Central and Southern Asia Geography of Central Asia

Central and Southern Asia

Geography of Central Asia • Arid grasslands (steppe) • Crossed by horses but too dry for agriculture http: //travel. nationalgeographi c. com/places/region_c entralasia. html

Lifestyle • Nomadic herders, who relocated twice a year • Social and political organization based on family: clans, tribes, tribal confederations • When resources were in dispute, tribal fighting ensued; no central authority to resolve disputes • Trade or raiding to get objects from settled communities • Leadership based on military skill, sometimes charisma

Turks • Shamanistic, heavenworshiping religion • First people of inner Asia to record their own language • 552 they began to build empire, which extended from Central Asia to Mongolia Kyrgystan image from http: //travel. nationalgeographic. c om/places/countries/country_kyr gyzstan. html

Turk Empires • When Turks took control of central Asia, the Sogdians (Persian-speaking) persuaded them to make contact with Persian and Byzantine courts • 576 Turks captured Byzantine city of Bosporus • Turks in East (Mongolia) raided into China (Tang Dynasty)

Uighurs • • • 8 th Century Turks in Mongolia Adopted religions along the Silk Road Lasted one century Destroyed by the Kyrgyz Fled to western China, established capital at Kucha (Contemporary link on Kucha: http: //www. npr. org/templates/story. p hp? story. Id=93565617)

Turks in Western Asia • Turks were incorporated into Abbasid armies • Tenth century Turks began converting to Islam • 1055 the Abbasid caliph recognized Tughril Beg as sultan • Turkish confederations extended into Asia Minor, Afghanistan, and northern India

Turkish culture • East: a blend of Turkish tradition and cultural influence adopted from Silk Road • West: traditional Turkish elements, influenced by Sogdians, and Islamic culture influenced by Persians (Persian tended to be administrative and literary language; Arabic used for religion; Turkish languages used in vernacular)

Mongols • Khitans and Jurchens formed hybric nomadic states (north lived traditionally, south blended with Chinese settled communities) • Had their language recorded; adopted Chinese governing practices; became culturally dual National Geographic on Mongolia: http: //travel. nationalgeographic. com/ places/countries/country_mongolia. ht ml

Mongolian daily life • • • Herding Yurts easily transported Food: animal products; fuel: dung or grass Clothing: furs and skins because of intense cold Women: drove carts, set up yurts, herded animals, did the milking, prepared felt/clothing (no water used for washing); expert riders and shooters • Men: constructed equipment; broke horses

Social organization • Kinship basis • Could not marry within clan—raided for wives • Women inherited by male relatives • Captured men enslaved, but not necessarily for life • Constantly on defense against raids • Boys learned to use compound bow

Chinggis Khan • Death of father left Chinggis Khan vulnerable; sought revenge • Personal courage in battle and generosity to followers • 1206 recognized as the Great Khan • Ordered Mongol to be written down, including record of Mongol laws • United tribes of Mongolia; fighting turned on settled communities

Pattern of conquest • Attack and conquer a city, then send demands to neighboring cities to surrender or suffer the same • Those who submitted could become allies • Those who resisted faced mass slaughter • Example of attack on Shah of Persia in 1218

Succession • Division into four khanates • 1237 Invasion of Europe: conquered Moscow, Kievan Russia, looted cities in Poland Hungary • Only death of Great Khan, Ogodei, in 1241 turned them back from further west invasions • Refocused on Persia and Middle East • Destroyed the last Abbasid caliph • Resisted by Delhi sultanate and Mamluks in Egypt

Khubilai Khan • Completed conquest of Korea (1258) and China (Song Dynasty) • Mongols became experts in naval warfare • From 1274 -1281 attempted to invade Japan, but turned back in second attempt by kamikaze or “divine wind” (fierce storm) • 1293 failed attempt in Southeast Asia

Reasons for Success • Superb horsemen and archers (mobile and accurate) • Open to new technologies and fighting techniques (adaptable) • New organizational structure (loyalty) • Use of intelligence information (knowledge) • Good rulers because they incorporated other ethnic groups into armies and government • Tax-farming

India: Gupta Empire • Modeled after Mauryan empire • Chandragupta was founder • United North India, alliances with states in Nepal and Indus Valley • Chandragupta II defeated Shakas in West India and took control of trade between Middle East and China

Characteristics of Gupta • Taxed ¼ of harvest • Demanded labor for work on roads, infrastructure • Maintained monopolies on key products like metal and salt • Patrons of the arts • Rise of Indian drama (India’s greatest poet, Kalisada) • Achievements in math: Arabic numerals

India Medieval Age • India broke up into four major regions • Cholas dominated southern tip and Sri Lanka • Political division fostered local cultures

India and Islam • 711 Pirates plundered an Arabic ship; Umayyad governor sent force in retaliation • Western part of India was conquered and maintained as part of caliphate • Ninth and 10 th centuries, Turks occupied Central Asia and Afghanistan

Mahmud of Ghazni • 997 Mahmud (Turkish ruler from Afghanistan) sent raiding forces into India every year for 17 years • Looted Indian palaces and temples: Why? What would have been his justification? • Turkish raiders killed 50, 000 Hindus • Eventually Turks even conquered the Sind (western area that had been controlled by Umayyads)

Cultural Contact • How did the caste system affect the prospects of Hindu conversion to Islam? • Over time, Hindus became a protected class, but Buddhists were persecuted by Muslims. Why?

Muhammad of Ghur • New Turkish leader in Afghanistan who captured Delhi • Established Sultanate of Delhi that lasted over 300 years • This Sultanate successfully held off Mongol invasion of Northern India (secret weapon was elephants) • Sultanate went into decline in 14 th century, defeated by Tamerlane

Southeast Asia • • Funan: Located in southern Vietnam Controlled Indochina and Malay Peninsula Controlled Trade at the Isthmus of Kra 939 Vietnamese became independent of China • Thais: (sw China and Burma) United in confederacy in 8 th century • Thais fell to Mongols in 1253

Southeast Asia continued • Burma: Established in 8 th century with capital at Pagan • Khmer Empire of Cambodia: 802 founded, peaked in 1219 • Srivijaya: maritime empire that controlled Strait of Malacca • Based on island of Sumatra • Links to Indian traditions, culture