Kashmir and central Asia

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   From another forum - Regarding whether the Mughals were Turkik or Mongol:
Confusing topic this.

Uzbeks have always had Mongol blood probably from pre history in terms of both language, culture and genes. Uzbekistan from prehistory has been inhabited by people who come from the confluence of the European and Mongol races in the steppes and at different times had people of different ethnicity and language – but derived from the admixture of these two gene pools – the percentage probably varies from person to person. 

But in time, you can say that the proportion of Mongol genes kept on increasing. 

Being on a trade route – silk route no less – meant continuous churn in the gene pool.

The Yeuzhei (of 200 BC) – I am using approximate dates throughout - and Tocharians (of 500 AD) both living originally in Xingiang were Indo European speaking, but given their close proximity to the Mongol and Chinese, were probably genetic admixtures – and would have carried their Mongol blood with them when they were displaced. 

Even the original Indo Aryans probably had some Mongol blood in them – and invasions by the Mongol tribes would have definitely played a part in their migration in one way or another, although not recorded in history.

In well recorded times, in around 850 AD, the Turkik speaking people migrated throughout central Asia from the Tarim basin, basically Xingiang and Kyrgizthan region. At that time these people were probably half Indo European and half Mongoloid in their gene pool, being descended from the Tocharians and the Uighur Khaghanate (both a couple of centuries earlier). They probably emigrated after they were defeated (like the Yeuzhei previously) in 850 AD. 

The distinction between Turkik and Mongol is not possible based on genes – because the gene pools were liquid and mixed freely, derived from the same two groups at different times.

And the Turkik speakers from 850 to 950 AD populated Central Asia from Turkey to Afgnanistan, on both sides of the Caspian sea. But the proportion of local people still residing in an area would determine the local gene pool (remembering that the Steppes were always thinly populated while the places they went to had agriculture and heavy populations).

So in Turkey, despite being Turkik speaking, gene pool would be mostly European and Greek and only minimally Mongol. In Khazaksthan it would be mostly European but slightly more Mongol. And yet Turks are mostly dark haired while Khazakhs are mostly blonde. So despite the gene pool being in the same broad category, no comparison makes sense in looks, dress or culture.

In Afghanistan and Azerbaijan it would be mostly European and Irano-Parthian in gene pool but in language and culture, they would be very very different. No comparison again makes sense. 

So pre-Mongol 13th century invasion, Turkik people are already half Mongols. 

Based on language and culture, Turkik is different from Mongol. And the Uzbeks remained Turkik even after the Mongol invasion of the 13th century washed over them. Only the proportion of Mongol DNA in the gene pool increased. The Mongols absorbed the local culture of the core group of Turkik people i.e. Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan – they are basically Turkik people of similar admixture of gene pools. And after Mongol invasions of 13th century were over, the area remained Turkik in nature, gene pool, culture and language.

Coming to Mughals of India, the Kings were of Uzbek origin and largely remained so because mostly married to Afghans or Uzbek women.

But in the populations of the army, the biggest chunk would be of South Asian origin in gene pool and language. There would be many Afghan cavalry commanders and fighters and artillery commanders – maybe 5% would be of Afghan origin.

Afghan (Pushto speakers) are themselves a genetic admixture. Iranic, Turkik and South Asian in one third proportion approximately – with individual variations.

The population of Mughal empire numbering maybe 100 million people (depending on whether you take census before or after a famine !!!) were 99% South Asian. 

Mughals were Uzbeks. Mughal empire was very much Indian.