The Arabian empire evolved through trade and conquest. Since the time of Muhammed, Islamic peoples conquered many territories - beginning with Mecca itself. The Persians, Byzantines, Egyptians, and many other peoples were conquered. By the time that the Abbasid family overtook the Umayyads after a revolt, Islam was a major international religion. Within the Empire during the Golden Age, a single currency and language kept its government in control. Laws were maintained throughout all of the Empire. And the Abbasid armies continued to spread its borders, a process facilitated by the traders who shared Islamic culture beyond the land.