History of Uzbekistan
Earliest tracks of the man's life on the territory of Uzbekistan were found in caves and grottos and dated to the end of the Early Paleolithic Age (Ashel epoch). Monuments Kul-Bulak in the valley of Angren and complex Uch-Tut in Bukhara district dates from this period.
The new type of the man - Neanderthal man appeared on the Paleolithic Age (about 100 - 40 thousands years BC). In this period the man settled down almost on the all territory of Uzbekistan. The sites were found in Surkhan-Darya, Kashkadarya, Fergana and Tashkent areas. Burial place of Neanderthal boy opened in the Teshiktash grotto is striking illustration of the existence of some religious ideas at that time.
The Early Paleolithic Age (40 - 12 thousands years BC) was a period of the modern man formation - Kroman man. At that time the natural habit of men extended, flat sites appeared and also increased the quantity of used instruments as well as their differentiation on assigning. Stone became a main material for manufacturing. Sometimes people practiced to make a fire with a method of friction.
Rock pictures found in Zarautsaray (Surkhan-Darya area) and made by red mineral paint concern to the Mesolithic Age (13 - 5 thousands years BC).
By the Neolithic Age (5 - 2 thousand BC) the process of tribes formation completed and as the result appeared the first family. While excavations at the site Djonbaz were found the rests of large oval dwellings and brass articles.
During the Bronze Age there agriculture arose, in some areas was used irrigation.
During the Iron Age on the territory of Southern Uzbekistan the Iron metallurgy was widely used and also the development of settled agriculture continued. All these factors made the settlements stronger.
From the middle of the First Millenium the process of separation of the society on classes occurred very quickly, the states Khorezm, Sogdiana, Baktria, Margilan were established. On a boundary of our era from China to Mediterranean Sea the first caravan road (The Great Silk Road) was paved.
From the middle of 6 century BC Persians with Ahemenid dynasty in charge subordinated a number of areas in Central Asia. Their domination lasted up to the 4-th century BC
In the 4-th century BC Alexander the Great conquered the territory of modern Uzbekistan.
As a result of numerous revolts and differences among Alexander's associates after his death on the bigger part of the territory of Central Asia was established Greko-Baktrian Empire - Baktria and Parfia.
From the end of the 1-st century BC up to the middle of the 4-th century AD Central Asia was a part of Kushan Empire This period is characterized by growth of cities, strengthen of trade communications and development of crafts. The numerous monuments dated to that time are known. In the old city Dalverzin-tepe monuments of Buddhists culture were found. Kushan-Baktriskay culture had synthetic nature and incorporated features of local ancient Baktria, Hellenistic, Sako-Skifskaya and Indian cultures.
The first reference about the state Konguiy appeared in the written literature to the 2-nd century BC. The main areas of this state situated along the river Sirdarya.
To the middle of the 5-th century AC the powerful state of Eftalits was established. The new type of cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Chach, Tashkent, Balik appeared around the fortress of local rulers.
Eftalits state had collapsed under onslaught of Turks tribes (nomads of Altai and Central Asia) and as the result the Turk Kaganat generated. There was not usual political system in the 6-th - 8-th centuries AC and the policy only consisted of the taxation of the local governors. Because of the feudal dissociation there were numerous attempts of invasions of the foreign aggressors, who were attracted with richness of Sogd, Bukhara and Khorezm oasis.
In the 7-th and the beginning of the 8-th centuries the Arabs under command of Muslim ibn Kuteiba have intruded to the territory of Central Asia. After 7 years of stubborn struggle the power of Arabs was established in all territory of Uzbekistan. The Arabs implanted the "Islam" religion very strictly that is why constantly revolts against Arabs broke up. The most powerful revolt was under the command of Mukanna and went on more than 10 years. Because of constant resistance against the Arabs, the domination of Arab Khalifat was completed in the 9-th century.
After this appeared the state of Samanids. Centralized control and organization of powerful army leaded to the stabilization of social, economic and political life. Building of new irrigation canals, water storage reservoirs and intensive development of ore mining business characterize this period. Trade connections with different countries considerably extended, many new urban centers and local villages appeared, the copper craft, weaving and pottery developed. Zandan Silk, Samarkand paper and glass was famous in all countries. Such great scientists as Al Khorezmi, Akhmad, Sina and Beruni lived and created in this period.
In the 10-th century in the territory of Eastern Turkestan was established the state of Karakhanids, which started to expand the influence to the adjacent regions. And already in 999 years Karakhanids subordinated vast territory from China up to Amu-Darya river.
In the 2-nd half of the 10-th century the Khorezm State running successful business with Iran, Khazariya and Russia continued to consolidate. Khorezm was repeatedly conquered firstly by seldjuks (in 1044) then karakitays (in the middle of the12-th century), but at the beginning of the 13-th century the Khorezm state became one of the largest in East. Bukhara and Samarkand oasises were under its influence.
In 1219 the Tatar-Mongolian troops leaded by Chingiz-khan invaded into Khorezm. In 1221 all territory of Central Asia was under the power of Chingiz-Khan. While the war cities, irrigation systems were completely erased. Thousands of people were taken prisoners, subjugated peoples had to pay huge taxes.
In the 40-th of the 14-th century the Empire of the Mongols dissolved to a number of feudal possessions.
Taking the advantage of the repeated internecine wars Amir Timur (1336-1405), governor of Kesh area (present Shakrisabz) in 1370 came to the power. Samarkand became the capital of his state.
Firstly Timur (Tamerlan) strengthened the absolute rule, consolidated all adjacent territories killing all rebellious. Having improved the domestic situation, since in 1380 Timur started the military campaigns to Iran, Transcaucasia, Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Northern of Indium. Timur`s Empire in that time was the most vast and powerful in the world due to the improvement in the economic situation.
The capital of the Empire, Samarkand, was restored, marvelous monuments; gardens, palaces, channels and bridges were built.
In 1405 during the military campaign to China Tamerlan died and huge state dissolved to several parts. Khorasan was the largest with the capital in Gerat, where the governor was the Timur`s son - Shakhruhh. Second largest part was Moveranakhr (the territory of the present Uzbekistan) with the capital in Samarkand. Grandson of Timur named Ulugbek became the governor of Moveranakhr.
During the Ulugbek`s period the science and art flourished. The best example of this was the construction of the astronomical observatory. However the clergy authorities were against of Ulugbek`s cultural and scientific undertakings and used the family fight between Ulugbek`s son Abdulatif as a cover for the organization of his murder in 1449.
After the death of Ulugbek the state continued to decay into several small parts. In the beginning of the 16-th century the nomadic tribes with Sheibanikhan in charge invaded into Moveranakhr. Bukhara became the capital and due to it the whole state began to be called Bukhara Khanate.
After some period of stability and development the state since the end of the 16-th and up to the beginning of the 18-th centuries was involved into the endless internal and intestine wars.
In 1512 Khorezms set up their own state. In the beginning of the 18-th century the Fergana valley was cut off too and created the Kokand Khanate.
Three states Bukhara, Kokand and Khorezm were at continuously wars with each other for hegemony in Central Asia. By the 19-th century the territory of Uzbekistan was actually divided.
Each state represented a feudal monarchy with the Khan in charge (in Bukhara - Emir). There was an orderly management system; all states were divided into administrative provinces (viloyats) with local rulers in the head (khakims and beks). The large role in states belonged to Islam clergy, who also controlled judicial authorities.
Each state promoted own economy, basically agriculture, but pottery, weaving, armament production and handicraft mining of minerals developed as well. There was a brisk trade in all three states with India, Russia and Kashgar. Such products as cotton and silk tissues (velvet, brocade), carpets, workpiece from a skin, cotton, and cotton yarn were taken out from the country for export. Despite of wars there were permanent jobs on improving and repair of the irrigation system. At this time the quantities and importance of cities increased. The process of subsidence of the nomads became stronger.
Central Asia in the middle of the 19-th century had many advantages from the point of view of strategical location and economical situation. A huge commodity market, cheap sources of raw materials attracted to this region England, Germany and in the first place Russia, which already attempted to seize Khiva under the Peter the Great in 1717.
In the beginning of the 50-th Russia started gradual and systematic advancement deep into Central Asia. In 1847 the mouth of the river Sir-Darya and later in 1853 Kokand fortress named Àê-mosque (nowadays Kzil-Orda) were subjugated. So the powerful bridgehead for decisive approach was prepared but the Crimean war (1853-1856) deferred the aggression for some time.
In 1863 Pishpek (nowadays Bishkek) and later in the spring of 1864 Turkestan and Chimkent were captured. Tashkent was taken by storm in 1865. One year later in 1866 after seizure of Khodjent, Ura-Tube, Djizzak Turkestan General Governoship was created.
In 1873 the troops of all three states were broken down and the peace agreements with Russia was concluded in accordance to which Russia established protectorate of the conquered territories that in fact colonized all Central Asia.
Russia began implementation of the schedules - development of cotton industry, construction of railways Zakaspiskaya, Orenburg-Tashkent, Ferganskoi and Bukharskoi. By 1900, 171 industrial companies were built among them cotton-cleaning plants, creamery, and heavy-industry plants. This period is the beginning of winemaking development and bank business.
After the revolution in Russia in 1917 the authority in Turkestan passed to Bolsheviks. The process of establishment of the Soviet power in Turkestan was accompanied with bitter strife with Russian troops and local feudal lords.
In 1918 the Independent (autonomous) Turkestan Soviet Socialist Republic as a member of RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) with the population of 5,2 million was established.
By 1923 the Soviet power was established on the whole territory of the present Uzbekistan, but the struggle with the basmaches (members of anti Soviet movement in Central Asia) continued till the end of 20-th.
In 1924 it was adopted the law on national demarcation which determined boundaries of the Republics of Central Asia (the present boundaries of Kirghizia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tadjikistan). Uzbekistan became one of the republics of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet period in Uzbekistan continued from 1918 till 1991. For this time Uzbekistan turned into the modern republic with a developed industry and agriculture, new cities, plants, factory and etc.
After decay of the USSR in 1991 Uzbekistan was proclaimed an independent republic. The name of the first president is Islam Karimov.
For the years of independence Uzbekistan became a full member of many international organizations and chose own way of economic reforms. New business links were set with many countries all over the world, new fabrics and plants, means of telecommunication, bank business are being developed, modernized and built.
