IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to 15th Century - Rise of Turks and Mongols in Central Asia

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to 15th Century

Rise of Turks and Mongols in Central Asia

Structure

13.0 Objectives
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Central Asia
13.2.1 Central Asia: A More Detailed View
13.2.2 Central Asia: An Ensemble of Micro-Regions
13.3 Pastoral Nomadism
13.4 Civilhition and Turkish Nomads: Early Contacts
13.4.1 The Tiukiu Empire
13.4.2 Two Forms of Contact
13.5 Turkish Irruptions
13.6 The Mongols
13.6.1 Chengiz Khan and the Steppe Aristocracy
.13.6.2 Conquests and Expansion
13.7 Let Us Sum Up
13.8 Key Words
13.9 Answers tb Check Your Progress Exercises

13.0 OBJECTIVES

The rise of the Turks and Mongols; their rapid conquests and expansion over the
regions of Central Asia and the adjoining territories between the tenth and thirteenth
centuries, marks the beginning of a momentous period in history. Its consequences
#or India were direct, palpable and far-reakhing. After reading this Unit you should
be able to:
know who the Turks and Mongols were and what precisely was their role in an
exciting period of history,
acquaint yourself with the geography and some of the characteristics of Ce~tral
Asia as a region of considerable historical sigdicance, and
place medieval India in a larger historical contep of political and social
developments.

13.1 INTRODUCTION

The tenth century witnessed a westward movement of a warlike nomadic pimple
inhabiting the eastern corners of the Asian continent. Then came in wave upon wave,
each succeeding invasion more powerful and more extensive than the last. In a
relatively short span of time, the barbarian hordes had overrun and brought down the
once prosperous empires and kingdoms of Central and West Asia, reaching the . shores of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. While between the tenth and twelfth
centuries the invaders were primarily 'Turks', the invasion of the thirteenth to
fifteenth centuries involved a kindred but more ferocious people, the Mongols.
Nthough the devastations caused by these dovements here immense-particularly
those wrought by the Mongols-they left behind a trail'of blood and gruesome
massacre wherever their advance was resisted. These invaders were eventually
tamed by the civilizations they had conquered. Settling down in conquered territories,
the resulting fusion between them and their new environments became the basis of a
new order. 

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