History 224 - The Busy Silk Roads

Centered on great powers in the web of the Silk Roads prior to the nineteenth century, this course seeks to present a history of incessant communication at a trans-regional level. Three vast empires dominated the heart of the Eurasian continent: the Tibetan empire (7th-9th centuries), the Mongol empire (1206-1370), and the Manchu Qing (1644-1911). Each of them cultivated and encouraged cultural exchanges in the landlocked regions that are now divided into many modern nation-states. Important questions include: is seaborne trade the only form of global circulation of knowledge? What roles did the great powers play in facilitating exchange and communication?