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Lands of Asia layouts (Eng) 26.11.21

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1.2<br />

century BC and the 3rd century AD Chaganian was part <strong>of</strong> the Kushan state. During<br />

this period, the region’s economy and culture evolved considerably, and many cities<br />

and settlements emerged, along with the development <strong>of</strong> commodity and money<br />

relations and irrigated agriculture, while many different kinds <strong>of</strong> crafts, and fine and<br />

applied arts, especially applied monumental clay and plaster sculpture (for example<br />

in Khalchayan and Dalverzintepa), flourished. Towards the end <strong>of</strong> the 3rd and in<br />

the 4th century AD, Chaganian came under the rule <strong>of</strong> the Sassanid Kushanshahs.<br />

In the second half <strong>of</strong> the 5th and the first half <strong>of</strong> the 6th century AD, this area was<br />

alternately ruled by the Hephthalites and the Sassanids. From the second half <strong>of</strong> the<br />

6th to the second half <strong>of</strong> the 8th century AD, Chaghanian was governed by a local<br />

dynasty <strong>of</strong> East Iranian origin, who were only nominally subordinate to the supreme<br />

rulers <strong>of</strong> Tokharistan, the Turkic Yabghus. The names <strong>of</strong> some Chaganian Hidevs or<br />

Chagankhudats (rulers) have been determined on the basis <strong>of</strong> written, epigraphic<br />

and numismatic data, i.e. Faganish, Sashr, Zarin, Turantash, Tish and Hnar. In the<br />

second half <strong>of</strong> the 7th century AD, Arabs raided Chaganian and they overthrew the<br />

local dynasty at the end <strong>of</strong> the 8th century AD. From the middle or second half <strong>of</strong><br />

the 9th century until the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 11th century AD, Chaganian became the<br />

hereditary domain <strong>of</strong> rulers from the Muhtajid dynasty, who were among the most<br />

powerful semi-independent vassals <strong>of</strong> the Samanids. The Amirs <strong>of</strong> this dynasty,<br />

Abu Bakr Muhammad Bin Muzaffar (died AD 940/41) and especially Ahmad Bin<br />

Abu Bakr Muhammad, also known as Abu Ali Chagani (died AD 955/56), played<br />

a prominent role in the Samanid state, holding the most important administrative<br />

positions as deputies <strong>of</strong> Khorasan and the Sipahsalars. Under the Muhtajids, in<br />

addition to the territory that corresponds to the present-day Surkhan Darya region,<br />

Chaganian also comprised the Shuman and Akharun regions in north-west Tajikistan.<br />

The capital city <strong>of</strong> Chaganian had the same name and was located at the site <strong>of</strong> the<br />

ancient settlement <strong>of</strong> Budrach, 6 km southeast <strong>of</strong> Denau at the confluence <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Kyzylsu and Syr Darya rivers. At the time, the city <strong>of</strong> Chaganian (or Saganian) was<br />

one <strong>of</strong> the most significant economic and cultural centres in Central <strong>Asia</strong>, with an area<br />

<strong>of</strong> about 6 hectares. The Chaganian amir Ahmad Bin Muhammad became famous in<br />

the East as the patron (mamduh) <strong>of</strong> many renowned poets, such as Dakiki, Farruki<br />

and Manjuki. In the first half <strong>of</strong> the 11th century AD, Chaganian depended to some<br />

degree on the Qarakhanids, at times becoming a short-lived sovereign domain. In the<br />

second half <strong>of</strong> the 11th to the first half <strong>of</strong> the 12th century, Chaganian was absorbed<br />

into the Seljukid state. During the period from the second half <strong>of</strong> the 12th to the<br />

early 13th century it was ruled at different times by the Qarakhanids, Karluks, Gurids<br />

and Khorezmshahs. After the Mongol conquest in the mid-13th century, Chaganian<br />

became the hereditary possession <strong>of</strong> Chagatai’s grandson Yesun-Tuva and then his<br />

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