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Chapter 52: Karakhanids, the Central Steppe and Manichean Denominations
The westernmost parts of Central Asia, the land between the Caspian and Aral Seas would by now remain as they had been previously, part of the Oghuz Yagbu state, a Turkish Nestorian nomadic country. The Turks have a reputation of brilliant warriors, and are looking patiently, monitoring the political situation further south in search for any opportunity to strike and seize the grand Iranian plateau. Their route of invasion into Iran would be very straightforward, copying what the Parthians had done quite a few centuries before.
The heart of Central Asia, its core region would remain however in Transoxiana, or as it is known under its Persian name, Fararud, in the Central Asian Mesopotamia between the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes.
The Sogdian realm, to incorporate also the regions of Khwarezmia and Tukharistan (1) would continue to be ruled by the Binduid dynasty throughout the majority of the 10th century. The Binduids would continue patronize Sogdian poets, scholars and scientists (2).
Binduid Sogdia would greatly benefit from the profits of trade: as they would control the central parts of the Silk Road, with major marketplaces at Amol, Bokhara, Samarqand, Termez (being on the southern fork of the main road), and then Istaravshan, Khokand, Isfara and Osh in the Farghana valley. Furthermore, contact with the Rhomaic Empire would happen through Hazorasp and Urgench on the Oxus or Taraz, Sayram and Otrar on the Jaxartes; from there around the Aral Sea to Saray Juk at the Urals river estuary, over to Itil, through the Don portage to Sarkel, across the Black Sea over to Constantinople.
If you would try hard, yes, you could go around the Sogdian realm with the Silk Road, going through the Wakhan corridor between the Pamir and the Karakoram, or go from Kabul to Peshawar and Gilgit through the Kunjerab pass to Kashgar, or through the town of Leh across the Karakoram to Khotan, but most merchants, would go the easier way through Sogdia.
The Binduid realm would remain a multireligious one: however, the previous pattern of ascending Manichaeism would be challenged by lower birth rates, although still supported by mixed marriages and therefore would continue to stagnate at some 43%. Nestorian Christianity would experience a large seven-point increase from 16 to 23% : owing to higher birth rates, as well as extensive missionary work carried out by Assyrian monks (many of whom actually weren’t Assyrian – but from closer locations such as Herat or Margiana), setting up libraries, hospitals and monasteries.
Sogdian Buddhist Art
The Buddhist faith would also stagnate at 21%, with Buddhism prevailing in the Tukharistan valleys, while generally declining in Sogdiana proper. The fate of Zoroastrianism in Sogdia would be almost sealed, down to 6%. Other smaller communities are formed by Jacobites (3%), Jews (2%) and other, mainly Chinese traditions (2%).
The Church of the East would come to dominate the Farghana valley and the district of Nakhshab; the rest of Sogdia proper and Khwarezm would be mostly Manichean.
Nestorian diocese in Central Asia would include Termez, Bukhara, Tashkent, Osh, Balasagun, Taraz, Navekath, Almaty and a metropolitan archdiocese at Samarqand. In the mid-ninth century, Taraz would be promoted to the seat of another metropolitan diocese, and Otrar would become detatched from Taraz, as for to create a separate jurisdiction for the Karakhanid state.
Fragments of a Nestorian Chrisitan figure on Silk
As for Manichean Church organization, as mentioned in the previous updates, the residence of the Manichean Yamagh (Leader) is Samarqand. For some time we were not concerned much about the branching out of Manichaen religion, although this would have been very much a natural tendency, faced by any major religion, be it Christendom, Buddhism (6) or any other faith. Manichaenism would not be immune to this thing either.
The major branch of Manichaeism would be the Denawar Manichean Church, headed by the Yagma at Samarqand. This jurisdiction would encompass all the Manicheans in central Asia, to include Sogdia, Kharezm, the Kimak steppe, Tarim basin and even Bolgharia on the Volga River (yes, you remember correctly, the Bolghar king was healed by a Manichean medic from Sogdia).
The second major Manichean denomination would the Mosadeqia (7) or anglicized Msadeqian Manicheans based in Mesopotamia, in western Persia, in Hormuz, in Somalia and Arabia. The Msadeqi would be regarded by the Denawar as being far too lax; and in general their community was rather dwindling in contrast to the more prosperous Denawar of Central Asia.
View attachment 471749
Above: a map showing the differentiation of Manichean denominations: lighter shade of the "old Manichean colour" can be seen in Somalia, Arabia, Hormuz and Medea in western Iran= Msadeqi. A slightly darker version of the original colour is present throughout central Asia, and in Bolgharia to represent the Denawar, and ultimately a very dark shade was chosen to show the Toxoxian Manicheans among the uyghur.
Ultimately a third branch known as Togozgoziyya, to be latinized and anglicized as Toxoxian Manicheans would be present among the Uyghurs of Xinjian. The Toxoxian branch would be somewhat similar to the Denawar in their practices and mentality, yet also absorbing quite a few influences from Buddhism, Tengriism and also Chinese philosophy. This is not say that Toxoxians were syncretizers, just to somehow point to cultural differences: the Denawar would also have some Buddhist and Zoroastrian influences in their mentality, while the Msadeqi would be under strong influence from the Nestorian Christian cultural environment.
As you have already guessed, the three denominations would use different liturgical languages, with the Denawar using Middle Persian as the liturgical language, while the Msadeqi using Syriac.
The seat of the Msadeqi Kahna (or Leader, Archegos) would be once more at Qtespon, after the Bavandids conquer the area from the Kingdom of Sawad.
As for church organization, the Manichean Church would adopt a similar model to Christendom, of dividing the church itself into bishoprics: the average size of Denawar bishoprics was rather regular, with a bishop based in every major city, and its environs. This could make roughly one bishopric for 200 000- 400 000 people, also depending on the density. The Msadeqi bishoprics would be much smaller in terms of number of hearers, only perhaps having no more than 100 000 each. This would be caused mainly by the scattered nature of the Manichean population in the areas surrounding Mesopotamia.
By the late 10th century, in the 990s, the Sogdian state would be conquered by the Karakhanids: a Karluk Turkic nomadic people. The Karakhanids would had dominated the eastern parts of the central steppe, mainly the Zhetysu area around the lakes Balkash and Issyk-kul. Interestingly enough, the northwestern part of their realm would be Manichean, while those living at the foothills of the Tengri Mountains (3) would be Nestorian Christians. While in the previous update a Manichean zealot have risen up to the throne, the next ruler would once more become Christian.
Nestorian tomb stone at Issyk-Kul lake
The capital of the Karakhanid Empire would be Balasagun (4), a town in the Nestorian dominated part of the realm. The realm would adopt many features of the Binduid state administration: nevertheless, it would be best to describe the administration of the Karakhanid realm as feudal, as the realm would be divided into several appanages, each associated and centred on one of the principal towns: Balasagun in Zhetysu, Uzgen in Farghana and Samarkand in Transoxiana (or Fararud, as was the Persian name for the area).
Karakhanid ruins
The Karakhanids would make profit from merchants seeking to avoid the Tengri Mountains: going from Shash (Tashkent), Sayram and Taraz, then heading eastwards to Balasagun, the Karakhanid capital, and then to Almaty, through the Dzungar gate, the most remote place on Earth from the World Ocean, into Turpan.
In the northern parts of the central steppe, there would be two major polities: the Cumans dominating the northern banks of the Khazar Sea, and the Kipchak-Kimek confederation in the the inland regions (5). Many travellers would describe these lands as a vast area with no trees and few settlement.
The Kimak peoples in the east of the Kipchak-Kimak confederation would be mainly Manichean; the Kipchaks in the west would slowly abandon their Tengri beliefs and gradually accept Nestorian Christianity.
Cuman cavalry
The Cumans themselves would not be organized in a classical steppe khanate or empire. Rather, they would have close-nit tribal communities led by chiefs and princes closely cooperating, but without unified authority.
(1) Bactria, that is, the upper reaches of the Oxus river: mainly modern Tajikistan and Afghani Tajikistan
(2) The Samanid dynasty ruling the area very much contributed to the development of the Tajik identity by Persianizing their domains. Here, the Sogdians are very much different from Persians
(3) Tianshan
(4) Locaten halfway between Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan and Lake Issyk-Kul.
(5) Of central and northeastern Kazakhstan.
(6) Or islam of course, branching into Sunni, Shia and Ibadhi denominations
(7) Original name moṣaddeqīya
The heart of Central Asia, its core region would remain however in Transoxiana, or as it is known under its Persian name, Fararud, in the Central Asian Mesopotamia between the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes.
The Sogdian realm, to incorporate also the regions of Khwarezmia and Tukharistan (1) would continue to be ruled by the Binduid dynasty throughout the majority of the 10th century. The Binduids would continue patronize Sogdian poets, scholars and scientists (2).
Binduid Sogdia would greatly benefit from the profits of trade: as they would control the central parts of the Silk Road, with major marketplaces at Amol, Bokhara, Samarqand, Termez (being on the southern fork of the main road), and then Istaravshan, Khokand, Isfara and Osh in the Farghana valley. Furthermore, contact with the Rhomaic Empire would happen through Hazorasp and Urgench on the Oxus or Taraz, Sayram and Otrar on the Jaxartes; from there around the Aral Sea to Saray Juk at the Urals river estuary, over to Itil, through the Don portage to Sarkel, across the Black Sea over to Constantinople.
If you would try hard, yes, you could go around the Sogdian realm with the Silk Road, going through the Wakhan corridor between the Pamir and the Karakoram, or go from Kabul to Peshawar and Gilgit through the Kunjerab pass to Kashgar, or through the town of Leh across the Karakoram to Khotan, but most merchants, would go the easier way through Sogdia.
The Binduid realm would remain a multireligious one: however, the previous pattern of ascending Manichaeism would be challenged by lower birth rates, although still supported by mixed marriages and therefore would continue to stagnate at some 43%. Nestorian Christianity would experience a large seven-point increase from 16 to 23% : owing to higher birth rates, as well as extensive missionary work carried out by Assyrian monks (many of whom actually weren’t Assyrian – but from closer locations such as Herat or Margiana), setting up libraries, hospitals and monasteries.
Sogdian Buddhist Art
The Buddhist faith would also stagnate at 21%, with Buddhism prevailing in the Tukharistan valleys, while generally declining in Sogdiana proper. The fate of Zoroastrianism in Sogdia would be almost sealed, down to 6%. Other smaller communities are formed by Jacobites (3%), Jews (2%) and other, mainly Chinese traditions (2%).
The Church of the East would come to dominate the Farghana valley and the district of Nakhshab; the rest of Sogdia proper and Khwarezm would be mostly Manichean.
Nestorian diocese in Central Asia would include Termez, Bukhara, Tashkent, Osh, Balasagun, Taraz, Navekath, Almaty and a metropolitan archdiocese at Samarqand. In the mid-ninth century, Taraz would be promoted to the seat of another metropolitan diocese, and Otrar would become detatched from Taraz, as for to create a separate jurisdiction for the Karakhanid state.
Fragments of a Nestorian Chrisitan figure on Silk
As for Manichean Church organization, as mentioned in the previous updates, the residence of the Manichean Yamagh (Leader) is Samarqand. For some time we were not concerned much about the branching out of Manichaen religion, although this would have been very much a natural tendency, faced by any major religion, be it Christendom, Buddhism (6) or any other faith. Manichaenism would not be immune to this thing either.
The major branch of Manichaeism would be the Denawar Manichean Church, headed by the Yagma at Samarqand. This jurisdiction would encompass all the Manicheans in central Asia, to include Sogdia, Kharezm, the Kimak steppe, Tarim basin and even Bolgharia on the Volga River (yes, you remember correctly, the Bolghar king was healed by a Manichean medic from Sogdia).
The second major Manichean denomination would the Mosadeqia (7) or anglicized Msadeqian Manicheans based in Mesopotamia, in western Persia, in Hormuz, in Somalia and Arabia. The Msadeqi would be regarded by the Denawar as being far too lax; and in general their community was rather dwindling in contrast to the more prosperous Denawar of Central Asia.
View attachment 471749
Above: a map showing the differentiation of Manichean denominations: lighter shade of the "old Manichean colour" can be seen in Somalia, Arabia, Hormuz and Medea in western Iran= Msadeqi. A slightly darker version of the original colour is present throughout central Asia, and in Bolgharia to represent the Denawar, and ultimately a very dark shade was chosen to show the Toxoxian Manicheans among the uyghur.
Ultimately a third branch known as Togozgoziyya, to be latinized and anglicized as Toxoxian Manicheans would be present among the Uyghurs of Xinjian. The Toxoxian branch would be somewhat similar to the Denawar in their practices and mentality, yet also absorbing quite a few influences from Buddhism, Tengriism and also Chinese philosophy. This is not say that Toxoxians were syncretizers, just to somehow point to cultural differences: the Denawar would also have some Buddhist and Zoroastrian influences in their mentality, while the Msadeqi would be under strong influence from the Nestorian Christian cultural environment.
As you have already guessed, the three denominations would use different liturgical languages, with the Denawar using Middle Persian as the liturgical language, while the Msadeqi using Syriac.
The seat of the Msadeqi Kahna (or Leader, Archegos) would be once more at Qtespon, after the Bavandids conquer the area from the Kingdom of Sawad.
As for church organization, the Manichean Church would adopt a similar model to Christendom, of dividing the church itself into bishoprics: the average size of Denawar bishoprics was rather regular, with a bishop based in every major city, and its environs. This could make roughly one bishopric for 200 000- 400 000 people, also depending on the density. The Msadeqi bishoprics would be much smaller in terms of number of hearers, only perhaps having no more than 100 000 each. This would be caused mainly by the scattered nature of the Manichean population in the areas surrounding Mesopotamia.
By the late 10th century, in the 990s, the Sogdian state would be conquered by the Karakhanids: a Karluk Turkic nomadic people. The Karakhanids would had dominated the eastern parts of the central steppe, mainly the Zhetysu area around the lakes Balkash and Issyk-kul. Interestingly enough, the northwestern part of their realm would be Manichean, while those living at the foothills of the Tengri Mountains (3) would be Nestorian Christians. While in the previous update a Manichean zealot have risen up to the throne, the next ruler would once more become Christian.
Nestorian tomb stone at Issyk-Kul lake
The capital of the Karakhanid Empire would be Balasagun (4), a town in the Nestorian dominated part of the realm. The realm would adopt many features of the Binduid state administration: nevertheless, it would be best to describe the administration of the Karakhanid realm as feudal, as the realm would be divided into several appanages, each associated and centred on one of the principal towns: Balasagun in Zhetysu, Uzgen in Farghana and Samarkand in Transoxiana (or Fararud, as was the Persian name for the area).
Karakhanid ruins
The Karakhanids would make profit from merchants seeking to avoid the Tengri Mountains: going from Shash (Tashkent), Sayram and Taraz, then heading eastwards to Balasagun, the Karakhanid capital, and then to Almaty, through the Dzungar gate, the most remote place on Earth from the World Ocean, into Turpan.
In the northern parts of the central steppe, there would be two major polities: the Cumans dominating the northern banks of the Khazar Sea, and the Kipchak-Kimek confederation in the the inland regions (5). Many travellers would describe these lands as a vast area with no trees and few settlement.
The Kimak peoples in the east of the Kipchak-Kimak confederation would be mainly Manichean; the Kipchaks in the west would slowly abandon their Tengri beliefs and gradually accept Nestorian Christianity.
Cuman cavalry
The Cumans themselves would not be organized in a classical steppe khanate or empire. Rather, they would have close-nit tribal communities led by chiefs and princes closely cooperating, but without unified authority.
(1) Bactria, that is, the upper reaches of the Oxus river: mainly modern Tajikistan and Afghani Tajikistan
(2) The Samanid dynasty ruling the area very much contributed to the development of the Tajik identity by Persianizing their domains. Here, the Sogdians are very much different from Persians
(3) Tianshan
(4) Locaten halfway between Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan and Lake Issyk-Kul.
(5) Of central and northeastern Kazakhstan.
(6) Or islam of course, branching into Sunni, Shia and Ibadhi denominations
(7) Original name moṣaddeqīya
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 1.5k