00:00 The Golden Age of Baghdad was embodied by the Caliph Haroun al-Rashid, who found solace and contentment in the Garden of Delights and the Palace of Marvels, where he would be entertained by singers and musicians in the midst of a city that was seen as a place of romance, poetry, and myth.

04:49 Harun al-Rashid's reign is marked by disputed succession and the role of powerful women, particularly his mother Al-Kaizaran, who wields considerable power and influence.

09:30 Al-Haddi tries to kill his mother, Al-Kaizaran, by poisoning her, but she tricks him into thinking the dish was delicious and he dies soon after, possibly from being smothered by a slave girl; the stories from this period are likely exaggerated, but they reflect the power dynamics and influence of women in the court.

13:51 Zubeda, the wife of Haroun al-Rashid, is known for her generosity to the poor and her sponsorship of hostels along the pilgrimage route from Baghdad to Mecca, while also hoping that her son Al-Amin will become the heir; the Caliphs have viziers, and Haroun's vizier, Yaya, and his son Jafar, are highly respected and loyal figures in the Abbasid Caliphate.

18:28 Jafar, Haroon's best friend and companion, is executed along with his family, and the reasons for their downfall are debated, including theories of an illicit affair, fear of their growing power, or their lack of roots in Iraq.

22:41 Baghdad under Haroun al-Rashid is remembered as a stable and successful golden age, but he is not considered a game-changing ruler like Augustus or Constantine, and his fame is largely due to nostalgia for the order he represented and his association with Baghdad at its peak.

27:27 Baghdad during this time is a thriving cosmopolis with a booming slave trade, massive land speculation, gentrification, housing developments, and a flourishing market for merchants, leading to enormous wealth and a globalized economy.

32:25 Baghdad during this time is a multicultural city with a diverse population of freed slaves from all over the world, but laborers in the fields, particularly those working on sugar cane, have a difficult life, and the city itself is dangerous and dependent on the security provided by a strong Caliph like Haroun al-Rashid.

37:00 Baghdad during this time is a city with canals, water features, and markets, including a large main market called Khark, where you can buy anything, and the city is divided into different quarters that have undergone gentrification over time.

41:29 Baghdad during its golden age was a place of complete toleration for Jews and Christians, who were integrated into the urban fabric and could advance socially and economically, and while there were sectarian tensions between different factions of Muslims, there was no tension between Muslims and Christians or Jews.