Origin: Peaks in Madagascar with residues in South Africa
Migration Story A
Migration Story A
Ancient ancestry in Russia
Your ancestors came from Russia prior to 1070 AD, so let's take a look at what was going on in Russia up to this point:
The Gothic Kingdom of Oium
Between 100 AD and 300 AD, Russia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Gothic Age. In 100 AD Gothic tribes migrated from Scandinavia and allegedly established the Gothic Kingdom Oium in southern Russia. The area was likely also home to Slavs and other groups, such as the Turkic Khazars, who had gradually arrived in the country since the end of the Ice Age. Oium collapsed when it was overrun by Huns. People migrated from Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to Russia as part of the migration of different tribal groups around Europe searching for new land and opportunities. At the same time, populations moved from Russia to places like Scandinavia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine and the Baltic states during the movement of early tribes from Russia through to the Baltic region and Scandinavia. The Bulgarians from Siberia moved down into the Eurasian Steppe and the plains between the Caspian and Black Seas.
The Khazar Kingdoms
Between 301 AD and 881 AD, Russia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Middle Ages. At this time Russia was home to many nomadic warrior Turkic tribes and local Finno-Ugric tribes. In the south was the Bosporan Kingdom, a Roman client state that was subsequently replaced by the kingdom of Khazaria. The Khazars were a Turkic people who dominated the Crimea and Caucasus having a highly profitable control over trade to the east. Eastern Slavs were beginning to migrate to and settle in Russia, and by the 7th century constituted a majority of the population. People migrated from Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to Russia as a consequence of the constant westward migration of nomadic tribes across Eastern Europe, such as the Slavs, Khazars and Avars, many of whom settled in Russia.
The East Slavic State: Kievan Rus'
Between 882 AD and 1222 AD, Russia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the High Middle Ages. Scandinavian Vikings, the Varangians, frequently invaded Russia. One Varangian ruler, Rurik, united parts of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine into the first east Slavic state: Kievan Rus'. Kievan Rus' controlled trade between Scandinavia and the Byzantine Empire and adopted a Slavic variant of the Byzantine Empire's Christianity; Eastern Orthodoxy. It was a prosperous and economically advanced relative to much of Western Europe, but in the 13th century, the Rus' began to suffer from internal conflict between the Kievan princes and was destroyed by the Mongol Golden Horde. People migrated from Scandinavia and Ukraine and Belarus to Russia due to early Viking raids and the formation of Kievan Rus' which saw Varangians from Scandinavia settle among and assimilate eastern Slavs of the region. At the same time, populations moved from Russia to places like Georgia in response to the Georgian King David inviting 40,000 warriors from the Northern Caucasus to settle uninhabited land in Georgia.
Movement from Russia to Georgia
At some point before 1070 AD your ancestors moved to Georgia. These are the events your ancestors would have lived through in Georgia.
The Lazic Wars and the Spread of Christianity
Between 298 AD and 735 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Byzantine era. The Byzantine Empire and Persian Sāsānian Empire fought the Lazic Wars to gain control of Georgia. Most of the country was incorporated into the Byzantine Empire by 562, including the formerly independent Kingdom of Lazica-Egrisi in west Georgia. The Georgian Kingdom of Iberia became one of the first states in the world to convert to Christianity yet frequent bouts of Persian rule meant Zoroastrianism also spread. People migrated from Turkey, Italy, Greece, Algeria, Iran, and Armenia and elsewhere from the Byzantine Empire to Georgia as a result of the Byzantine policy of resettling citizens around the empire to utilize uncultivated land. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Algeria and elsewhere in the Byzantine Empire due to the resettling of Georgian farmers in uncultivated Byzantine areas.
The Muslim Invasion
Between 736 AD and 1008 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Early Middle Ages. Muslim Arabs of the Abbāsid Caliphate conquered Georgia and established their capital in Tbilisi, which underwent extensive Islamization and became a key trade center. However, in 853 an insurgent emir incurred the wrath of the Caliphate who sent an army to burn Tbilisi to the ground. In the 11th century, the Seljuks invaded Georgia. A group of Georgian princes of the Bagrationi Dynasty managed to finally expel the Muslims and liberate Georgia. People migrated from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, and Iran and Turkey to Georgia as a result of the Arab conquest of Georgia, the settling of Muslims and later, the invasion of the Seljuks Turks. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey and other predominantly Islamic countries when many Muslim settlers were expelled from Georgia.
Queen Tamar The Great and the Georgian Golden Age
Between 1009 AD and 1489 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the High Middle Ages. King David the Builder invited settlers from across Europe to ameliorate the massive depopulation of Georgia following the expulsion of the Arabs. Queen Tamar the Great then led Georgia in a Golden Age of territorial expansion, political emancipation and cultural flourishing which lasted until the early 13th century when Georgia was overrun by Mongols. In the 14th century, Georgia liberated herself from the Mongol Ilkhanate only to suffer a further series of devastating Turkish-Mongol invasions. People migrated from the Caucasus, Europe, and Scandinavia and Western Asia to Georgia in response to King David's invitation to 40,000 Kipchak warriors to settle vacant Georgian land. Additional mercenaries from Europe, Kievan Rus' and Scandinavia were welcomed into the Georgian Royal Army, which helped to liberate much of Armenia. Georgia also saw waves of Mongol and Turkish invasions. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Armenia, Russia, and Ukraine and Iran as Georgia briefly expanded the Georgian Empire.
Movement from Georgia to Turkey
At some point after 1070 AD your ancestors moved to Turkey and once they reached there this is what they would have experienced:
Byzantine Turkey
Between 395 AD and 601 AD, Turkey was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Late Roman era. In 395 the Roman Empire was divided and Constantinople (Istanbul) became the capital of the Eastern Byzantine Empire. This Christian empire went on to rule for over a millennium. In 532, the politically motivated Nika Riots saw a great fire break out in the capital, killing many people and destroying much of the city. This period also saw near constant warfare with the Persian Sāsānians who ruled much of Anatolia. People migrated from Sweden, Poland, Kazakhstan, and around the Byzantine Empire and Central Asia to Turkey as people moved around the Byzantine Empire looking for opportunities. Vandals (originally from Sweden but then found in Poland), Bulgars and other Turkic tribes from Central Asia were settled in Asia Minor by Justinian I, the Byzantine emperor, to gain a political advantage. Iranians who deserted the Persian army were welcomed into the Byzantine forces. At the same time, populations moved from Turkey to places like Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Syria, Armenia, Egypt, Iraq, and Iran and across the Byzantine Empire as Turkish people moved around the Byzantine Empire, often taking on positions of authority, and the Byzantines continued to launch attacks against the Persian Sāsānians.
The Conflict Between the Byzantines and the Arabic Caliphate
Between 602 AD and 1015 AD, Turkey was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Middle Byzantine era. From the 7th century the Byzantine Empire began to decline in size and influence, weakened by external threats and internal instability. In 627 the Persians were forced out of Turkey, but were rapidly replaced by the Muslim Arabic Caliphate who engaged the Byzantines in four centuries of war. The Byzantines also faced Slavic Bulgars in the west, and Kievan Rus' in the north. The rift between western Rome and the Byzantine Empire deepened with the Iconoclastic Byzantine emperors of the 8th century. People migrated from Greece, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Armenia, Syria, the Balkans, and the Middle East and Central Asia to Turkey for reasons such as movement within the Byzantine Empire, continual Arab migration from the Arabian peninsula, and the continued migration of Turkic tribes from Central Asia. Syrians and Armenians were moved to Turkey during the reign of Constantine V to cultivate new land and Slavs from the Balkas were resettled in Asia Minor. At the same time, populations moved from Turkey to places like Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Syria, Armenia, Egypt, and the Balkan states and other countries in the Byzantine Empire as the Turkish people continued to move across the Byzantine Empire, took up jobs in administration and colonized unoccupied land. Many Turkish Greeks were settled across the Balkans.
The Seljuks, Latin Crusaders and the Mongol Golden Horde
Between 1016 AD and 1453 AD, Turkey was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Late Byzantine era. The Byzantines faced a new threat from the Turkic Seljuk Empire, which had united the eastern Islamic world, and whose expansion into the Middle East had sparked the Crusades. Despite a 12th century renaissance in Turkey, with flourishing culture and prosperous trade, subsequent centuries of war against Seljuks, Normans and Hungarians, and invasions by Latin Crusaders, the Mongol Golden Horde and finally the Serbian Empire, irreparably devastated the Byzantine Empire and in 1453 it collapsed and Turkey was conquered by the Ottomans. People migrated from Greece, Armenia, Italy, and Egypt and Central Asia to Turkey due to population resettlements within the Byzantine Empire, the arrival of Italian and Egyptian traders, incursions of the Seljuk Empire and the brief occupations by Latin crusaders, the Mongols and the Serbian Empire. Land destroyed in the crusades was rapidly repopulated, many people transferred to Constantinople from Morea (Southern Greek Peninsula). At the same time, populations moved from Turkey to places like Italy, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, and Christian Europe and the Balkan states due to the Ottomans' war with the Republic of Venice, raiding of Transylvania, invasion of Serbia and the Crusade of Varna, which saw a series of Ottoman victories over the European crusaders.
Migration Story B
Ancient ancestry in Georgia
Your ancestors came from Georgia prior to 1358 AD, so let's take a look at what was going on in Georgia up to this point:
The Lazic Wars and the Spread of Christianity
Between 298 AD and 735 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Byzantine era. The Byzantine Empire and Persian Sāsānian Empire fought the Lazic Wars to gain control of Georgia. Most of the country was incorporated into the Byzantine Empire by 562, including the formerly independent Kingdom of Lazica-Egrisi in west Georgia. The Georgian Kingdom of Iberia became one of the first states in the world to convert to Christianity yet frequent bouts of Persian rule meant Zoroastrianism also spread. People migrated from Turkey, Italy, Greece, Algeria, Iran, and Armenia and elsewhere from the Byzantine Empire to Georgia as a result of the Byzantine policy of resettling citizens around the empire to utilize uncultivated land. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Algeria and elsewhere in the Byzantine Empire due to the resettling of Georgian farmers in uncultivated Byzantine areas.
The Muslim Invasion
Between 736 AD and 1008 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Early Middle Ages. Muslim Arabs of the Abbāsid Caliphate conquered Georgia and established their capital in Tbilisi, which underwent extensive Islamization and became a key trade center. However, in 853 an insurgent emir incurred the wrath of the Caliphate who sent an army to burn Tbilisi to the ground. In the 11th century, the Seljuks invaded Georgia. A group of Georgian princes of the Bagrationi Dynasty managed to finally expel the Muslims and liberate Georgia. People migrated from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, and Iran and Turkey to Georgia as a result of the Arab conquest of Georgia, the settling of Muslims and later, the invasion of the Seljuks Turks. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey and other predominantly Islamic countries when many Muslim settlers were expelled from Georgia.
Queen Tamar The Great and the Georgian Golden Age
Between 1009 AD and 1489 AD, Georgia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the High Middle Ages. King David the Builder invited settlers from across Europe to ameliorate the massive depopulation of Georgia following the expulsion of the Arabs. Queen Tamar the Great then led Georgia in a Golden Age of territorial expansion, political emancipation and cultural flourishing which lasted until the early 13th century when Georgia was overrun by Mongols. In the 14th century, Georgia liberated herself from the Mongol Ilkhanate only to suffer a further series of devastating Turkish-Mongol invasions. People migrated from the Caucasus, Europe, and Scandinavia and Western Asia to Georgia in response to King David's invitation to 40,000 Kipchak warriors to settle vacant Georgian land. Additional mercenaries from Europe, Kievan Rus' and Scandinavia were welcomed into the Georgian Royal Army, which helped to liberate much of Armenia. Georgia also saw waves of Mongol and Turkish invasions. At the same time, populations moved from Georgia to places like Armenia, Russia, and Ukraine and Iran as Georgia briefly expanded the Georgian Empire.
Migration Story B
Movement from Georgia to Iran
At some point before 1358 AD your ancestors moved to Iran. These are the events your ancestors would have lived through in Iran.
The Islamic Golden Age
Between 977 AD and 1218 AD, Iran was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Islamic Golden Age. The decline of Abbāsid power enabled the collateral rise of various dynasties across the Iranian Caliphate. Meanwhile eastern Iran was sequentially part of the Ghaznavid Empire, which stretched as far as India; the Great Seljuk Empire, which went on to conquer much of the Middle East; the Khwarezmid dynasty; and the kingdom of Georgia. Despite the transience of ruling powers, Iran saw a Golden Age of Persian literature, philosophy, art and science, which hugely influenced the Renaissance across Western Europe. People migrated from Iraq, Armenia, Greece, and Central Asia and the Middle East to Iran due to invasion by successive Turkic tribes and dynasties, trade across the Muslim world and the spreading of Persian culture. Armenians, Greeks and Syrians arrived to repopulate land devestated by the Crusades. At the same time, populations moved from Iran to places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iraq and Syria due to the expansion of the various dynasties ruling Iran and the Middle East, such as the Seljuks.
Genghis Khan and the Mongol Invasion
Between 1219 AD and 1335 AD, Iran was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Mongol invasion. At this time, to the east of Iran, the Mongol Empire united under Genghis Khan. After Khan's diplomatic messengers to the Iranian Khwarezmid Empire were executed, he enacted a swift and brutal invasion of Iran. The Mongols' specialist Chinese weaponry took Iran by surprise, whole cities were massacred and the irrigation system destroyed, leading to famine. A break-off faction of the Mongol Empire, the Ilkhanate, converted to Islam and proceeded to preside over Iran in a period of gradual recovery, construction, agricultural development and economic prosperity. People migrated from Mongolia and China and Central Asia to Iran as part of the invasion of the Mongol Golden Horde, which included many Chinese soldiers. The Mongol ilkhanate made trade routes safer, encouraging traders from Asia.
The Şafavid Empire
Between 1336 AD and 1723 AD, Iran was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Early Modern period. During this period the Şafavid dynasty, initially from Azerbaijan and Dagestan, ruled Iran and established a great Persian empire. Though many of the Şafavid shahs were weak, ineffectual and extravagant rulers, some were exceptionally skilled leaders who oversaw vast territorial expansion, military conquest, improved trade links and the creation of a strong army. However, by the 18th century, Iran faced war on all sides from Russia, Afghanistan and the Ottomans, which, along with local militarized rebellions, caused the collapse of the Şafavid Empire. People migrated from Georgia, Armenia, Russia, Afghanistan, and Iraq and Turkey to Iran with the arrival of the Şafavid administration and their policy of relocating thousands of Georgians, Armenians and Russians into Iran to form a new societal class: the military ghulams. Later, Iran was invaded by Afghanistan, Turkey and Russia. At the same time, populations moved from Iran to places like Georgia and Armenia and around the Şafavid Empire as Iranian troops were dispatched to attempt to suppress rebellions in Georgia and as people moved around the Şafavid Empire seeking work and land.
Movement from Iran to Saudi Arabia
At some point after 1358 AD your ancestors moved to Saudi Arabia and once they reached there this is what they would have experienced:
The Prophet Muhammad
Between 500 AD and 631 AD, Saudi Arabia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. In the 6th century the Quraysh merchant tribe rose to prominence and gained control of Mecca, which was already a center of worship and pilgrimage for Arabian pagan tribes. Many Bedouin tribes grew wealthy and began to settle across the Middle East, including the Lakhmids in Iraq and Nabataeans in Petra in Jordan. In 570 AD the Prophet Muhammad was born and began to preach a oneness of Allah, which would go on to be the cornerstone of the Islamic faith. People migrated from Yemen, Oman, India, Egypt, and Eastern Africa and the Levant to Saudi Arabia due to the expansion of trade networks crossing Saudi Arabia and the transition of Bedouin tribes from around the Arabian peninsula from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle. At the same time, populations moved from Saudi Arabia to places like the Middle East, Egypt, and India and Ethiopia as part of the nomadic tribal migrations and extensive trade across the Middle East.
The Birth of Islam
Between 632 AD and 949 AD, Saudi Arabia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Islamic era. At this time the Prophet Muhammad managed to unite the tribal chiefs of Medina under the banner of Islam, earning Mecca the title ‘Cradle of Islam'. After his death, Saudi Arabia was governed by a succession of caliphs, termed the Rashidun, or ‘rightly-guided' Caliphate, before passing to the Umayyad dynasty, who led a Muslim Arab army across Saudi Arabia and defeated the mighty Byzantine and Persian Empires. People migrated from Yemen, Oman, Ethiopia, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and India and the Middle East to Saudi Arabia as a result of continuing trade with Arabian Bedouins. At the same time, populations moved from Saudi Arabia to places like across the Arabian peninsula, Western Asia, and North Africa and Eastern Europe due to the rapid Muslim conquest of the Middle East and Arabia.
The Muslim Conquest
Between 950 AD and 1515 AD, Saudi Arabia was ruled by local leaders in a period known as the Islamic Golden Age. The rule of the Umayyads and, subsequently the Abbāsids, became purely nominal in Saudi Arabia. As the important centers of the Islamic world shifted, Saudi Arabia remained on the periphery of the Caliphate's political concerns. This allowed tribal rulers and the Hashemite sharifs of Mecca to exercise true authority in the region. Mecca experienced a period of architectural rejuvenation and became home to a new Muslim aristocracy, famous Islamic poets and musicians. People migrated from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, and India and countries across the Middle East to Saudi Arabia to exploit the flourishing trade in the Arabian peninsula. At the same time, populations moved from Saudi Arabia to places like across the Arabian peninsula, Western Asia, and North Africa and Eastern Europe during the expansion of the Muslim Caliphate under the Umayyads and Abbāsids.
