Tajikistan history dates back some 4,000 years, when India was invaded by Aryan tribe. The Tajiks claim to be the decedents of the Aryan and Saxon tribes of Western Europe. Though the Mongols ruled this part of the world at the time, the inability to approach the area spared the people from being ruled by them. Alexander the Great founded a city in Tajikistan and called it Eskate, now known as Khojand.
Early rulers of Tajikistan
The history of Tajikistan tells us that the country was ruled by the Emirs of Samarqand, Buhkara and Kokhand, and finally surrendered to Russia at the end of the 19th century. Russian occupation was not welcomed by the Tajiks and they started a resistance movement called the Basmachi Movement. During the days of resistance, approximately 20,000 Tajiks escaped to Afghanistan.
Tajikistan History during the Soviet Occupation of the Land
During the 1950’s many locals of Garm Valley and Pamirs were forced to settle in Tajikistan along with the Russian for 2 main reasons.
To replace the Tajiks who had escaped to Afghanistan
To help grow cotton
During the final days of the Russian occupation, between 1983 and 1991, Kakhar Makhkamov ran the affairs of the state. After this, Tajikistan became an independent state and Rakhman Nabiiyev, leader of the Tajik Communist party, returned to power.
A civil war broke out between the ruling communist party and the UTO (United Tajik Opposition).The UTO comprised of Garmis and Pamiris. Russia mediated and brokered peace between the government and the UTO. In 1997 the UTO accepted a 30% share in the affairs of the state and the government legalized the opposition parties which were previously non-functional.
Recent Tajikistan history
Imomali Rakhmonov won the election in 1999 but the table turned in the assembly election of 2000 when the People’s Democratic Party came into power. A constitutional referendum in 2003 brought back Rakhmonov for a term that ended in 2006.
