Subject: Dzungaria, the Heartland empire From: Byambaa Garid Date: 1997/06/25 Message-ID: <33B0F9A3.5B23@gse.mq.edu.au> Newsgroups: soc.history.what-if [Subscribe to soc.history.what-if] [More Headers] Background. In 17 century, Oirots or Western Mongols united under Baatar-Khuntaiji and formed Dzungar khanate after 2 centuries of disunity. This khanate occupied Western Mongolia, Dzungiria(Northern steppe part of modern Xinjiang province of China) and later expanded to include Kazakh lands and all of Xinjiang. Baatar-khuntaiji wanted unite all Mongol peoples and his dream was a dream of all subsequent Dzungar rulers. He and his successors conquered settled peoples of Xinjiang and this gave Dzungaria enough economic base to be self-sufficient, more than any other steppe power. Moreover, Muslim farmers from Xinjiang were encouraged to settle in nomad lands, Dzungar rulers Sengge and Galkdan Boshigt khan encouraged artisans and development of manufactures. Galdan Boshigt khan was the most unusual ruler of all. He spent many years in Tibet and studied Tibetan Buddhism. His only goal was to become religious scholar, but instead he became a ruler of Dzungar empire. He was an able ruler, but his ambition led him to failure. In 1688 he invaded Outer Mongolia with goal of unifying all Mongol peoples, but he failed. Outer Mongolia became a province of Qing empire and later Galdan Boshigt khan was overthrown by his relative. Later Dzungaria and Qing had a series of wars in Mongolia, Tibet and in Xinjiang. The wars proved that militarily Dzungaria was an equal of Qing China, since no one was able to dominate. In 17 century Russia conquered Siberia and its advance to the south was stopped on Dzungar border. Dzungaria and Russia had some conflicts over Siberia nd Siberian peoples, but both sides evaded an all-out war. A long line of military fortifications was built by Russians on Dzungar borders. Many important Siberian and Kazakhstan cities started as fortresses of this line: Omsk, Semipalatinsk, Krasnoyarsk, ALmaty. In early 18 century the most puzzling and amazing incident of Dzungar history has happened. A young Swede officer, Joseph Renat was captured by Russians in Northern War, agreed to take part in Russian expedition to Central Asia and subsequently was captured by Dzungars. There he offered his services to Dzungaria and these proved to be invaluable. He taught them how to manufacture cannons and gunpowder. By his advice, Dzungars started a series of raids on Russian metallurgical factories of Ural and captured Russian masters and equipment. Renat used them to organise mass-production of cannons and gunpowder in Dzungaria. By his own account 46 cannons were produced with enough ammunition. Thus, Dzungaria became the first steppe empire ever to have firearms and artillery of its own manufacture. Renat also established metallurgical plants, cloth and textiles industries, even printing house. he left Dzungaria after 17 years and returned to Sweden a rich man. Dzungar artillery obliterated Kasakhs and other steppe nomads and in 1744-42, Dzungars conquered all of Kasakh steppe along with Trans-Oxanian cities like Samarkand, Tashkent and Khodjent. The empire was at peak of its power when in 1750s civil war over succession weakened it. In 1755 Qing China used its weakness and invaded. After Dzungars under Amursana rebelled, Chinese emperor Qieng-long ordered a genocide. One million Dzungars were killed, a whole nation ceased to exist. Kasakh lands went to Russia, Dzungaria and Xinjiang to China and the last of steppe empires was no more. Scenario Narrative. In this timeline, the bloody civil war never happened and Amursana was able to take power quickly and Dzungaria and Dzungars continued their existence. Russian expansion to the South, the feared Russian drive to India of 19 century never happens, Russia and Dzungaria do have occasional frictions and small conflicts, but both sides evade escalation into a full-scale war. Tribes unhappy with Russian rule defect to Dzungaria, tribes unhappy with Dzungar rule defect to Russia. Both countries remain half-friends, half-enemies and the trade between them expands. Influnce of Russian culture on Dzungaria increases. Every Dzungar prince spends some years of his life studying in St-Petersburg, learns Russian and French and acquires a taste for Western culture. From 1750 onseries of reforms start aimed at Russian-style Westernisation. Following the example of Khuntaiji, Dzungar aristocrats and wealthy herders send their children to Russian universities, to become officers and military engineers. Modern secular education is promoted, new industries are established. By 1760s, Dzungaria starts production of muskets, Russian officers train its new infantry. Russian and Western authors describe Dzungaria as being as powerful as Ottoman empire. China loses all hope to conquer Dzungaria. To develop rich agricultural potential of Kazakhstan, Dzungar rulers invite tens of thousands German farmers to settle there(Catherine the Great had a similar policies in OTL. Even now Germans are one of the biggest national minorities in Kazakhstan). Dzungars promise free land, of prime quality and as much as you want. Of course, there is no such thing as free land and Kasakhs are very unhappy, but their revolts are put down by Dzungar cavalry, new infantry and artillery. The remaining rebels flee to Russia and pledge to avenge in the future. Kokand and Hiva Khanates of Central Asia pay tribute to Dzungaria and suddenly Dzungaria has a common border with British empire. In 1850s, Ming dynasty is overthrown by Christian rebels who soon start fighting among themselves. Dzungaria uses this opportunity to annex Outer and Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. Western powers annex coastal provinces and Russia grabs northern parts of Manchuria. The fall of Ming China forces Japan, Korea and Vietnam to start modernisation. Dzungaria introduces similar reforms to Mongolia and opens Manchuria to settlement by German, Russian and Korean farmers. Dzungaria(or as it is called now, Mongol empire) controls all of heartland and therefore it has the greatest strategical importance. Western powers realize that without Dzungaria s an ally no nation can hope to win future wars in Eurasia. From 1850s, Dzungaria starts a period of economic boom as railroads are built through its territory by German, Russian and British companies. Instead of Transiberian in OTL a railroad from Moscow to Darhan-hot in Manchuria(Dalian in OTL) is built. Similar railroads connect cities of Asian heartland with Europe and Pacific and all of them go through Dzungar territory. Dzungar aristocracy and its new middle class benefit enourmously. Mining industry also booms as giant mineral potential of Xinjiang, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Manchuria opens to modern technology. By 1900, population of Mongol empire doubles and almost all of this growth is concentrated in new industrial and modern cities. New ideas of nationalism and democracy start to threaten the empire. In First World War of 1907-1912 between Korea, Dzungaria, Russia, Germany on one side and Japan, America, British empire and France on another, Dzungaria loses. Kasakhstan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Manchuria secede. The remnant, Mongolia is once again, nothing but a third-rate power. The Great khan is overthrown in 1912 and new Mongolian People's republic is proclaimed.