Europe at that time had more weaknesses than strengths. It was neither the most popular area in the world, nor the most productive like India and China was. “Geopolitically, the continent of Europe was an awkward shape, bounded by ice and water to the north and west, being open to frequent landward invasion from the east, and vulnerable to strategic circumvention in the south.” Europe was never united and never had a one temporal religious leader. It was a mixture of small kingdoms and principalities, city-states and marcher lordships. Stronger monarchies were emerging in the west, however they saw each other as competitors not allies, in fight against Islam. Compared to Asia, Europe had not pronounced that many advantages in the area of culture,
