Lands of Asia layouts (Eng) 26.11.21

1.4
459–484) using the Turkic titles Tegin and Khagan and dating from this time, as well
as copper coins bearing the name of the West Turkic khagan Tun-Yabghu.
Thus, the period from the mid-5th century AD to the beginning of the 6th
century AD is the earliest stage of Turkic infiltration into Transoxiana. In the second
half of the 6th to the 8th century AD this process intensified even further: in some
areas of Sogdia, Chach and Ustrushana, Turkic dynasties had already become firmly
established, and Transoxiana was itself part of the West Turkic Khaganate. Turkic
coinage proper began to appear with Turkic names and titles (for example, Türgesh
coinage bearing the title Khagan, or Chach coinage bearing the title Tegin or Iltegin);
the first Turkic runic inscriptions in Semirechye and to some extent in Chach
and Northern Tokharistan date from this period; and Turkic sculptures – Balbals –
also became widespread.
Beginning in the 10th century AD and over the next two centuries, incursions
by various Turkic tribes into Transoxiana continued, and from the 11th century AD
onwards these apparently became widespread, resulting in the final replacement of
East Iranian dynasties by the Turkic dynasties of the Ghaznavids, Seljuks, Qarakhanids
and Anushteginids throughout Central Asia, from the Caspian Sea to the Pamirs.
Among the various Turkic tribes that migrated to Central Asia in the early and later
medieval periods (6th century AD to the beginning of the 8th century AD), the
most important role was played by the Turks, Oghuzes, Karluks, Kirgizes, Kipchaks,
Tukhli, Chigils and Yagma; these were probably also the largest tribes.
Around this time, the term Turkestan (meaning land of the Turks) was increasingly
applied to Central Asia. According to Fahr ad-Din Mubarak-Shah Merverudi, ‘…
no country in the world can compare in size or breadth to Turkestan. To the east of
the vilayat of the Turks lies the land of Chin [China – E.R.], to the west the border of
Turkestan touches Rum [Byzantium – E.R.], in the north it runs along the wall of Gog
and Magog, and in the south it extends along the snowy peaks of the mountains of
Hindustan.’ He also provides a list of fifty tribes that settled in the region at this time.
Among the Mongol tribes that arrived in Central Asia in the 13th–14th centuries
were Turkic tribes such as the Jalair, Sunit, Tatar, Merkit, Kurlat, Torgut, Uirat, Tumat,
Bulgachin, Telenggut and Urengit. However, these tribes only came to be identified
as Mongol under Chinghis Khan, whereas hitherto they had been known as Turks.
The last major influx of Turkic-speaking tribes into Transoxiana took place during
the 15th and 16th centuries AD, and according to B.A. Ahmedov, the collective term
‘Uzbek’ had come into use for the Turkic-Mongol population of the eastern part
of Dasht-i Kipchak long before the accession to the throne of Uzbeg Khan (1312–
1340/41).
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