Medieval history
The Arabs took control over Samarkand in the beginning of the VIII-th century. According to the legend, in 751, after the Talas Battle, when the Abbasid dynasty was on the throne, two Chinese war prisoners revealed the secret of making paper. Samarkand became the home of the first Islamic paper factory. After that, paper production spread throughout the Islamic countries, and eventually to the West.
Between the VI-th and the XIII-th century the city was bigger and more populated than it is today. It was under the rule of the Western Turks, Arabs (who urged region to convert to Islam), Persian Samanids, Kara-Khanid Turks, Seljuk Turks, Kara-Khitan, and Khorezmshah. In 1220 it was devastated by the Mongols headed by Genghis Khan. Almost entire population was killed. Samarkand was destroyed by the Mongols once more, when Khan Baraq came to get money for his army. The city was recovering many years from the attacks.
Marco Polo made notes about his journey by the Silk Road in his book “The Travels of Marco Polo”. He writes about Samarkand as “a very large and splendid city…” He also tells the history of Christians in Samarkand. Some of the central columns supporting the Christian temple were destroyed, however, fortunately, the church kept standing.