History of Tajikistan

The current Tajik Republic hearkens back to the Samanid Empire (A.D. 875-999) that ruled what is now Tajikistan as well as territory to the south and west, as their role model and name for their currency. During their reign, the Samanids supported the revival of the written Persian language in the wake of the Arab Islamic conquest in the early 8th century and played an important role in preserving the culture of the pre-Islamic Persian-speaking world. They were the last Persian-speaking empire to rule Central Asia. Humans were permanently installed in Tajikistan from 4,000 BC. After a series of attacks beginning in the 1860s during the Great Game, the Tajik people came under Russian rule. This rule waned briefly after the Russian Revolution of 1917 as the Bolsheviks consolidated their power and were embroiled in a civil war in other regions of the former Russian Empire. As the Bolsheviks attempted to regain Central Asia in the 1920s, an indigenous Central Asian resistance movement based in the Ferghana Valley, the "Basmachi movement," attempted to resist but was eventually defeated in 1925. Tajikistan became fully established under Soviet control with the creation of Tajikistan as an autonomous Soviet socialist republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, and as one of the independent Soviet socialist republics in 1929. It was the Tadzhik SSR from 1936 to 1991. Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a civil war since it gained independence in 1991 when the USSR collapsed. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, but implementation has progressed slowly. Nevertheless, a number of opposition political parties have been legalized and are participating in elections, suggesting that the country may be stabilizing politically. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are based throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the border with Afghanistan. =Ancient Tajik History=

Tajik Ancestry (2000 BC-900 AD)

The Ancient Age of Tajik history started at about 2000 BC. This period of Tajik history started with migration of Proto-Indo-European (Tajik ancestors) from their native home, central Asia. Numerous and fascinating studies show that the Tajiks ancestors were the Scythians, Massagets, Bactrian Sogdians, Marvians and Aryans were living in central Asia. At some time around 1750 BC, the Tajik ancestors emigrated to North India. Thereafter, they emigrated to the Iranian Plateau (c. 1250 BC) and to the northwest of Iran (c. 600 BC). This migration was crucial in formation of many Indo-European nations, languages, and civilizations that are currently living in Eurasia. This migration resulted in settling the Proto-Indo-European tribes in areas of Eurasia some of whom was mentioned by Herodotus. Among them Cimmerians who lived in steppes of the Ukraine and southern Russia around 2300 BC who eventually were replaced by Scythean from 800 BC onwards. Scythean were probably the most spread Indo-European ancestors in which domesticating horse, invention of cart, and leather pants played a great role. They were divided into many other smaller fraction who eventually became independent and thus laying foundation for many nations where they lived. Thus traces of the relation of all Indo-European nations can be found their language . Eastern and other Scythean like Moon Scythean or Massagets were among one of the earliest Tajik ancestors who lived in Central Asia starting four thousand years ago. Massagets are well known in the history with conflict with Persian Empire Cyrus. Indeed, it was the female leader of Massagets Tomyris who killed the first and arguably greatest of the Persian kings, Cyrus the Great in order to take revenge of killed sun. By 100 BC Massagets merged with other Eastern Scytheans. The western Scythean started to be replaced by a Sarmatians and Alans in Europe around 400 BC. It needs to be noted that Sarmatian and Alans were descendants of western Scythean. Eventually, Sarmatian and Alans absorbed in creation of many nations in the West. In fact Alans are Ossetians who currently live in Ossetia in Caucuses (Russia). They were all speaking Iranian branch of Indo-European languages. Eastern Scytheans around 90 BC has established Kingdom in North India and around 100 AD with the help of Tocharian established Kushan Empire.

Pre-Islamic Tajikistan (600 BC-651 AD)

Sogdiana, Bactria, Marv and Chorazmian inhabitants are the most direct descendants of Tajiks who were named Sogdian, Bactrian, Chorazmian, and Marvian based on the region they lived respectively. Sogdian were famous for being tall, massive, fair color exactly resembling Scythean. Among them Bactria and Chorazmia were kingdoms during different period of history unlike Sogdiana and Marvia which were geographical location and vassals of different kingdom. Sogdiana - was made up of the Zaravshan and Kashka Darya river valleys. Currently, One of the survived people of Sogdiana who speak a dialect of Sogdian language Yaghnobies who live in Yaghnob area in the current North of Tajikistan in Zarafshon valley. Bactria - was located in north Afghanistan between the mountain range of the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya (Oxus) River and some areas of current south Tajikistan. During different periods Bactria was a center of the Kingdom or Empires including where Zoroastrianism has originated. "Avesto" the holly book of Zoroastrianism was written in old-Bactrian dialect, also it is considered that Zoroaster most likely was born in Bactria. Chorazmia - was powerful Kingdom during some periods of history south-east of Aral Sea that used to be very fertile area from indication of archeological discoveries. Marv - located in Amy-Darya basin south of Chorazmia..

Greek Tajikistan (329 BC-90 BC)

After the Persian Empire was defeated by Alexander Great Bactria, Sogdiana. Marv being part of Persian Empire had to defend them self from new invaders. In fact Greek faced very stiff resistance under the leadership of Sogdian ruler Spitamen. Alexander Macedonian somehow could manage to marry the daughter of local King Roxanne and inherit the land. After collapse of Macedonian Empire Greek generals continued some home to rule for another 200 hundred years with the name Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. The weakness of the Greco-Bactrian kingdoms is shown by their complete overthrow. During this time 90 BC to 30 BC Eastern Scythean being local ceased the control and soon together with Tocharian who they closely related created a Kushan Empire around 30 AD.

Kushan Empire (30 BC-410 AD)

For another 400 hundred years till 410 AD the Kushan Empire will be the major power along with Roman, Parthian (Iran) Empire and Hun Empire (China). At the end of the Kushan period the Empire will get very small and will have to defend itself from powerful Sassanian Empire that replaced Parthian Empire. Famous Kushan shah Kanishka has promoted Buddhism and during this time Buddhism was exported from Central Asia to China.

Here Come the Hephtalites (410 AD-565 AD)

who considered to be the other Scythean related tribe although there is controversy about their name which means White Hun which was referred to Mongolian-Turkish invaders. As later archeologists discovered many factor that proved that Hepthtalites were a branch of Scythean. The Hephtalites were destroyed in the 565 AD by a combination of Sassanids and Gook-Turk forces.

Western Turkish Rule (565 AD-710 AD)

The most precise result about the origin of the Gook-Turks is that they had lived in South of Altai Mountains until the year 542 AD. As all Chinese sources allied, they descended from the Khuns (Huns) and located at the North of them . Thus the Gook-Turks are one line of the Khuns (Huns another proto-Turkish tribes).

Arab Chalefat (710 AD-867 AD)

The Transoxania principalities never formed a viable confederacy. Beginning in 651 AD, the Arabs organized periodic marauding raids deep into the territory of Transoxania, but it was not until the appointment of Qutaiba as Governor of Khorasan in 705 AD, during the reign of Walid I, that the Caliphate adopted the policy of annexing the lands beyond the Oxus. 715 AD task of annexation was accomplished. The entire region thus is under control of the rule of the caliph and of Islam. The ascension of the Abbasids to rule the Caliphate (750 - 1258) opened a new era in the history of Central Asia. While their predecessors the Omaiyads (661 - 750) were little more than leaders of a loose confederation of Arab tribes, the Abbasids set out to build a huge multi-ethnic centralized state that would emulate and perfect the Sassanian government machine. They gave the Near East and Transoxania a unity, which they had been lacking since the time of Alexander the Great. =Modern History 900 AD - Present Time=

Samanid Empire (900 AD-999 AD)

Just before the Arab invasion Central Asia was divided into many fraction that could never have been joined together such as the Kingdom of Merv, Sogdiana, Bactria, Chorazmia, Badakhshan the only exception was Kushan Empire that was diminished to the land of only eastern Iran at the end. Islam spread rapidly in Transoxania. The new religion was received mostly by popular acclaim, for it promised greater social mobility and created favourable conditions for trade. With Islam there came Arabic that became the language of Abbasid court. It must also have stimulated the emergence of the Modern Persian language (Dari), in which the share of loan-words from Arabic fluctuated from 10 percent in the vocabulary of Rudaki (9th to10th centuries) to 40 percent in the writings of Baihaqi (11th century). All in all, "the volume of Arabic lexicon, its share in the vocabulary of the Dari language remained exceptionally high until the first quarter of the nineteenth century." Samanid dynasty that ruled (819–1005) in Khorasan (Eastern Iran) and Transoxania, founded by Saman-Khuda . The Samanids were one of the first purely indigenous dynasties to rule in Persia following the Muslim Arab conquest. Not until the reign (892–907) of Saman-Khuda's great-grandson, Ismail I,. did Samanid power become extensive. In 900, Ismail defeated Saffarids in Khorasan (area of current Northwest Afghanistan and northeastern Iran), while his brother was the governor of Transoxania. Thus, Samanid rule was acclaimed over the combined regions. The cities of Bukhara (the Samanid capital) and Samarkand became centers of art and science, literature; industries included pottery making and bronze casting. After 950, Samanid power weakened, but was briefly revitalized under Nuh II,. who ruled from 976 to 997. However, with the oncoming encroachment of Muslim Turks into the Abbasid Empire, the Samanids were effectively defeated; in 999, Bukhara fell under a combined force of Ghaznavids and Qarakhanids. Ismail II,. d. 1005, last ruler of the dynasty, briefly fought (1000–1005) to retain Samanid territory, until he was assassinated. Although short during this period art and science of Tajiks flourished and thus we many scholar of this period to be included to Outstanding Tajik Scholars List. It is considered that Tajik name and identity although living for thousand years in this area has started formation during Samanid period. The attack of the Qarakhanid Turks ended Samanids reign and Samanid era civilization in 999 and dominance in Transoxania passed on to Turkic rulers for nine centuries to come.

Ghaznavids (999-1218)

After the collapse of Samanid Dynasty the Central Asia has become the battleground of many Asian invaders who cam e from north-east.

Mongol Empire (1218-1370)

Mongols swept through Central Asia invaded Chorazmia, sacked the cities of Bukhoro and Samarkand, looting and massacring people everywhere.

Timurid Empire (1370-1506)

Timur, was born 8th April 1336 in Kesh near Samarkand. Member of turkicized Barlas tribe, a Mongol subgroup that had settled in Transoxania after taking part in Genghis Khan's son Jagatai's campaigns in that region. Timur began his life as a bandit leader. During this period, he received an arrow-wound in the leg, as a result of which he was nicknamed Timur i Lang (in Dari) or Timur the Lame, corrupted in the West to Tamerlane. Although the last Timurids of Herat, Badi az Zaman finally fell to the armies of the Uzbek Muhammad Shaibanid in 1506, the Timurids ruler of Fergana, Zahir-ud-Din Babur, survived the collapse of dynasty and established the line of Mughal emperors in India in 1526.

Shaibanid dynasty (1506-1598)

The Shaibanid state was divided into appanges between all male members (sultans) of the dynasty, who would designate the supreme ruler (Khan), the oldest member of clan. The seat of Khan was first Samarkand, the capital of the Timurids , but some of the Khans preferred to remain in their former appanges. Thus Bukhara became the seat of the khan for the first time under Ubaid Allah Khan (r.1533-1539). . Astrakhanid (Janid) dynasty (1598-1740) The period of political expansion and economical prosperity was short-lived. Soon after the death of Abd Allah Khan the Shaibanid dynasty died out, to be replaced by the Janid (Ashtarkhanid) dynasty, another branch of the descendants of Jochi whose founder was related through marriage to Abd Allah Khan.

Persia (1740-1756)

In 1740 the Janids khanate was conquered by Nadir Shah, the ruler of Iran. The Janid khan Abu al Faiz retained his throne, becoming Nadir's vassal.

Manghit Dynasty (1756 AD-1920 AD)

After the death of Nadir Shah in 1747 , the chief of the Manghit tribe, Muhammad Rahim Biy Azaliq, overcome his rivals from other tribes with the support of the urban population, consolidated his rule in the khanate , and was proclaimed khan in 1756. His successor , however, ruled in the name of puppet khans of Janid origin. The third Manghit ruler, Shah Murad (r.1785-1800), finally deposed the Janids and acceded to the throne himself. He did not assume the title of khan , preferring the title Amir , as did subsequent Manghit rulers. The khanate was smaller under Manghits than under their predecessors; it lost important provinces to the south of Amu Darya and the Syr Darya basin, and Merv , conquered by Shah Murad in 1785 -1789, was lost in 1823. Under the Manghits , the administration of the country was more centralized.

Russian Vassals (1868 AD - 1917 AD)

Conflict with Russia started in 1865, shortly after Russian conquest of Tashkent. Being more technologically advanced Russians could easily subjugate Central Asia and also brought some progress to the region. The army of Bukhara was utterly defeated in three battles, and on 18 June 1868 Amir Muzaffar al Din (r.1860-1885) signed a peace treaty with the Russian governor-general of Turkestan , A.P. Von Kaufman. Samarkand and its provinces were annexed by Russia and the country was opened to the Russian merchants. The Amir retained his throne as a vassal of Russia and made up his territorial losses by establishing, with Russian help, control over mountainous regions in the upper Zeravshan Valley in 1870 and by annexing the principalities of the western Pamir in 1895. At the end of August 1920 the last Amir, Sayid Alim Khan, was overthrown as a result of the invasion of the khanate by Soviet troops, and on 6 October the khanate was abolished and proclaimed the Bukharan People's Soviet Republic.

Soviet Republic (1917 - 1991)

Tajiks in this period undergo the greatest catastrophe in the their history. The Tajiks' lack of concern, especially their cosmopolitanism during this period, cost them dearly. They were deprived of the use of their language, of achieving an independent republic, and of their historical and cultural centers. The national-administrative divisions placed the ancient Tajik cities outside the Tajikistan SSR, under threat of exile for nonconformity-forced they were forced to change their identity. Tajik schools were closed and, the Tajiks were not appointed to leadership positions simply because of their ethnic affiliation.

Tajikistan 1991-Present time

In brief, Tajik identity has been once again challenged with breaking up of Civil War. There is different factors that has influenced the Civil War to break up but below mentioned four factors that are generally accepted: 1. Tajikistan's lack of educational and economic base 2. Soviet Distribution of land during 1920's 3. Religion and self-expression restriction during the Soviet Union period. 4. External Influences Fortunately, Tajiks has survived this blow of the history too and finally reached needed stage of self-examination and prosperities. Conclusion In this article we found that Tajiks ancestors were spread in ancient world in the vast Central Asian Steppes. We found that current Tajiks are the descendants of Central Asian proto-Indo-European tribes namely Sogdian, Chorazmian, Bactrian, Scythean, Massagets, Hephthalites. And finally we found that Tajiks are heading to direction the unification of Tajiks, the process of reviving their culture, art and science, history and of course to join other Indo-European nations in building the multinational, democratic and progressive world as they (Tajiks) were striving to do throughout their history.

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