Central Asia, by its geographical position, is the most favorable territory of the Eurasian continent, where ancient civilizational processes intersect. It is no coincidence that the Great Silk Road passed through this territory. The Great Silk Road generates cultural harmony between different civilizations. From ancient times to the XII century, three leading ethnic groups occupied an important place in Central Asia. These are Chinese, Turks and Sogdians. Among the political, social and cultural relations that existed between these three ethnic groups, Turkic and Sogdian inter-ethnic relations also had a strong influence on ethnic formations in the following centuries. Researchers note that in history the Sogds began to enter into relations with the Chinese and proto-Turkic tribes as early as the 4th-3rd centuries BC. For almost one and a half millennia of history, the Sogds and the Turks lived and interacted in the same region. Comparative typological analysis shows that Sogdian and Turkic societies are almost equal in rights. This circumstance was considered important for interethnic relations. By right VI-VIII the Central Asian period was called "Turkic-Sogdian". It marked the beginning of the emergence of a single historical and cultural space in the region. It is this period that is estimated as the period of the Turkish-Sogdian symbiosis. This process took place in almost all historical and geographical regions of Central Asia. In particular, for our region, as academician K. Shonezov notes; in II-I centuries. BC e. the culture of the cattle-breeding ethnic layer, which penetrated into this territory from the oases with the peasant, artisan and merchant population, mixed up, forming a kind of syncretic culture.

    In the history of the peoples of the vast Central Asian region, the early Middle Ages is not only a period of ethnic upsurge, but also a period of revival and strengthening of statehood traditions. The establishment of the Turkic Khaganate became a factor in development and progress in all areas. Even before the establishment of the kaganate, the penetration of the Sogdians into their lives was observed, which in a certain sense laid the foundation for the administrative and economic structure of the kaganate. It can be said that the formation of the Turkic statehood was influenced by the comprehensive advice and support of the Sogdians. The system of Sogdian trading colonies-city-states served as the basis for the settlement of many nomads, and the development of semi-nomadic and nomadic cities. The Turkization of the Sogdians was also not in vain. Mutual integration created opportunities for assimilation. The Sogdian diaspora among a large number of Turks was also interested in this process. Among the Sogdians, such Turkic names and titles as Erkin, Tudun, Tegin, Bakhodir, Tarkhan, Uzmish began to appear. Paying attention to the Turkic-Sogdian relations in the Turkic Khaganate, our point of view is confirmed.

    The Sogdians settled along the Silk Road to Central Asia, penetrated among the nomads. “One of them is the civilizational influence of the Sogdians on the Turks,” he said. Chinese sources also left interesting information about Turkic-Sogdian relations. Gunsulik Sogd Annopanto (Nakhband), whose origin is An (Bukhara), was one of the most trusted persons of the First Turkic Khagan of the Bumyn Horde. He went as an ambassador to China in 545. The Sogdians contributed to the formation, the formation of departmental management and the economic rise of the kaganate. The roots of this process lay in many years of symbiosis - compatriotism, mutual closeness, common interest and alliance. The elders of the Sogdian settlements on the territory of the kaganate bore the title of eltabar - the leader of a large vassal tribe from the kagan. Gradually, the Sogdian settlers became Turkicized, and the Turkic nobles began to shed blood. Even some Sogdians sought the title of prince, which was assigned to the brother or child of Tegin-kagan. Although the son of the Sogdian Torug Shada did not have the same title of Shada as his father, he was given the title of Elbi-nezuk-eltabar. In addition, when the Eastern Turkic Khagan Uzmish ascended the throne in 742, the Sogdians, exhausted by civil strife, sought refuge in the calm areas that belonged to the rulers of Tang. The leader of the group that became such a landslide was the Turkicized Sogdian Khan Ai-Kultarkhan. Other information says that Tun, who ruled the Turkic Khaganate in 588-600, was at the court of Turan in the position of a Sogdian adviser named An Sui Sze, it was he who opposed Chinese interference in the internal affairs of the Turks. Shibi, who ruled in 609-619, came from the nobles of the Sogdian nobility named shishi Husi at the court of the kagan. And at the beginning of the 8th century, Sogd, named an-yan, even reached the rank of commander of the Turkish troops. He was married to the daughter of a Turkish nobleman of one of the ancient Turkic families.

    Since the second half of the 7th century, a process of centralization took place in the Sogdian possessions around Samarkand. After the Western Turkic Khaganate Tung (618-630) improved the administrative management of Sogd, the local ruler-ikhshid Avarkhuman (650/655-675) became the head of this process. The possessions in Sogd, in turn, were subject to the center in a confederate order. In the countries of Central Asia, where a nomadic way of life has long been established (Sogdiana, Khorezm, Tokharistan, Fergana and Chokh), a political-territorial and administrative system based on land ownership has been formed. Relations between the central government and local rulers were carried out through the Council of Elders, formed by large landowners, wealthy merchants and city nobles. The Ikhshid kings had limited power, accountable to the Council of Elders. Each estate had under its command military commanders with combat-ready guardsmen. This special guard was not only personal protection, but also the defenders of peasant and merchant possessions and trade caravans. Chinese sources report that in the year 759 of the 12th month, a feast was arranged for the guards in the palace of the Chinese emperor, and each guard was given 30 pieces of silk cloth - a service fee. Most of the guards, however, were Turks. It was an expression of the interests of the Sogdian merchants and the Turkish military.

    Since the second half of the 6th century, when the dominance of the Turkic Khaganate was established in the region, close relations with Sogd were established between local possessions. This differed from the Hephthalites' tax and collection policies and provided local rulers with economic and political freedom. The Western Turkic Khaganate (603-742 BC), taking a direct part in the local administrative and economic management, achieved its influence on the political, socio-economic, cultural life of Sogd. Family relations between the Turkish rulers and the Sogdian Ikhshids, as well as members of society, were of great importance in this. Significant in the development of Sogd were the reforms of the administrative administration of the Western Turkic Khaganate Tung (618-630). As a result, the appointed representatives improved local government, ensuring internal political control over the vassals. This measure increased the responsibility of the Sogdian system of local government to the central system of administration of the Khaganate and strengthened Sogd's ties with the Western Turkic Khaganate.

    The system of government in the kaganate and the system of government in Sogd, based on land ownership, differed from each other. If in Sogd the Ishtar kings were appointed by the Council of Elders, then in the kaganate tribal and kinship principles were observed. In governing the state, the kagan was assisted by an administration consisting of relatives, members of the ruling dynasty.

    Chinese sources mention 28 positions that were of a hierarchical nature in the administrative and managerial system of the ancient Turkic statehood. The first 5 of them: Ehu (Yabgu), she (Shad), dele (Tegin) and tutunfa (tudun) were considered the highest ranks. The remaining 23 positions belonged to minor officials. All positions were considered hereditary. Some aspects of the Turkic administration for Sogd were known from the time of the Yuezhi, Chionites, Kidarites and Hephthalites, and many aspects of administration in Sogd were also adapted to them. According to sources, in the administrative department of the Western Turkic Khaganate were: dzhabgu (jabw), Tegin (tegin), Shad (šad), eltabar (eltäbär), khatun (hatun / katun), tudun (tudun / tuduy), tutuk (tutuk / tutui), Tarkhan (tarhan/tarkan), chur (Kur), while in the Sogd administration local titles and positions were used, such as: ikhshid (γšiδ), Afshin (δšin), khvabu (ywßw), khutav (ywtw). In 603 In the early years of the first Turkic Khaganate was divided into two parts, and Sogd became part of the Western Turkic Khaganate.In the early years, Sogd was ruled by Ikhshid Taishebi (until 600) and Kaimojo (Kue-mu-Chzhi) (600-620) 526 years. , and the Western Turkic Khaganate-Chuli (Sheli) (600-611) and the Shegui (Shikhi) Khaganate (611-618), the grandson of Istemi Dzhabgu. After the Western Khaganate passed into the hands of Tung Dzhabgu (618-630) , Ikhshid Kaimojo (Kue-mu-Ji) married the daughter of Tung Jabgu, and family relations were established between them.

    Summing up on the basis of the above Sogdian, Turkish and Chinese sources, one can judge the early medieval stage of ethno-cultural processes that took place throughout Central Asia as a period of assimilation of the Turkic-Sogdian symbiosis and Turkization of the Sogdians. The Turks and Sogdians, who lived together for centuries, amicably and consanguineously, are ethnic groups of a later period; took a direct part in the formation of the Uzbek, Uighur, Tajik and other peoples.

Oybek Ismatov,

Master of Samarkand State University.