meaning - "There had emerged"

There had emerged on the steppes of Inner Eurasia the distinctive types of pastoralism that were to dominate the region’s history for several millennia.

I have questions about the excerpt above:

1. What is the meaning of "there" in "there had emerged", which tense is that, can I say it in a different way and how?


2. Why the writer used "were to dominate" not "were dominating"?