The Battle of Talas in 751 CE was a military engagement which took place in the Talas river valley, in Transoxiania, close to today’s border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In the battle the forces of the Abbasid caliphate, together with its Tibetan allies, met the forces of the Chinese Tang dynasty. The battle ended with the defeat of the Chinese, and thus marked the end of China’s territorial expansion westward.

Ever since the Han dynasty, 206 BCE – 9 CE, Chinese emperors had dispatched missions to the lands to the far west of their empire. One important aim was to try to capture the wild horses — the horses of of the rich Ferhana valley, in today’s Uzbekistan — which were considered to be the best horses in the world.  In addition, this part of Central Asia was an important hub where trade-routes — the “Silk Road” — connected the various parts of the Asian continent.  The Sogdians were people in charge of much of this trade [read more: Sogdian letters].

First engagement between Arab and Chinese armies. Marks the point of the easternmost extension of the Arab caliphate. But also where the Chinese expansion stopped.

Why did the conquest start. Immediately after Muhammed’s death. 650 all of Iran was under Muslim rule. Uzbekıstan and Turkmenistan — more difficult to conquer. There were Sogdians here. They had contacts with the Chinese. The Arabs were pulled by these commercial opportunities. Umayyad up to 750, ruled everything. Why were they so effective? Exhaustion of Sassanians and Byzentines. Good leadership and ideology which did not confine them to borders. Very quick moving on horses. No supply trains.

The Tang, a major player, moved into Afghanistan — for the first time. They were others too — Koreans, Times, Uighur,

Ever since the Han dynasty, 206 BCE – 9 CE, Chinese emperors had dispatched missions to the lands to the far west of their empire. One important aim was to try to capture the wild horses — the horses of of the rich Ferhana valley, in today’s Uzbekistan — which were considered to be the best horses in the world.  In addition, this part of Central Asia was an important hub where trade-routes — the “Silk Road” — connected the various parts of the Asian continent.  The Sogdians were people in charge of much of this trade [read more: Sogdian letters].

According to legend, rather than recorded history, Chinese prisoners of war captured by the Arab armies brought paper-making techniques with them to the Abbasid capital of Baghdad. Even if the technology was not a direct consequence of this particular battle, it was nevertheless the case that paper-mills began to be established all over the Arab world at this time. The ability to make cheap, good-quality, paper is in some ways more important for the dissemination of knowledge than the printing techniques.

Central Asia started using old clothes for making paper. The Arabs encountered paper for the first time. Alabi’s account spreading the story of tthe captured paper-makers from Talas, but there were previous cases of paper in Central Asia.

Al-Tha’alibi. [Read more: “”]

External links:

Jonathan Bloom, “Paper”

In Our Time: “The Battle of Talas”

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