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Before the Mongols: Nomadic Empires of Central Eurasia, 900-1200 - HIS00099C

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  • Department: History
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Dilnoza Duturaeva
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

By the end of the first millennium CE, a vast portion of Central Eurasia was controlled by nomadic powers that stretched from China to Europe. This was the beginning of “the age of the transregional nomadic empires” (Jerry Bentley) in world history that also includes the Mongol Empire (1206-1368) era, when the nomads reached their height in terms of influence on world history.

This module focuses on the history of Central Eurasia before the Mongols and introduces main political and cultural patterns that took place in the region from the 10th to the early 13th centuries. After a brief survey of geographic and geopolitical contours of Central Eurasia we will discuss the major cultural, religious, economic and political changes that occurred in the region. We will study the first Turko-Islamic dynasties that dominated in the territories from Northern India to the Volga region and from west China to Anatolia and explore the Non-Han dynasties of China. We will also take into account events and trends in the neighbouring regions (China, Arabia, Europe) and the influence of changes that took place in Central Eurasia on these areas from invasions and migrations to trade networks and cultural exchange. Our aim is to explore this history critically by reading and commenting on primary historical sources in different languages (mainly in Arabic, Persian, Turkic and Chinese), all available in English translation.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

  • To give an intensive introduction to an unfamiliar period and/or approach to the study of history;
  • To offer experience in the use of primary source materials;
  • To develop skills in analysing historiography; and
  • To develop core skills such as: bibliographical search techniques; source analysis; essay writing; giving presentations; and, undertaking independent research.

Module learning outcomes

Students who complete this module successfully will:

  • Acquire an insight into an unfamiliar period and/or approach to history through intensive study of an aspect of the period and/or an approach to it;
  • Gain experience of analysing primary source materials;
  • Be able to evaluate an historical explanation;
  • Have further developed work undertaken in the Autumn Term lecture courses and skills portfolios, including historical analysis, note-taking, using primary sources, presenting to groups, and leading discussions in seminars;
  • Be able to construct a coherent historical argument in oral and written forms

Module content

Teaching Programme:

Teaching will be in weekly 2-hour seminars taught over nine weeks, plus an overview and revision session in Week 2 of Summer Term. Each week students will do reading and preparation in order to be able to contribute to discussion.

Seminar topics are subject to variation, but are likely to include the following:

  1. Introductory session: Concept of Central Eurasia
  2. The Ascendancy of the Turks in Central Asia
  3. The Patrons of Persian Culture in India
  4. Between the Arabs and the Vikings
  5. The Turks in Iran and Anatolia
  6. Between China and the Islamic world: Non-Islamic Central Asia
  7. Non-Han dynasties in China
  8. The “Chinese” dynasty outside of China
  9. Global networks and migration of ideas

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Open Exam - Before the Mongols		 8 hours 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Formative work:

During the Spring Term students will prepare a presentation in pairs or small groups. Tutors will determine the formative work for the course: all groups will present on a primary source. Formative work will be completed in one or more sessions at the tutor’s discretion.

Summative assessment:

An open exam in the Common Assessment Period, comprising one essay question chosen from five options

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Open Exam - Before the Mongols		 8 hours 100

Module feedback

Following their formative assessment task, students will typically receive written feedback that will include comments and a mark within 10 working days of submission.

Work will be returned to students in their discussion groups and may be supplemented by the tutor giving some oral feedback to the whole group. All students are encouraged, if they wish, to discuss the feedback on their procedural work with their tutor (or module convenor) during student hours. For more information, see the Statement on Feedback.

For the summative assessment task, students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback within 20 working days of the submission deadline. The tutor will then be available during student hours for follow-up guidance if required. For more information, see the Statement of Assessment.

Indicative reading

For term time reading, please refer to the module VLE site. Before the course starts, we encourage you to look at the following items of preliminary reading:

Christopher Beckwith. Empires of the Silk Road. A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the present. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009).

Michal Biran. The Empire of the Qara Khitai in Eurasian History: Between China and the Islamic World. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005).

Peter B. Golden. Central Asia in World History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).

Thomas J. Barfield. The Perilous Frontier: Nomadic Empires and China 221 B.C. to AD 1757 (Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1989).


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.