Capital: Samarkand . It continued until 1857 as the Mughal Empire of India - Europe Franks, Vikings, other Germanic tribes. Variangians = Kievan Russia, Vladimir. Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263), Prince of Novgorod & the Mongols. Moscow, Ivan III (1440-1505): expulsion of the Mongols. Feudalism: Castles, serfs, knights. Catholic Church, monasticism, struggle for power