One of the most frustrating aspects of learning about European history is that, while the conquest of Asia by European powers is celebrated, the conquest of Europe by Asian powers is so glossed over that most people don’t even know it happened many times.
Where were the Scythians from? The northern Middle East and Caucasus.
Where were the Sarmatians from? The Ural Mountains in modern Russia and Kazakhstan.
Where were the Huns from? East Asia, where they were known as the Xiongnu by the Chinese.
Where did the Avars come from? The Pontic-Caspian steppe in Asia.
Where were the Bulgars from? Central Asia, in what is now Kazakhstan.
Where did the Magyars come from? Western Siberia, also near the Ural Mountains.
Where were the Mongols from? Obviously, Mongolia—but people don’t realize the Mongols conquered a huge chunk of Europe.
Where were the Turks originally from? Central Asia—where several Turkic peoples—including the Uighurs, who live in China—live today.
These aren’t the only examples of Asian peoples conquering Europe. It happened over and over again through multiple millennia. But for some reason, most Europeans are completely unaware of this history.
When Europeans do know about this, they dismiss these Asian peoples as “barbarians”. But that can’t be further from the truth. In the so-called “Dark Ages”, the most prosperous and learned parts of Europe were under the control of Asian conquerors.
A good example is Khazaria, which was a bustling hub of culture during the 7th century.
Of course, the Arab influence on southern Europe is also notable. Not enough people know that Spain, Malta, and Sicily were once conquered by Arabs. And many European intellectuals, such as Averroës and Maimonides, spoke Arabic.
Europe, and European culture, has always been influenced by Asian peoples.
Europeans tell on themselves when they claim to know about the Scythians, Sarmations, Huns, Avars, Bulgars, Magyars, Mongols, and Turks – and then say that they didn’t have a big impact on the history and culture of Europe.
The Scythians and Sarmatians were as impactful to the early history of Europe as the ancient Greeks.
The Huns were probably the biggest driving force involved with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
In the 7th century, the Avar Khaganate was the second largest polity in Europe after the Byzantine Empire.
The Bulgars were amongst the ancestors of – who else? – Bulgarians, but also the modern Tatars as well.
Magyars are the ancestors of Hungarians.
Anyone who doesn’t understand that Mongols significantly altered European history knows very little about European. But here’s just one significant fact about the Mongols: they destroyed Kyivan Rus’.
As far as the Turks go, well, I don’t know what to tell you if you don’t think the Ottoman Empire was important. Suleiman the Magnificent alone had a bigger impact on Europe’s history and culture than Napoleon.
@danjac It's 3:42AM where I am, so I'm not the sharpest right now—but yeah.
All right, it's common knowledge that Arabs invaded Europe, but I don't think most people truly know how impactful that was. They act like Arabs were a temporary nuisance when, in fact, they were a damn big deal.
As for the Berbers, I didn't mention them because they're from northern Africa, but I don't think most people know enough about Berbers. Numerous Roman emperors were Berbers. Terence was a Berber. St. Augustine was a Berber.
@atomicpoet I think the Umayyad caliphs in Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain) may have been part Berber, which would make sense as Spain is within touching distance of North Africa.
@atomicpoet
Arabs conquests and the barbarian invasions are very well known facts in most Europe. They are part of the standard school curriculum. If people do not remember them is not because they have been obscured or willingly ignored.
Besides, most of the populations you name had very little impact on the history and culture of Europe, let's be honest here.
@gianlucafiore There were multiple “barbarian” invasions, not just one, and not many people understand what that entailed.
And actually, the populations I name actually had a big impact on Europe – you just don’t realize it.
For example, the Magyars are the ancestors of Hungarians. And if you don’t think Hungarians were – and are – pretty significant to Europe’s history, then you don’t know as much about European history as you think you do.
I can go into detail about the other groups I mentioned, but I don’t think you care to learn since you seem like a classic reply guy.
@atomicpoet USian here. Went to good schools in the U.S.A. in the 60s and 70s. None of that was taught. I know the history because I'm an amateur history buff. Most people in the U.S. aren't.
@atomicpoet Other frustrating aspects incl erasures of ethnic groups that had no formal country bc they were pushed west by Asian peoples you mentioned. Rusyns (aka Carpatho-Rusyns) come to mind. Outlawed under Communists, dismissed by Ukrainians to this day, Rusyns were in 1914 first ethnic group to be sent to concentration camp in Europe—Thalerhof, in Austria—because Austrians (wrongly) considered them Russian sympathizers during WWI. Became the template for the Nazi camps to follow.
@atomicpoet In those countries, where the influence happened, people do know it, but we have many languages in Europe, so it depends on TV channels & the competence of history teachers, how much people in other countries get to know. Heroic sagas we all read as children tell the story from a christian point of view, but information has gotten broader due to the dwindling influence of the catholic church (my personal impression).
@atomicpoet@ubergeek indeed, the part that is usually taught is simply that Castile and Aragon got together and drove those "nasty arabs" out of Spain. Soon afterwards Columbus set sail west and the same time the Spanish crown expelled Jews to the east (to the Ottoman empire). Oh, and that much earlier, Charles Martel and the Franks "defeated" arabs at Tours. That's about it ;). Well taught you say??? 😂 🤣
@gnutelephony@ubergeek Yeah, what often isn’t mentioned is how, by the time the 15th century came around, what was left of Muslim Spain was the tiny Emirate of Granada. Seriously, look at this map.
The Caliphate of Cordoba was not undone by the Reconquista but by a civil war that reduced it to mini-states known as taifas.
@ubergeek@atomicpoet I don't know that I learned anything about Al-Andalus and the Reconquista in school. If I did, it would have been in Spanish class rather than history. History didn't spend time on anything between West Rome and the Middle Ages.
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