Alirght so here is the challenge with an 8th century pod or later have the turkik tribes remain followers of tengriism by modern day .or at the very least have tengriism be the dominant religion of central asia, Is it possible or would it have been ASB?
AHC surviving Tengriism in Central Asia
- Thread starter Fredrick II Barbarossa
- Start date
With the rise of Islam, and the clientelisation of Turks, it's quite hard. Whoever holds Persia would have good chances to influe on Central Asia eventually.
The best outcome I could think of would be an Abassid defeat at Talas, meaning a more important buffer region between Tang China and Arabo-Islamic world, with Tang clients and tributaries being less pronce to switch their alliegances in favour of Arabo-Islamic rulers.
With the collapse of Tang China, and a less present Islamic influence on Central Asia, you may end with a mix of Islamic, Buddhic and Turkic features.
The thing is, Turkic political growth is historically tied with Arabo-Islamic support or influence (as Karakhanid Khanate). If you manage to have an equivalent, then you may have a Central Asian Khanate that, while non-hegemonic, could end with a tengric elites tolerating Islam, Christianism, Buddhism, etc. as Mongols did.