Arab Conquests in Central Asia

R. Gibb H. A.

Description

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The first draft of this work was presented to the University of London in December 1921, under the title of The Arab Conquest of Transoxania, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts, and was approved by the Senate in January 1922, for publication as such. During the year my attention was taken up in other directions and, except for the publication of two studies on the subject in the Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, nothing further was done until by the generosity of the Trustees of the Forlong Bequest Fund an opportunity of publication was offered. In its present form the work has been largely rewritten and revised. It makes no claim to present a complete historical account of the Arabs in Central Asia, but is intended solely as a critical study of the authorities in greater detail than has hitherto been made. Much is therefore omitted because it has already been dealt with in the standard histories. In order to keep down the cost of publication, the extensive references which originally accompanied the text have been cut down to a few notes at the end of each chapter. No references arc given when, as in the great majority of cases, the authority for the statements made can easily be found in the appropriate place either in Tabari or Baladhuri.<br><br>I regret that several works which are indispensable for a thorough study of the subject have, for linguistic reasons, been inaccessible to me. Such are van Vloten's Opkomst der Abbasiden, and almost the whole range of Russian research work.

Sujets

• Histoire
• Military history

Informations

• Publié par: Forgotten Books
• Date de parution: 27 novembre 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780243649174
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

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P RE FAC E fipresented to thedraft Of this work rs t U niversity Of L o don under the in December itle The Arab Conques t Of as a thesis for the degree of Master Of Arts and was approved by the S enate in J anuary for publication as such During the year my attention was taken up in other direc tions excep t for the publication two s tudies the subj ec t in the Bu eti of the School of O rient Studies noth ng further done un til by the generosity Of the Trustees Of the Forlong Beque t Fund an Opportunit of publication was O ffered I n its present form the work has been largely rewritten and revised I t makes no claim to presen t a complete historical account the Arabs in Centr Asia but is intended solely as a critic study Of the authorities in greater detai than has hitherto be e m ade Much is therefore omitted because i t has already been dealt with in the s tandard histories I n order to keep down the cost publication the extensive references which ori ginally accomp anied the text have b en cut down to a few notes at the end each chapter N as in the great maj o rityO references are given when cases the authori ty for the statements made can easily be fou d in the approp riate place either in abari

I works which are indispensableregret that severa for a thorough study Of the subj ect have ng stic reasons been inaccessib e to me Such are van and a most th e who e ra ge Of R work Through ussian researc kindnessth e of S ir Den ison R oss however I e to avaih ave been ab myself Of a draft MS translation of the most import ant and va uable them Professor W Bartho d s

P E F CE as we of as yet unpub is ed L ondon lec tures The N omads Centra sincereAsia My thanks are due to Sir Denison R dfor his continu oss so interes t and materia assistance ever since hefirst intro me the subj ect to Sir Thom a A rnold for much encouragemen t and elpful co nse t o Profess or B arthold who has read the M S made a number Of va uable suggestions to the Trustees of the Forlong B equest Fund their kindn ess in undertak ng the pub ication and in no smal measure to my wi fe who has given much time and labour to prep aring the MS publication

L ondon Ap ril

I I N T R O D U C T I O N O U I N H The O xus is a boundary of tradition rather than Of history L y ng midway between the Old frontier Of A yan civil isation fo rmed by the J axartes and the Pamir and the natur strategic fro tier O fered by the north easte escarpmen t the plateau r n it has never proved a barrier to imperi al arm ies from ei ther side I t was not the O t the Jaxartes thatxus bu Alexander s s trategic nsight xed the position Of Alexander and when the outposts Of Persian dominion were thrust back by the constant pressure Of the Central Asian hordes their retreat was stayed not on the O when the tidexus but the Murgh b Thus conquest turn ed and the Arabs back h er a cien t heritage for Persia they like Alexander were compelled to carry their a rms ever further to the E ast and all k owing establish the frontiers Of the Achaemenid E mpire I t was from the legend Of S s ian times enshrined the pages the historians and the national epic that the O xus came to be regarded as the b u da ry between r n and T u r n Through all the centuries i vasion however the peoples Of Sogdiana and the O xus basin remained I ranian at bottom pres erv n g I speechra ia I ranian in stitutions But the political conditions the cou try at the period Of the A ab conquests were so complex that it is necessary to trace briefly the course their developme t The second ce ntury a period Of upheava in Central Asia the powerfu H iung N u peoples were dispossessing weaker tribes Of their pasture lands and forci g them to migrate westwards B etween