Which Tibetan empire controlled important Silk Road routes across Central Asia in the eighth century?

The Tibetan Empire controlled important Silk Road routes across Central Asia in the eighth century.

At its height, the Tibetan Empire extended from the Tibetan Plateau into parts of Central Asia, the Tarim Basin, and the Himalayan region. Its expansion brought it into repeated conflict and negotiation with Tang China, the Abbasid Caliphate, and other neighboring powers.

Tibetan control of strategic corridors affected movement through the mountain passes and oasis states of Inner Asia. The empire also supported diplomatic, military, and commercial contacts linking China, India, Nepal, and Central Asian polities.

The empire reached a major turning point with the 821–822 Treaty of Chang’an, which formalized peace between Tibet and Tang China. It later fragmented during the ninth century. The Tibetan Empire should not be confused with the much later Tibetan Buddhist polities that ruled parts of the plateau.