Central Asian Silk Road Trade in the Early 16th Century (1501–1510)

Timeline

1. 1501–1505Bukhara · BukharaAfter capturing Bukhara and Samarkand, Shaybani imposed reasonable tariffs on caravans and maintained market order to raise military funds and stabilize his rule. Silk, cotton cloth, horses, furs, and metal vessels were transshipped here, and Indian and Persian merchants remained active in the city bazaars.
2. 1503–1508Hami–Turfan · HamiEastward trade routes connected via Hami and Turfan to the Ming dynasty's northwestern frontier and the various tribes of Moghulistan. After Yunus Khan's death there were localized political fluctuations, but tribute missions and caravan traffic did not cease, and the exchange of luxury goods and raw materials between Central and East Asia continued at a low but steady frequency.
3. 1509–1510Khurasan frontier trade routes · KhurasanSafavid-Uzbek confrontation on the Khurasan frontier intensified, and some trade routes were diverted or briefly interrupted. After the Battle of Merv in 1510 the political landscape changed abruptly and merchants reassessed risks, but Silk Road infrastructure and commercial networks did not collapse, laying the groundwork for trade recovery after subsequent regime changes.