CHAPTER-1 Historical Background of Central Asia Central Asia has been introduced by different names in history. Greeks and Romans named the region Transoxinia, the region beyond Amudary. Arab called this region "the area between Amudary and Syrdarya". Ibn Batuta called it Turkestan, the land controlled by Turks. 1 The people of this region have inherited a long glorious history. This region has been the birth place of great poets, Sufis, Muhaddisines, Mufassirins, Mathematicians, Physicians and the Warrior tribes, whose contributions are unforgettable. 2 Central Asian Region has played a prominent role in the history of mankind. More than 100,000 years archaeological finds have been excavated from this regions. 3 The region has once again become the focus point for today's world. To understand the contemporary politics, 1 The Resurgence of Central Asia. "Islam or Nationalism, Karachi, Ahmad Rashid, Oxford University Press, 1994, p. 8 2 Ibid., p. 8 3 Central Asia "A History Retrospective, Vol. II, 1993, p. 39 by Syed Farahat. 49
economics and historical importance of this region, it Is necessary to know its past. Ancient Period Central Asia has been the home of different civilizations since pre-historic times. This region has been the land of nomads since ancient times. 1 Different tribes have roamed in this region in search of food. Before the invasion of Muslims, this region has been ruled by Achaemenids, Kushans, Greeks, Sassanids, Saythians, Turks, Huns and Aryans. Including some of these tribes Aryans left lasting impressions on Asian and European culture. 2 This was followed by the Scythians. They established a big empire between 7th and 6th B.C. The Sakas, who settled around Arab and Caspian Sea and established a dynasty in this region, they ruled the area of Western Turkey, Central Asia and modern day Iran. After sometimes the Persian forced to limit them up to Pamirs and Tieshan Mountain, the region today known as Kyrgyzstan. 1 Ibid., p. 41 2 Ahmad Rashid, p. 8. 50
They remained there till the Persians finally conquered them in 200 B.C. Between 700 to 800 B.C. the Saythians, who were settled in the Northern region to the Syrdarya, conquered Central Asia and India. 1 The Persian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC ruled Central Asia till the arrival of Greeks. Selcucucos, the Alexander's successor founded the Seleucid dynasty, which ruled Bacteria and large part of Sagdiana. Another Greece - Bacteria kingdom was established which ruled from Balk, Afghanistan. Bacteria were overthrown by the nomadic invaders from the East in around 140 B.C. 2 Parthian dynasty, which was based on Saka tribes, ruled Western Central Asia, the present day Turkmenistan. Persian Sassanids defeated them in 224 BC. By the time Buddhism arrived in this region and contacts were established between Central Asia and India. Scythians conquered the important towns and areas of Greco-Bacterians kingdom in 159-139 B.C. Parthians and Scythians controlled most of the Central Asian regions. Some 1 Ahmad Rashid, p. 10. 2 Ahmad Rashid, p. 11 51
changes took place in first century A.D. when a group of nomadic tribes, under the Kushan tribe was formed. Kushan ruled Eastern Turkistan, Bactria, Sagdians, Mghanistan and some parts of Northern India. During second century A.D. Kushan began to. weaken and another nomad tribe called Ephtalitles, whose origin lay in white Huns, Captured Bactria and ended Kushan rule in Central Asia. In 100 B.C. Chinese prince started their first raid into Central Asia and captured Farghana Valley. Around 200 B.C. Huns, the forefathers of Mongols, who came out of the Gobi desert and occupied Kasghar in Xingiang, Crossed Central Asia and reached the Volga river in Russia by 400 A.W. White Huns went to conquer Eastern Europe and part of India. During fifth century Huns moved west ward and the vacuum in the east was filled by Turkic tribes. The word Turki was given by the Chinese to signify all those nomadic tribes who occupied of the area from Mongolia to Black Sea region. Around 200 AD some Turks tribe settled in Farghana Valley. 52
Islam in Central Asia During seventh century Arabs succeeded in defeating the great powers of Byzantine and of Sasanian Persia. In 646 A, they occupied Merv and by 651 AD the whole of Khurasan. Finally in the last quarter of the seventh century they marched towards the heart of Central Asia. 1 Arabs advanced into Central Asia, crossed the Amudarya and conquered Bukhara in 676 AD. And finally in the loth century AD, Islam became the religion of Central Asia. From this time Central Asia became the most important cultural centre. Arabs, within a span of ten years established their authority over Turkistan, Transoxania, Farghana, Tashkent, Khwarzam and Kashghar. 2 Samanid Dynasty Ismail-Ibn-Ahmad laid the foundation of Samanid dynasty in the last decade of gth century. Samanids established a powerful state and successfully tried to push back the nomad tribes, who 1 Syed Fasahat, p. 44. 2 The Muslim conquest of Central Asia, AEP, 1981, p. 69 53
used to attack Central Asian towns. 1 Bukhara was their capital, trade links were built up and thus Silk Route was regulated. 2 Samanid rulers started losing their towns and by the mid lqth century Samanid state was _destroyed by Turk tribe Alaptigin, an officer of a Turkish slave origin, who was formally belonged to the Samanid Army, brought the end of Samanid dynasty. Turkish tribe established Ghaznavid dynasty at Ghazni in Mghanistan. Subuktagin, a slave founded Ghaznavid empire. 3 Mahmud Ghaznavi came to power in 997 AD. A dynasty founded by Alaptagin reached its Zenith during the period of Mahmud Ghaznavi, who added a lot to the culture of Central Asia. 4 Turkish Dynasty Ghaznavids were succeeded by Seljuks, who originally belonged to Turkmenian steppe. In 11th and 12th centuries they ruled 1 Syed Fasahat, p. 45. 2 Ahmad Rashid, p. 13. 3 Kashmir and Central Asia, Book Traders, Lahore, 1995, p. 47 by P.N.K. Bamzai. 4 Bamazai, p. 77 54
over a large part of Asia and founded the Turkish dynasty. Their capital was Merv, which had palaces, a water supply system and big libraries. Mongol's Period Central Asia faced a bloodiest chapter in the form of the.. Mongol's 1nvaswn. In 1220 AD, Changes Khan entered Bukhara. Bukhara was ransacked and burnt. Latter they captured cities like Merv, Samarqand, Termez, Bulkh and Kabul. And a reign of terror was established. Thirty thousand people including women and children were massacred only in Bukhara. Within the period of twelve months the whole of Central Asia fell to the Mongols. Mongol's ended the intellectual life of Central Asia. 1 The role of the Mongols lasted in Central Asia for several centuries and climaxed in person of Timur. Timur Timur devastated and destroyed the main cities of this region and carried out mass slaughter in 14th century. He captured most of the Central Asia and moved Persia and India. He established Timurid dynasty. He captured the creams of his 1 The Modern U zbeks from the fourteenth century to the present. A cultured history, New York, 1990, p. 25 by E. Allworty. 55
subjugated regions like artisans, craftsmen and intelligentsia and carried them to his capital at Samarqand where he build the grandest capital city of Asia and beautified it with magnificent buildings and gardens. He also encouraged science and art. He is known in history as a military genius and a ruthless conqueror. Mter his death his empire gradually disintegrated into smaller units, ruled over by local warlords. Samarqand was governed by his scholarly grandson Ulughbek, popularly known as Ulug Beg. He built a large observatory which attracted scientists. Ulug Beg also united Farghana and Khoarza to Samarqand. He tried to extend his domain but upns1ng was started against him which ended in his assassination. Mter his death, Uzbeks under the leadership of Shibani Khan united other tribes and defeated Timurid heir Zahiruddin Mohammad Babur. In a very short span of time, the Uzbeks defeated the Turkmen and the Persians. Uzbeks extended their empire to most part of Central Asia and Northern Persia. Socio-Cultural Development in Central Asia Bukhara became an important Islamic learning Centre during Samanid dynasty. Madrasahs were established. During 14th and 15th centuries Samarqand was considered as its Centre. 56
Mter the end of Timurid dynasty, at the beginning of 16th century, this academic culture started declining. Literature Central Asia became cultural and literary centre in 15th century. Ali Sher Navai and Abdul Rahman Jami were the leading poets. Central Asian literature was influenced by the Persian literature. In 14th century Samarqand became a cultural centre. Another cultural centre was Heart. The art of history writing also developed in Central Asia. Alberuni and Minhaj-ul Siraj are the famous historians. Arts and Architecture Central Asian's artistic culture was very much related to each other. Miniatures and decorative arts and great architectural works of Samarqand and Bukhara can be regarded as a joint legacy of Central Asians. 57