diaspora in Asia, international relations, the diffusion of technologies and ideas on the African continent. They analyze the overall impact of the period on African history.