Chapter 16 Aachen capital Western European Empire Charlemagne ruled empire Set three embassies to Abbasid Empire in Baghdad, received three Dealt with safety of pilgrims and merchants travelling in Syria and Palestine Relations between Charlemagne?s realm and Muslim Spain Policy towards Byzantine empire which lay between them Charlemagne?s empire was weak and poor compared to Abbasid and on its way to dissolving, although for a while it had looked like they had potential Due to the fact that European societies developed more slowly than Asia, China, India etc., Europe was mostly disengaged from world trading until about the 10th century Three developments served as foundations of the powerful European empire