DWBI: The Arabs win the battle of Talas

As we know 751 was a further confirmation of the han/tang policies on central Asia, and would lead to the the Chinese Invasion of Afghanistan a few decades later. While this first expansion was short lived it was monumental in bringing sinto civilization outside of the far east and into the different parts of the world,

While the sources are not very clear on the battle it's self what the would the world look like with a powerful greater Abssib Caliphate they could have perhaps become the leading nation of Eurasia in the 8th-9th centuries.

Will the battle of Talas do anything to stop the growth of greater China or is that inevitable?
 
Will it really change all that much? Central Asia was far from both sides' centers of power. You might see earlier adoption of Islam among some of the states there, but I'm sure a similar Sino-Turkic fusion culture will develop. On the other hand, adding a series of Abbasid middlemen could have some effects on the transcontinental trade routes that ran through the region. We might see less cultural exchange between Europe and Asia. And, as you say, this probably prevents the Chinese invasion of Afghanistan--though their political control of the area was about as enduring as Alexanders's, I'm sure it must have had some impact on their history...
 
a. And, as you say, this probably prevents the Chinese invasion of Afghanistan--though their political control of the area was about as enduring as Alexanders's, I'm sure it must have had some impact on their history...


Without the invasion of Afghanistan There might not be any traces of confuciusim or taiosm in the middle east, while the occupation was only 50 years it planted seeds together.

Better a small tree than no plant at all
 
Perhaps with less presence in Central Asia, the Tang wouldn't have imploded in the rebellion led by the Turkic general An Lushan. Internal stability wasn't helped by the Tang court's introduction of paper money which they used to maintain influence in Afghanistan and Transoxiana.
 
It means Transoxana does not become home to the scholarship uniting Eastern and Western teachings, the diffusion of ideas remains in check and the unique blend if Persian, Chinese, Turkic, Indian, and Uigher cultures there slows down the development of the printing press, diffusion of mathematics, and advancement of medicine by at least two centuries, maybe more. Before the Mongols invaded it was *the* center for advanced education on Earth for half a millenium and is still home to a top global university founded directly from that institution. Even they held back and decided to ransom the city instead of burn it or destroy it! It is not a coincidence that every conqueror of the area has given special privledge to the area in exchange for using its libraries and knowledge base.
 
I'am not sure it would change anything strategically and geopolitically for Central Asia. The Arabo-Islamic caliphate didn't had an infitity of men to settle and rule new lands after all. Maybe the Ksiu (what the Iranians call Torkestan, or something) region would have been islamized, but i don't see a direct control lasting very long.

But...It's possible that after the several defeats in the western Islamic world (failure to efficiently raid and maintain a presence in Gaul, the indepedence of Spaniya under the Fihrid dynasty and the subsequent loss of the center of the peninsula to Christians, the loss of Maghrib for the Berbers and Ifryqia at the benefit of Abd al Rahman...) the Abbassids prestige would have been seriously grow after this.

Maybe Abd al Rahman would have been chased from Kairouan (and probably killed so) and that Abbassid Caliphate would have definitly streghten their influence in the western Mediterranea. At worst, it would likely prevent the grand son of Abd al Rahman to take Egypt.
 
Perhaps with less presence in Central Asia, the Tang wouldn't have imploded in the rebellion led by the Turkic general An Lushan. Internal stability wasn't helped by the Tang court's introduction of paper money which they used to maintain influence in Afghanistan and Transoxiana.

The tang had ruled for a 150 years and were losing influence any way, but who knows they might be able to take back the country... :eek:
 
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