Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 9
Panjikent Palace Mural Painting (Belenitky, 1968).
In the middle of the eighth century the Göktürk state started to weaken,
resulting in Arab dominance of Mawarannahr. Arabs first took over Balkh
and later Bukhara and Samarkand. Under the command of Qutayba Ibn
Muslim, Arabs annexed the whole of Mawarannahr between 710 and 716
(Togan, 1981). Later in 751 in the Abbasid age the defeat of the Chinese at
Talas, resulted in extensive spread of Islam all around the Western Turkes-
tan. Throughout the hundred years of Arab dominance they ruled the land
by appointing Turks and Persians as governors. Arab sources like the Al-
Tabari, Al-Isfahari, Al-Ya'kubi describe in detail all governors and tribes
in the region. After the Talas war many Chinese prisoners were brought to
Samarkand who were said to have established the paper industry. Conse-
quently Islamic scholars found a chance to translate many ancient Greek
inscriptions and replicate them therefore the west had the opportunity to
learn about its past.
Samarkand had a bright period between the 9th-13th centuries under
the rule of Samanids (874-999) and the Karakhanids (99-1120), respec-
tively, and became the capital of the state of Khorezm. During this period
there were many madrasahs, baths and caravanserais in the old city center
at the Afrasiab Hill. In the year 1220, the beautiful queen Samarkand had
undergone an invasion by the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan. Genghis was
very crude towards the queen as no one had been before. The deep scars
on queen's delicate skin that were left by Genghis can still be seen today.
He literally destroyed her. Fortunately the queen covered up the traces of
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