Silk roads one calls a network of caravan roads, whose main route connects the Mediterranean with Eastern Asia. The designation goes on into 19. Century living German Ferdinand of Richthofen back, although already the Byzantiner used a similar designation.

Emergence and history

It gave connections between China and Europe since oldest time. They were based on the exchange of merchandise, made diplomatic contacts possible and carried also the knowledge over those in each case different culture. These connections existed however by no means continuously, ran off usually over intermediaries and were again and again interrupted of longer periods, in which trade, traffic and exchange of information were obstructed.

A crucial political condition for the complete opening of the eastern end of the silk road was the Chinese expansion to the west. Under the emperor Wudi (141-87 v. Chr.) the size of the Han realm doubled itself nearly. It reacted to border threats with the conquest of the hostile areas. Its armies penetrated far northward, the south and the west and subjected numerous adjacent states. The victory over the Xiongnu brought finally control of central Asia. Wudis troops took Pamir and Ferghana in such a way in possession and could the trade routes between China and the west be opened. The trade along the silk road flourished and inundated the capital of the Han realm with western travelers and luxury goods.

While the East part was relatively safe now, the west threatened to transform into a battleground. Long arguments of the Romans with the Parthern could be terminated only by the diplomatic fate of the Augustus and it succeeded to close for some time peace with the Parthern. Also the western end of the silk road made safer of these peace and led to a stimulation of the trade with the Far East.

A further bloom time experienced the silk road then during the seaweed dynasty, which replaced the Perser as dominating power over the silk road. The second seaweed emperor Tang Taizong brought large parts of central Asia as well as the Tarimbecken under his control. The Byzantine realm could back-conquer parts of its asiatic possessions and secure itself so the entrance to the silk road. The Byzantine realm remained a main place of transshipment for eastern goods. After the seaweed time the trade decreased along the silk road. At present "the five dynasties "the internal stability of the seaweed dynasty could not be held and neighbouring peoples could the caravans again attack.

A crucial contribution to a more direct cross-linking of Asia and Europe the Mongol rule made in 13. Century. Mongolian conquests introduced one era of frequent and expanded contact. As soon as they had created order and stability in their new properties, the Mongols got involved in contacts with strangers. In their universal claim to power they were hospitable to foreign travelers, even if had not submitted their ruler. In this time it came again to a strong increase of the exchange of goods and humans.

In the long run the Mongol realm was however short-lived. Already 1262 began the purge of the enormous Imperiums, even if the eastern part under the rule Khubilai Khans remained longer stable. The Chinese nationalism lived. 1368 were finally terminated the foreign rule over China by installation of the Ming dynasty, which represented an aggressive foreign policy against the Mongol trunks. Despite the Mongolian peace the trade never reached volumes along the silk road like at present the seaweed dynasty. The lasting fall of the silk road began already with the Song dynasty and became particularly by the intensified Chinese maritime trade, which favours emergence of new markets in Southeast Asia and the high demands for tariff of the Arabs.

To the sea route however the dangers of the long journey and the deliveries were allotted to the middlemen. The silk road lost in the course of the world-wide expansion of the European sea powers in the early modern times finally at meaning. The trade over the silk road was replaced by ships, whereby Chinese dealers with their Dschunken drove until India and Arabia. The Europeans were strongly reduced since the Song time in their China trade. During the sea-expeditions one of their principal purposes therefore was to regain the sagenumwobene Cathai (China) by the sea route. Only 1514 reached the Portuguese China and established fast a lively trade, later occupied by Spain. Since the center 16. Century was the realm of the center of the Hauptprofiteur of the European colonies in the new world. About 70% there won of the precious metal were spent to China, in order to buy goods for Europe there. With the time ships of the commercial companies replaced the silk road as connection after Eastern Asia, in order to procure from there Luxusartikel and art articles for the European aristocracy.

In recent time the silk road weight won. The building of roads, which was favoured by the discovery of large oil reserves, has the entrance to the inhospitable areas facilitated and the region became industrialized. Also the trade routes were actually opened again and are not least for the tourism meaning.

Process and nature

Oldest reports about the process of the silk road originate from the Greek-Roman antique one. Herodot has the process of the north route, which ran north the Tarim basin, around 430 v. Chr. detailed described, whereby he designates the stations of the route with the names that there residents of peoples. After its description the north route of the delta of the Don ran first northward, before it turned then eastward to the area that part ago and from there far over a caravan path north the Tienshan, which ended in the western Chinese province Gansu. A similarly which is connected description of the south route is not received. If one tries to reconstruct it, then this route in Mesopotamien begins. It runs over Ekbatana after Kyreschata and reaches then the river Silis. Afterwards the data are contradictory. A third way consisted of a combination of sea and Landweg and consisted of an Egyptian and mesopotamischen route, which both led after Bargyzaga, a port at the delta of the Narmada into the Indian ocean. All three routes of the silk road are the result over several centuries of an extending development.

The silk road was everything else as a natural route. Running by the Mediterranean until China more or less by desert, is it one of the most inhospitable distances of the earth, which runs by verse narrow width units, waterless country and connects an oasis with the next. If one has - from the west coming - which reaches Taklamakan desert, one is surrounded by the highest mountain chains of the earth. Only a few icy passports, which lead with their deep ravines and 5000 elevator meters which can be overcome to the heaviest world to belong, by the mountains. Also the climate is rau. Sandstorms are frequent, in the summer rise the temperature to over 40"°C on and in the winter often sink them under -20"°C. However the immense meaning of the distance for transnational communication between east and west kept this connection upright over thousands of years. Except by oases the distance was interrupted also by military stations such as critical points for changing the horses, which secured the transit traffic. Straight ones to the geographical condition due, were formed only few firm traffic and trade routes, which most in the long run were, and so could martial confusions in only one section entire east west traffic interrupt.

Only few bereisten in the history of the silk road the entire distance of approximately 8000 km. The trade always ran over several stopovers and each nation, which were concerned by the distance, wanted their profit as a middleman to maximize. And in such a way it came by the competition among themselves again and again to conflicts, which ended in armed arguments. However under the Mongol rule in 13. and 14. Century was nearly completely Asia under a ruler united and this led to a safe and protected trade.

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