alternatehistory.com
Chapter 72:Central Asia, Crossroad of Cultures
Continuing further westwards, we enter into Central Asia. The regions of Sogdia and surrounding areas had been held by the Karakhanids, a Karluk Turkic dynasty. The Karluk dynasty was overthrown in 1120s by the Liao (Khitan) exiles. By now, the Liao dynasty and the Khitans were largely sinicized, to such an extent, that the surrounding peoples thought of them as Chinese.
The Khitans considered themselves to be a legitimate Chinese dynasty and have chosen metal as their dynastic element. The colour associated with metal in Chinese tradition is black, and the word for black in Turkic languages is “Qara”; hence they became known as the Qara-Khitai. The word Khitai, undar the term Cathay, has come to be a synonym for China in the western world.
The area thus once more can be considered as a crossroad of cultures and religions. While the Middle-Eastern and Persian vector has been dominant throughout the previous centuries, the Indian vector and influence has presented itself in the form of the advent of Buddhism. Chinese influence had been scarce, save for the period of Tang rule over the region.
View attachment 501705
Spread of bureaucratic administration westwards
The Qara-khitai have also brought with them the Chinese system of administration, replacing the previous Persian and nomadic systems. Their monarchs bore the title Gurkhan. The ruling elites practiced mostly Mahayana Buddhism, as did the Iranian- speaking Sakas in the eastern parts of the realm, in the Tarim Basin.
As said the Kara-khitai ruled over a heterogenous population, mostly consisting of Karluk-sepaking to a lesser extent Oghuz speaking Turks, Uyghurs further east and Iranina-speaking Sakas and Sogdians.
By the time of the 12th century, there were already flourishing urban centres in Central Asia, such as Balasagun, Kokkand, Hezhond (Samarkand), Chachi (Tashkent), Kashgar, Yarkent, Khotan or Almaliq. These cities were thus also to be found in areas more distant to existent civilizations.
View attachment 501706
Religion in Central Asia
The vast majority of their subjects, however were Nestorian Christians, be they Sogdians or Turks. By the end of the 12th century, Manicheism appears to have almost completely vanished within the borders of the Karakhitay realm. The Khitans nevertheless brought a resurgence of Buddhism to the west.
Despite giving way to Khitan and Chinese as languages of administration, Sogdian still remains an important language, mainly due to its use in Church, as a liturgical language (1). Also Uyghur remains in use as a written language.
The Kara-khitans were also ruling over their tributary Uyghur kingdom of Qocho. The Buddhist element in the realm appears to have surpassed the former dominant Manichean element, although again we could argue that the two religions were more in a synthesis than in a hostile relationship (2).
View attachment 501704
Political map of Central Asia
On the Upper Yenisey, we can encounter the Kirghyz, who have by now adopted Manicheism from their neighbours in the Kimek-Kipchak Confederation. That latter realm is however non-existent, as the vast grasslands of the central and western steppes have come to be dominated by the Cumans.
The Cumans thus controlled an areas stretching from the mouth of the Danube to the sources of the Ob River. A large part of them are Tengriist pagans, those further east are mostly Nestorian (with many Tengri practices still ingrained).
View attachment 501707
Finally, languages of Central Asia
(1) Resulting in more of a preservation of Sogdian rather than its decline in favour of Turkic as it happened historically.
(2) I mean, in the west, the religions themselves claimed mutual exclusivity, as you could not be a Christian and Muslim simultaneously. In the East, especially with a syncretic religion such as Manicheism and a rather nontheistic religion such as Buddhism, both very similar, you could very well end up with the two just meddling into one. The change had also to do with the native Uyghur Toxoxian Manichean hierarchy just more-less collapsing in the wars
The Khitans considered themselves to be a legitimate Chinese dynasty and have chosen metal as their dynastic element. The colour associated with metal in Chinese tradition is black, and the word for black in Turkic languages is “Qara”; hence they became known as the Qara-Khitai. The word Khitai, undar the term Cathay, has come to be a synonym for China in the western world.
The area thus once more can be considered as a crossroad of cultures and religions. While the Middle-Eastern and Persian vector has been dominant throughout the previous centuries, the Indian vector and influence has presented itself in the form of the advent of Buddhism. Chinese influence had been scarce, save for the period of Tang rule over the region.
View attachment 501705
Spread of bureaucratic administration westwards
The Qara-khitai have also brought with them the Chinese system of administration, replacing the previous Persian and nomadic systems. Their monarchs bore the title Gurkhan. The ruling elites practiced mostly Mahayana Buddhism, as did the Iranian- speaking Sakas in the eastern parts of the realm, in the Tarim Basin.
As said the Kara-khitai ruled over a heterogenous population, mostly consisting of Karluk-sepaking to a lesser extent Oghuz speaking Turks, Uyghurs further east and Iranina-speaking Sakas and Sogdians.
By the time of the 12th century, there were already flourishing urban centres in Central Asia, such as Balasagun, Kokkand, Hezhond (Samarkand), Chachi (Tashkent), Kashgar, Yarkent, Khotan or Almaliq. These cities were thus also to be found in areas more distant to existent civilizations.
View attachment 501706
Religion in Central Asia
The vast majority of their subjects, however were Nestorian Christians, be they Sogdians or Turks. By the end of the 12th century, Manicheism appears to have almost completely vanished within the borders of the Karakhitay realm. The Khitans nevertheless brought a resurgence of Buddhism to the west.
Despite giving way to Khitan and Chinese as languages of administration, Sogdian still remains an important language, mainly due to its use in Church, as a liturgical language (1). Also Uyghur remains in use as a written language.
The Kara-khitans were also ruling over their tributary Uyghur kingdom of Qocho. The Buddhist element in the realm appears to have surpassed the former dominant Manichean element, although again we could argue that the two religions were more in a synthesis than in a hostile relationship (2).
View attachment 501704
Political map of Central Asia
On the Upper Yenisey, we can encounter the Kirghyz, who have by now adopted Manicheism from their neighbours in the Kimek-Kipchak Confederation. That latter realm is however non-existent, as the vast grasslands of the central and western steppes have come to be dominated by the Cumans.
The Cumans thus controlled an areas stretching from the mouth of the Danube to the sources of the Ob River. A large part of them are Tengriist pagans, those further east are mostly Nestorian (with many Tengri practices still ingrained).
View attachment 501707
Finally, languages of Central Asia
(1) Resulting in more of a preservation of Sogdian rather than its decline in favour of Turkic as it happened historically.
(2) I mean, in the west, the religions themselves claimed mutual exclusivity, as you could not be a Christian and Muslim simultaneously. In the East, especially with a syncretic religion such as Manicheism and a rather nontheistic religion such as Buddhism, both very similar, you could very well end up with the two just meddling into one. The change had also to do with the native Uyghur Toxoxian Manichean hierarchy just more-less collapsing in the wars
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 650