Page 62 - The Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan

After Genghis Khan’s death in 1227, the Mongol Empire was divided among his family. By
the early 14th century, the empire had begun to crumble. Recognizing the empire’s weakness
as an opportunity to seize control, a tribal chieftain by the name of Timur gained power in
the 1380s. Timur, who is also known as Tamerlane, eventually succeeded in uniting all of
western Central Asia, Iran, and Asia Minor under one state. Under Timurid rule, Mawarannahr
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Samarkand, transforming the city once more into a cultural and intellectual center. Timur
(Tamerlane) also initiated a series of religious and palatial construction projects throughout
the region during this rule.

In 1501, the Uzbek tribes invaded Mawarannahr from the north. By 1510, they had successfully
completed their invasion of present-day Uzbekistan. In order to maintain control of the
region, they established two states: the Khanate of Bukhoro (Bukhara) and the Khanate
of Khiva. Although the Uzbek khanates were quite powerful for some time, they had lost
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decline in trade—travelers no longer used the Silk Road as frequently now that ocean routes
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eventually they disappeared altogether. The Uzbek khanates are crucial to Uzbekistan’s history
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majority today.

Russian Imperialism

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production, 2) the need to end the Central Asian practice of selling captured Russians as
slaves, and 3) a growing concern with regards to British expansion into Afghanistan.
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Throughout the 1800s, thousands of Russian settlers migrated to Uzbekistan. Their presence
quickly became overwhelming. By 1912, an estimated 210,000 Russians were living in
Uzbekistan. Russia eventually became militarily involved in Central Asia in the late 1850s.
By 1868, the cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara had all been captured. By 1876, the
Uzbek khanates had all become Russian protectorates.

The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

In 1917, the Russian Revolution brought an end to the age-old Russian Empire. The Bolsheviks
seized power in the ensuing Russian Civil War, and in 1922, they established the Soviet
Union. Although Uzbekistan initially resisted Bolshevik control, it eventually succumbed to
communism. On October 27, 1924, Uzbekistan was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

Under Soviet rule, religion of any kind was considered subversive. As a result, Islam was
targeted throughout the Soviet Union. Almost all mosques in Uzbekistan were closed and
religious schools were transformed into antireligious museums. Under Soviet rule, Uzbekistan
was expected to be the USSR’s primary cotton producer. In an attempt to further increase

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