Turkicization and Islamization of the Silk Road, 700-1100 CE

Turkicization of the Steppe from East to West

Steppe Empires of Mongolia

First Türk (552-630)

Second Türk (682-742)

Uighurs (744-840)

Migrants to West

Avars (567-822)

Former rulers of Mongolia

Tarim Basin Oasis States

Overlords

W. Turks, ca. 600

Tang, 648-670

Tibet, 670-692

Tang, 672-770s

Tibet, ca. 770-792

Uighur Empire, ca. 792

Turkic Control of Tarim Basin Oasis States

*Uighur Khanate at Turfan, 872-1209

*Qarakanids at Kashgar and Khotan, Ca. 1005

Islamic Conquests from West (Arabia) to East (Sogdiana)

*Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750

Power base in Syria

*Abbasid Caliphate, 749-1258

Originate in Eastern Iran

Capital in Iraq

Cultural Geography: Before the “Middle East,” 7^th century

Arab conquests

Byzantine Empire: Syria, Palestine and Egypt

Greek Language

Christian Religion

Iranian Sasanian Empire

Iraq and Iran

Iranian Language

Zoroastrian religion

Initial Arab Policy

Division of populace

Arabs=military aristocracy

Based in garrison cities

Receive stipends

Muslim religion

Conquered peoples=subject population

Pay taxes (jizya)

Native religions

Administration

Use of native bureaucrats, 7th century

Arabization of bureaucracy, ca. 700

Religious Conversion and Cultural Assimilation, 8th-10th c.

Why would stipends for common Arab soldiers become inadequate after several generations?

Administration

Arabization of bureaucracy, ca. 700

Arabs assimilate into local populace

Farmers, Craftsmen, Merchants, Laborera

Non-Arabs convert to Islam

Desire for government positions

Avoid taxes

Economic opportunity in cities

Islamization

Universal religion

Predominant religion of Middle East by 9th c.

Christianity, Judaism & Zoroastrianism become minority religions

Arabization of language and culture

Native languages retained

Iran

Pakistan

Spain

Persianization

Sogdiana

Islamization of Western Central Eurasia

*Samanid (819–1005) control

Capital at Samarkand

Islamization

Persian writing revival

*Qarakhanids (992-1212)

Conquer Saminids

Gradual Turkicization

Ghaznavids (977-1186)

Alp Tigin

Samanid slave general

Ghazi, 961

Discussion: Turkicization and Islamization of the Silk Road: Golden 69-75; Foltz 85-104; Hansen 363-372

1. What is the stereotypical view of the spread of Islam? Do any of the three authors espouse this stereotypical thesis to explain the spread of Islam?

2. Both Golden (p. 69) and Foltz (pp. 91-93) develop a similar three-part thesis to explain Islamization of the Silk Road cities of Sogdiana and western steppe lands inhabited by various Turkic tribes. What is their thesis? How convincing is it?

3. How does Golden explain the Turkicization of the language of Silk Road cities under the control of Turkic Muslim rulers (p. 73)? Are you convinced?