The scholars of Constantinople, fleeing west, sparked the Renaissance in western Europe.
Sparked might be the best term. There are two major thought groups when it comes to human innovation. One argues that it is breakthroughs lead usually by a single man or small group which then lead to innovative change. The other is that dozens of small, sometimes imperceptible improvements coalesce and innovation takes a leap. My own view is that it is a mix.
I could see Eastern scholars confirming knowledge, spreading new knowledge and helping ‘innovators’ see differently. Human history is more dynamic than people realize and involves a lot of lost knowledge. There used to be a time when the ‘best’ minds refused to believe ancient people could travel the world. Then came Kon-Tiki.
I always laugh when someone makes a definitive statement about what the ancients knew. Have you read this book?
It tells the story of archeologists and their bias. How their conviction that the motel they’ve discovered is an ancient burial ground colors their interpretation of every item that they find.