Samarkand

In 1-st millenium B.C., the Sacred Book of Zoroastrians “Avesto” has fixed on the pages the description of the developed agricultural area in a valley of the river Zarafshan (from Persian - “Gold bearing” ), that on Southeast of modern Uzbekistan where “high mountains abound Pastures and the water, giving to cattle a plentiful forage, where deep lakes with Extensive water smooth surface and the navigable rivers with wide channels …”. Area it is named in the Book - Sugd (Sogd), and, owing to biographer Alexander Macedonian – Arian’s, we know also a name of its main city – Marakanda. The present Samarkand located in area, for this day conditionally 3000 years numbering age.

Data about Marakanda during up to the Persian gain (till the 6 centuries up to our era) carry semi- legendary character. One is authentically known only: In the sixth century B.C., expanding borders of the state, tsar Persians from dynasty of Akheminids -Kir (Kurush) has won, among others the grounds of Sogd.

In almost two hundred years the Greek union under direction of Macedonia begins war with Persia and breaks great Persian army. In the spring 329 year BC pursuing the Persian tsar Darija, Greek-Macedonian army in to the chapter with Alexander the Great has intruded on territory of Central Asia. Having forwarded through Amu Darya, armies have moved to valley Politimet (so Greeks named Zarafshan, "rather valuable") to Marakanda and have grasped city.
But while Alexander will battle to Scythians and to pawn on left side of Syr-Darya the next, most distant Alexandria - Alexandria Eskhata (in Area of Khojend, Tajikistan), in Marakanda will flash revolt, which will soon capture all Sogd. Spitamen so called brave Sogdian, almost 2 years will supervise over continuous guerrilla war and the open fights with parts of regular macedonian army. But as a result, heroic revolt   will be severely suppressed, Spitamen was killed, and city under the order the macedonian conqueror – was destroyed.

What exact times Marakanda remains in ruins it is not known, but city will revive in a southwest part of site of ancient settlement Afrosiab. According to ancient legends, cities are erected to become a link between will of Heavens and will of the ground and all on light will promote, that communication between them has not interrupted. Samarkand has an epithet - Mahfuza, and on extent, at least, three thousand years, the city will revive, not looking on what. Again and again. Mahfuza. Guarded.

About 306 years BC, Sogd will be a part of the state of Selevkids, named so by the name of Selevk the First, one of the most talented Alexander the Great commanders. In the subsequent the region will be a part of the Greeko-Baktrian empires, and in the first centuries of our era - under authority Chinese dynasty Guyshuan (Kangunian the Chinese province of Gansu), created here the empire of Kushania. Such interest of governors of neighbouring countries to Samarkand spoke its favourable geopolitic arrangement – through city passed the largest caravan ways (the Great Silk Road) from Syria, Turkey, Persia, India, and China.

About the middle of the 5 centuries the domination above the Central Asian grounds Governors of dynasty of Eftalits (white guns, descendants of the Massagets, once crushed army of Kir), and hardly later (in 565 year) the nomadic Turkic tribes which have come from Altai. Samarkand together with others cities of Sogd has kept the independence, but paid Turkic governors a tribute. In exchange, Turkic Kaganat, received required control above caravan ways from China to Byzantium, promised external rest and non-interference to state affairs. Approximately during the same time through the city lead highway of the centralized water supply has been laid “Arzis".

After a while (in 712) Arabs will undertake a campaign on Sogd. Conquerors fired at walls of Samarkand from three hundred throwing instruments, causing huge destructions. Steadfastly and safely protected Sogdian the city, putting to attackers serious losses. The whole month last siege. When Catapults had been destroyed walls, and the enemy has entered into city, fight has not terminated. Samarkandian fought for each house, for each plot of land. But, despite of such courageous resistance, the Arabian armies under with leadership Kuteiba ibn Muslim have borrowed city. Entering new religion and culture, were destroyed historical values, written and cultural sources. For this reason, about a life of Samarkand up to Arabian gains, it is known, basically, only owing to archeologic researches and written sources of the next states.

In the beginning of 713 years in Samarkand flash revolt. Then, to the aid to risen Sogdian will come steppe Turki. National excitements will be accompanied with all period of the Arabian sovereignty. Each new strengthening pressure above local residents will cause reaction in the form of revolts. But the largest revolt will flash in 770th years under leadership the person who has become in history under Arabian nickname Al-Mukanna ("Closed by a white coverlet"). In 806 year, finished to despair, the inhabitants of Zarafshan and Kashkadaria valleys led by military leader Rafi ibn Leis at support of turkis will cast away conquerors. But the Arabian caliph again will collect the army and personally head a new campaign.

In the 809 Samarkand again will be taken. However, remembering bitter experience of the last revolts, Halifat will return the right to dominate the local nobility, having obliged it, the truth, periodically to pay taxes.

The released Samarkand will start to experience new rise, becomes the largest
City of region (up to half million inhabitants), a haven of sufiys and scientists (in 1066-1070 here lives Omar Khayyam who has specially arrived from Nishapur).

The city will be beried in verdure also the gardens plentifully blossoming at a microclimate extensive network of quarter pools (houses) and fountains to develop paper, cotton fabrics, glass, ceramics, ornaments, and around ruling dynasties will be replaced: first Tahirids, then (in IX-Õ centuries) Samanids (created the first in Maveranahr centralized feudal state and the favorable environment for development of a science, culture, crafts and the industries), in end X-XI centuries Karahanids, Gaznevids, Seldjukids Sultanate, in XII Kara-Kitai from northern China and Khoresm-shahs.

And in the meantime in the east, the Mongolian tribes are united under authority of Temuchin which will accept a title of Dengiz-khan (the Master of Ocean), more known as Chingizkhan… Army of Cingizkhan will enter Samarkand on March, 17th 1220 Despite of prepared to the siege inhabitants, the local government foully will open a gate. Someone will be killed, the most part will be taken in a captivity for military needs, about 30 thousand handicraftsmen and masters will steal in Mongolia. The city is devastated … later to revive again.

Chingizkhan will die in seven years, having divided shortly before it the empire between the sons (Samarkand will pass to Chagatai, to the second son of Chingizkhan).

The empire will be in agony almost one and a half centuries, while to authority Timur, the descendant of cousin of Chingiskhan will not come and will not create the Empire from the east to the West - from Kashmir up to Mediterranean sea, and from the north on the south - from Aral sea up to Persian gulf, having established in 1370 Samarkand as imperial capital.

On Timur's plan greatness and beauty of Samarkand should eclipse all capitals of the world. “… From Damascus it has brought different masters whom only could to find. Such which weaves different silk fabrics or do bows for shooting and different arms, or process glass and clay, which at them the best in all the world. From Turkey it has brought riflemen and handicraftsmen, masons and goldsmiths, how many they were. Besides it has brought engineers, bombardiers and what do cords for machines …”. With hands of the local and brought masters palaces are under construction, Gur-emir, Bibi-Hanim, a number of mausoleums Shohi-Zinda, which till now amaze with the beauty and greatness. Samarkand rolls in 12 surrounding it
Gardens and vicinities are built up by settlements with names such majestic capitals of the world, as Misr (Cairo), Dimishk (Damascus), Baghdad, Sultania, Farish (Paris), etc.

Samarkand is decorated, the Empire grows, but there is only one danger-
Tohtamish, the governor of the Golden Horde who only has recently plundered Moscow and in 1388 tried (unsuccessfully) to besiege Samarkand, using absence Timur in city.

In 1395 two thousand Timur's army completely breaks Tohtamish, and then destroys also the main city of Golden Horde- Capital the Saray Berke… Again revive, lasted, trading ways from China to the Near East, and they again converge in Samarkand. In it time, in a southwest of continent gains in strength Ottoman Empire Turks, which army in 1396 breaks color of knights of the Europe and besieges Constantinople. Regent of Constantinople, emperor of Greece, the governor of Venice suggest Timur to become the ally to the Europe. Alliance offers to him and Bayazid, sultan of Osmani … Timur makes the choice and on July, 28th 1402 year with the 20 thousand army of perfect soldiers breaks the Bayazid at Ankara.

Later 500 years, the grateful Frenchmen will establish in Paris the gilt statue to Timur which will sign to “the Liberator of the Europe”. In 4 years after Timur's death (Timur will die in 1405 in a campaign on China), the country will under the rule of his grandson - 15 years Mirzo-Ulugbek-the great scientist, 40-years of his epoch will pass under the motto “Aspiration to knowledge - a duty of each Moslem”. The basic child of Ulugbek its University on the area Registan and an observatory, not  having equal  then, and a lot of years later, in which were made supervision over the star sky.

Ulugbek has made the exact atlas of a sky from 1018 stars, “Gurganove” tables of natural values of sine and tangents angles of standing of stars, true up to the ninth decimal sign, and also the catalogue geographical coordinates of the big number of items on the Earth.

Together with Ulugbek works its pupil and colleague Ali Kushchi who also has brought  the contribution to development of mathematics, having calculated, for example, value of number “P” with accuracy which will surpass only in 250 years. On October, 25th 1449 Ulugbek is killed under the order of own son Abdulatif… Through 5 and a half months, Abdulatif will be put to death, its head will hang up on a portal of Madrasah of Ulugbek, and on a tomb will write “patricide”.
After Ulugbek in Samarkand will govern not for long time timurid Zahiriddin Bobur, The author as known by the notes “Bobur-name” and the founder of the state Great Moguls in India.

In the international sphere, the Empire will start to lose former borders. Turks-Osmani will restore the former greatness, will subordinate to itself all Near East and will grasp ports of Mediterranean Sea through which there passed trade on to Great Silk Road. Caravan ways through Samarkand again lose they value. Decline of trade and craft manufacture leads to stagnation in an economic life of the country.

In 16-th century, dynasty of Sheybanids which has united the Turkic-Mongolian tribes, practically destroys all ruling nobility of Timurids, but during struggle for authority the most influential representatives of Sheibanids perish also.

Searches of khan lead to Ashtarhanids (to natives of Astrakhan) – living in Bukhara to relatives of Sheibanids. The capital moves to Bukhara, however Samarkand still remains large city with continuing development sciences and crafts. The Uzbek language, on which actively develops representatives of the humanities speak.

In a century, at Mangit, Samarkand will be a part of Bukhara Khanate, as special destiny. At this time the Samarkand emir Bahodur Jalangtush on the means will construct others two Madrassah (central – Tilla-Kori also right Sher-Dor) on the area of Registan.

The end of 17-th and first half 18-th century is characterized by time of distempers.  There was the period (in the 20s of 18-th century) when Samarkand will become empty, in madrassah there will live tigers and wolves, and the population hardly to total one thousand families, and that lodged its small part. The life in city will revive in the end of 70th years of the eighteenth century. In city it was necessary to move inhabitants of some next cities to prove new quarters and to restore collapsing city and fortifications.

But city again will live. Gardens again will blossom, and on aryks flowing water will run. On May, 2nd, 1868 Samarkand has been taken by army of Russian empire and becomes the center of Zerafshanskiy district, and hardly later (with 1887) – Samarkand areas. The roul of Samarkand will more increase in connection with a lining new “Old Caravan Way” - in 1888 the city will be connected to coast Caspian Sea by means of the railway.

In 1917 the Soviet authority will come. In 1991 it will end and Uzbekistan, to the order with other Soviet republics will declare the independence. On October, 18th, 1996 on celebrating of the 660 anniversary of Timur, the first President of Uzbekistan will present city honourable award of Temur (Amir Temur) and will suggest to establish this day as official Day of City.