Promotional Information

When the Bolshevik Revolution broke out in October 1917, much of Central Asia was still ruled by autonomous rulers such as the Emir of Bukhara and the Khan of Khiva.

About the Author

Paul Bergne teaches and researches the history and politics of Central Asia at St Antony's College, Oxford. In 2001 he was the personal representative of the Prime Minister Tony Blair in Afghanistan. Before that he served for nearly forty years as a British diplomat and his last overseas posting was as ambassador to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. He has travelled widely in the South Caucasus and Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union, and in Afghanistan.