Battle of Talas
Date	July-August AD 751
Place	in Kyrgyzstan near Taraz, Kazakhstan
Result	Decisive Abbasid victory
Combatants Abbasid Caliphate Tang Dynasty Commanders Abu Muslim, Ziyad Ibn Salih Gao Xianzhi, Li Siye, Duan Xiushi Strength around 150,000 (40,000 Khorasans + troops of Arabic protectorates) over 30,000 (20,000 Tang troops + troops of Chinese protectorates + Qarluq mercenaries Casualties ? Gao retreated with several thousand survivors

The Battle of Talas in AD 751 was a conflict between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty over the control of Central Asia. Chinese infantry were routed by Arab cavalry near the bank of the River Talas after the supporting Qarluq mercenaries defected to the Abbasids and cut off the infantry from the rest of the Chinese troops. The commander of the Tang forces, Gao Xianzhi, escaped.

Due to this defeat and the domestic rebellion of An Lushan and subsequent warlordism, the Tang ceased to be influential in Central Asia. The local Tang tributaries then switched to the authority of the Abbasids, and the introduction of Islam was thus facilitated among the Turkic peoples. Well supported by the Abbasids, the Qarluqs established a state that would be conquered in late 9th century by invaders who founded the Kara-Khanid Khanate.

In the long run, the battle is significant because it marked the western limit of Chinese cultural and political influence, thereby determining that Central Asia would be more influence by Islamic culture than by Chinese culture. The technology of paper making was also spread to the Central Asia and the Middle East as the skilled Chinese POWs were ordered to produce paper in Samarkand.

The exact location of the battle has not been confirmed but is believed to be in Kyrgyzstan, southeast of Taraz (once named Zhambyl) in present day Kazakhstan.

Related Topics

• Tokmak
• History of Central Asia
• History of China
• Gao Xianzhi
• An Lushan Rebellion
• History of Islam
• History of Kyrgyzstan
• History of Kazakhstan
• Paper
• Samarkand

External links

• Tour guide of Talas (http://www.celestial.com.kg/around_kyrgyzstan/talas/talas.shtml)

de:Schlacht am Talas ja:タラス河畔の戦い zh:怛罗斯战役