FROM SAMARKAND TO FLORENCE: THE ROLE OF CENTRAL ASIAN SCHOLARS IN SHAPING THE EUROPEAN RENAISSANCE

Abstract

The European Renaissance is traditionally described as a revival of classical learning that emerged within Europe during the late medieval and early modern periods. However, such interpretations often neglect the crucial intellectual contributions of scholars from Central Asia. This article examines the role of Central Asian thinkers in preserving, advancing, and transmitting scientific and philosophical knowledge that later became fundamental to the European Renaissance. Prominent scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Al-Biruni made original contributions in mathematics, medicine, philosophy, and natural sciences. Through translation movements centered in the Islamic world and southern Europe, their works entered Latin intellectual circles and European universities between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. Using qualitative historical analysis, this study explores the mechanisms of knowledge transmission and evaluates the influence of Central Asian scholarship on Renaissance thought. The findings demonstrate that the Renaissance was not an isolated European phenomenon but the result of long-term intercultural exchange. Recognizing the role of Central Asian scholars contributes to a more balanced and global understanding of intellectual history and highlights the shared foundations of modern science and philosophy.