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HistoryMaps Last Updated: 02/01/2025

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History of Kyrgyzstan

Rise of the Karakhanids: Arrival of Islam in Kyrgyzstan

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History of Kyrgyzstan

Rise of the Karakhanids: Arrival of Islam in Kyrgyzstan

900 Jan 1
Kyrgyzstan
Rise of the Karakhanids: Arrival of Islam in Kyrgyzstan
During the 10th to 12th centuries, Islam began to spread into the region that is now Kyrgyzstan through the influence of traders and missionaries traveling along the Silk Road. © HistoryMaps

After the disintegration of the Uyghur Empire, two distinct trajectories emerged among its successor groups in Central Asia. One branch of the Uyghurs migrated to the Tarim Basin and Gansu, where they established the Buddhist states of Kara-Khoja. These decentralized states were centered on oasis cities such as Gaochang (Karakhoja) and Hami City (Kumul) and preserved the Uyghur cultural and religious traditions.


Another group, primarily Karluks closely related to the Uyghurs, embraced Islam by the 10th century. These Islamic Turkic peoples established the Kara-Khanid Khanate, often referred to as the Karakhanids. Occupying the western Tarim Basin, Ferghana Valley, Jungaria, and areas bordering the Khwarazm Sultanate, the Karakhanids developed a federation rooted in Islamic institutions. Their capital, Balasagun, emerged as a thriving center of culture and commerce, marking a significant shift in the region’s political and cultural dynamics. This transition played a pivotal role in spreading Islam and shaping the broader cultural identity of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan.


As the Kara-Khanid dynasty, known as the Balasagunlu Ashinalar, consolidated its power and autonomy over Central Asia, it gravitated toward the Persian-Islamic cultural sphere. This Persianization led to the adoption of Indo-Iranian traditions, especially in sedentary centers like Kashgaria, while they became increasingly detached from the nomadic practices of other Karluk groups who retained elements of their Uyghur heritage. This evolution highlighted the blending of Turkic and Persian influences in the region’s development during the 9th and 10th centuries.

Page Last Updated: 12/25/2024

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