Monday, February 16, 2015

Turkish language

Central Asian people who were not Chinese used this system at some time in the past, including the Turks." Isenbike Togan concluded that the Turkish word for 'freezing' came from Chinese word 'dong[4]'. Reader jianx mentioned that "...many words have similar sound and meaning as chinese -- the madarin... A few examples: Chinese: Bo2: father's brother --> turkish: Bey: same meaning( more general); Wa(1)Di(4): low land --> Vadi: valley; Shui(3): water --> Sui: water; Jie(2): sister --> ajia: female relative, sister. ...Turkish people have chinese last names. For example, Turkish 'Tan' is obviously a chinese last name. In turkish, it means 'sunrise', which is nearly identical to 'Dan(4)' in chinese --- the Zhou Dynasty's famous Zhou(1)Gong(1) Dan(4) --- you should know it means that the sun is rising over the horizon."

Turks and Uygur

http://www.imperialchina.org/Turks_Uygurs.shtml

The control of the area of Mongolia had passed from the Turks to the Uygurs, then to the Kyrgyz. (The Kyrgyz were said to be the last Turkic people to have resided in Mongolia, but in the section on Mongols, we had listed quite a few groups of people who appeared to be more Turkic than the later Mongols.) 


Xueyantuo (薛延陀), ethnic Shatuo

The Xueyantuo (薛延陀) (Seyanto, Se-yanto, Se-Yanto) or Syr-Tardush were an ancient Tiele Turkic people and Turkic khanate in central/northern Asia who were at one point vassals of the Gokturks, later aligning with China's Tang Dynasty against the Eastern Gokturks. Xueyantuo started from Selenga River/Xueyanhe River (薛延河江/偰輦河江), so tribe name is Seyanto/Xueyantuo (薛延陀), Chinese Han character undergo considerable revision by rise and fall of Chinese Dynasty, so have many name as Xueyantuo,XueyanheXienianhe, Seyanto, Selenga, Selyanha, etc.

On August 1, 646, they were defeated by the Uyghur (Huihu, 回纥) and the Chinese. The Xueyantuo's Duomi Khan, Bazhuo, was killed by the Uyghur. A Tang army led by the general Li Daozong, the Prince of Jiangxia crushed the Xueyantuo forces. The last Xueyantuo khan, the Yitewushi Khan Duomozhi, surrendered.[8] For a (disputed) relationship with the later Shato Turks, see Shato. Their remnants were destroyed two years later, on September 15.


The Tang Huiyao also asserted that the rulers of Xueyantuo claimed to be originally named Xue (薛/偰), and that the name of the tribe was changed to Xueyantuo after the Xue defeated and merged the Yantuo into their tribe.[15]
During the late Tang Dynasty, a group of Xueyantuo remnants known as Shatuo began to play a very important role in Chinese politics. Leaders of the following Jin Kingdom, theLater Tang, the Later Jin, the Later Han and the Northern Han state during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms were largely ethnic Shatuo.

The Uighurs who replaced the Turkic Empire referred to Turkic Empire as Turk-Kıvchak.[2] in their monuments. Thus it seems that the names Sir and Kıvchak were used interchangeably and Kıvchak was the name Sir people assumed after the collapse of the Turkic Empire. The new name Kıvchak means "unfortunate" in Proto Turkic. This probably referred to the problems they encountered after the collapse of the empire. The remains of the Kıvchak people escaped to west to Kimek (or Yemek ) territory. TheKipchak people of the later era were undoubtedly the Kıvchak of the 8th century.

Turkic Influence on the Western world and China

Nationalist Uygurs, at http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1730/buh.html, stated that "after 210 B.C., the Uygurs played important roles in the Hun (220 B.C. - 386 A.D.), Tabgach (To'pa) (386-554 A.D.), and Kok Turk (552-744 A.D.) empires which were established in Central Asia".   This statement would be erroneous in its lumping together different groups of people.  

In China, the 16 Nations (AD 304-420) were comprised of various nomadic groups of people: the Huns, the Jie-hu, the Xianbei (including the Wuhuan & Tuoba), the Qiang, & the Di. Ultimately, the Tuoba (To'pa), who were of Xianbei heritage, took over northern China. Leftover Huns were absorbed by the Ruruan, and the Ruruan were subsequently defeated and exterminated by the Turks.


The Tuoba would deal with the onslaughts by the Ruruans first and then the Turks. The Tuoba got sinicized in northern China. Ultimately, Tuoba Wei Dynasty would be usurped by two generals of the Xianbei heritage. Northern Qi and Northern Zhou replaced the two Tuoba Wei dynasties. Sui China would be built on Northern Zhou Dynasty of the Yuwen clan. 


The Turks, specifically called Tujüe or Tujue (Turks) at the time of North Dynasties (AD 386-581) and Sui/Tang Dynasties, asserted themselves in late time period of Tuoba Northern Wei Dynasty (A.D. 386-533). Tuoba Wei split into Eastern and Western Wei Dynasties in A.D. 534. The Turks rebelled against the Ruruans in A.D. 546-553.

According to History of Northern Dynasties and Zizhi Tongjian, in 545 Tumen's tribe started to rise and frequently invaded the western frontier of Wei. The chancellor of Western Wei Yuwen Tai sent An Nuopanto (Nanai-Banda, a Sogdian from Bukhara[9]) to Kök Türks to greet its chieftain Tumen to try to establish commercial relationship.[10][11] In 546, Tumen presented tribute to Western Wei.[11]
And in the same year he put down a revolt of the Tiele tribes against their overlords the Rouran Khaganate.



Bumin Qaghan (Old TurkicOld Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter G1.svgOld Turkic letter Q.svg Old Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter M.svgOld Turkic letter O.svgOld Turkic letter B1.svg, Bumïn qaγan,[2] a.k.a. Bumın Kagan) or Illig Qaghan (Chinese: 伊利可汗, Pinyin: yīlì kěhàn, Wade–Giles: i-li k'o-han, died 552 AD) was the founder of the Turkic Khaganate. He was the eldest son of Ashina Tuwu (吐務 / 吐务).[3] He was the chieftain of the Turkic people under the sovereignty of Rouran Khaganate.[4][5][6][7] He is also mentioned as "Tumen" (, 吐門, commander of ten thousand[8]) of the Rouran Khaganate.


He took advantage of this success and requested a Rouran princess in marriage. But the qaghan of Rouran Anagui refused this request and sent to Bumin a mission and message: You are my blacksmith slave. How dare you utter these words?. Bumin got angry and killed Anagui's mission and cut all relationship with Rouran Khaganate.[10][12][13][14]
Anagui's "blacksmith" ( / 锻奴, Pinyin: duàn nú, Wade–Giles: tuan-nu) insult was recorded in Chinese chronicles and historians accepted that the Kök Türks were indeed blacksmith servants for the Rouran elite,[4][5][6][7] and that "blacksmith slavery" may indicate a kind of vassalage system prevailed in Rouran society.[15] Nevertheless, after this incident Bumin emerged as the leader of the revolt against Rouran.

Anagui's "blacksmith" ( / 锻奴, Pinyin: duàn nú, Wade–Giles: tuan-nu) insult was recorded in Chinese chronicles and historians accepted that the Kök Türks were indeed blacksmith servants for the Rouran elite,[4][5][6][7] and that "blacksmith slavery" may indicate a kind of vassalage system prevailed in Rouran society.[15] Nevertheless, after this incident Bumin emerged as the leader of the revolt against Rouran.
In 551, Bumin requested a Western Wei princess in marriage. Yuwen Tai permitted it and sent Princess Changle of Western Wei to Bumin.[10][12][13] In the same year whenEmperor Wen of Western Wei died Bumin sent mission and gave two hundred horses.
The beginning of formal diplomatic relations with China propped up Bumin's authority among the Turks. He eventually united the local Turkic tribes and threw off the yoke of the Rouran domination.


In 552 Bumin's army defeated Anagui's forces at the north of Huaihuang and then Anagui committed suicide.[12] With their defeat Bumin proclaimed himself "Illig Qaghan" and made his wife qaghatun.[12] According to the Bilge Qaghan's memorial complex and the Kul Tigin's memorial complex, Bumin and Istemi ruled people by Turkic laws and they developed them.[2][16]

Bumin died within several months after proclaiming himself Illig Qaghan. He was succeeded by his younger brother Istemi in the western part and by his son Issik Qaghan in the eastern part. In less than one century, his khaganate expanded to comprise most of Central Asia.

Turkic Empire was a vast empire in Asia and parts of East Europe. Up to 603, while the east part of the empire was considered as the main empire, the western part (roughly west of Altai and Tengri Mountains) was considered as the dependency of the main empire. Western part was ruled by a yabgu (Yabgu was the title of a co-khagan who was tasked to rule the western territories in behalf of the main khagan)
Turkic Khaganate was a vast khaganate (empire); from Manchuria and Chinese wall to Black sea.[4] It was impossible to govern the whole khaganate from a certain capital. So while the eastern part was directly ruled by the khagan (emperor), the western part was governed by yabgu (vassal) in behalf of the khagan. The capital of the west wasOrdukent (Suyab) (present day Kyrgyzistan). Istemi who was the khagan's brother was the first and Tardu (İstemi's son) was the second yabgu.


Istämi (553 - 575AD) was the ruler of the western part of the Göktürks, the Western Turkic Khaganate and dominated the Sogdians.[1] He was the yabgu (vassal) of his brother Bumin Qaghan in 553 AD. His son was TarduDuring his rule Istami established diplomatic relations with the Persian and Byzantine Empires, defeated the Hepthalites (Yeda), and acted as an elder statesman during the disintegration of the eastern half of the empire. We know a great deal about him from the diplomatic missions of the Byzantine Empire.
As the brother of Tuman he ruled the far-western region of their khanate. His son was Tardu. As a Yabghu, he was autonomous and had de facto sovereignty while officially recognizing the authority of the qaghan. After Khushu’s death he arranged the division of the territory into three realms east, central, and west and distributed them between Jotan, Arslan, and Shetu, respectively.
İstemi and İstemihan are Turkish given names honouring him.
Tamgan’s father was İstemi yabgu who was the younger brother of Bumin, the founder of the empire. İstemi died in 576 and he was succeeded by Tamgan and Tamgan's elder brother Tardu. Although most of the western territories were ruled by Tardu, Volga River region was under Tamgan's rule. According to Cambridge History of Inner Asia, Tardu was Tamgan's superior.[2] (Cambridge History also questions whether or not Tardu and Tamgan were brothers.)

Relations with the Byzantine Empire

Because of the geographic position of his region, Tamgan was responsible in diplomatic relations with Byzantine Empire. (Hence, the historical sources about Tamgan are mostly the reports of Byzantine envoys). Inıtially Turkic and Byzantine Empires were allies against Sassanid Iran and Eurasian Avars. However, according to Byzantine historianMenander Protector, a Byzantine envoy named Valentinos visited Tamgan's headquarters where Tamgan accused Byzantines for the recently signed treaty between the Byzantine Empire and the Avars. He said that the Byzantines were liars and had ten tongues, meaning they were unreliable as allies. He also threatened the Byzantine side mentioning the rivers Danapr, Istr and Evr. (Former names of DnieperDanube and Maritsa.) [3] Following this accusation, Turks began to capture Byzantine possessions around north east Black Sea coasts and even Crimea. Briefly, a part of Bosporan Kingdom in Crimea, a vassal of Byzantine Empire fell to Turks.[4] Tardu effectively fought in this area, but left his gains to Tamgan. (About half a century later Byzantine Turkic relations recovered and Turks collaborated with Heraclius in the invasion of North Caucasus.)

[Ashina Shidianmi (Istemi Kagan), i.e., Tumen Khan's brother and Muchu Khan's uncle, who stayed behind while Tumen was campaigning east against the Ruruans, conducted a western campaign in A.D. 552. Ashina Shidianmi allied with Khosrau I of the Sassanid Empire in attacking the Ye-da, and by A.D. 558, defeated the Yeda and divided the Yeda land at the River Amu Darya. Then, Ashina Shidianmi expelled the Avars to the Volga, for which he was promoted to be khan. In A.D. 567, Ashina Shidianmi crossed the River Amu Darya to take over the area in today's Afghanistan in an alliance with the East Romans against the Sassanids. (In A.D. 576, Datou, i.e., Ashina Shidianmi's son, succeeded the Western Turkic Khanate.) Hence, the Turks controlled the vast territories extending from Central Asia, today's Chinese Turkistan to Manchuria. The Turks were recorded to have about 28 levels of officials, including Yehu, She(4), Teqin, Silifa, Tudunfa etc. They had the same customs as the Scandinavian pirates in that they would burn the dead body of their chieftan together with the belongings like horses and clothes. Tents were always opened towards the east where the sun rose.]

Issik Qaghan was the second ruler of the Turkic Khaganate
Muqan Qaghan;[1] (Old TurkicOld Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter G1.svgOld Turkic letter Q.svg Old Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter Q.svgOld Turkic letter O.svgOld Turkic letter M.svg, Muqan qaγan,[2] Chinese:木桿可汗/木杆可汗, Pinyin: mùgǎn kěhàn, Wade-Giles: mu-kan k'o-han or 木汗可汗, mùhàn kěhàn, mu-han k'o-han, personal name: 阿史那燕都, āshǐnà yàndōu, a-shih-na yen-to) was the second son of Bumin Qaghan and the third khagan of the Göktürks who expanded their khagan and secured the borders against the Hephthalites.
This expansion also pushed against the Avars who were driven toward the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire and eventually toward the Danube. Other tribes of the Central Asia, such as the eastern Bulgars were also displaced.[3]
Muqan Qaghan
Preceded by
Issik Qaghan
Khagan of the Turkic Khaganate
554–572
Succeeded by
Taspar Qaghan

Taspar Qaghan[1] or Tatpar Qaghan was the third son of Bumin Qaghan and Wei Changle (長樂公主), and the fourth khagan of the Turkic Khaganate (572–581).[4] Unlike his father and older brothers he embraced Chinese culture, especiallyBuddhism. He was converted to Buddhism[5] by the Qi monk Huilin, for whom he built a pagoda. Taspar's death marked the beginning of a long decline and subjugation of the Göktürks to China.

Taspar's death created a dynastic crisis in the Khaganate. His Chinese wife Qianjin survived him, but Taspar bequeathed the throne of the Empire to Talopien, the son of his elder brother Muqan Qaghan. His bequest ran contrary to the traditional system of inheritance which demanded the throne to be passed to the son of the eldest brother, Ishbara. The council rejected the legality of Taspar's will and appointed Ishbrara as the next khagan. Talopien's faction did not recognize Ishbara and vice-versa. This crisis ultimately resulted in the civil war of 581-603, which greatly weakened the state.



Tardu became the yabgu in 575. Tardu (died 603) was the second yabgu and the first khagan of the Western Turkic KhaganateAccording to Lev Gumilev his personal name was Kara-Churin-Turk. 

Being a very ambitious yabgu he was planning to seize power in whole khaganate. He saw his chance in 581 when khagan Taspar died. Taspar had announced his preference for Talopien instead of his son Anluo. But Göktürk kurultay (council of tribal leaders) which was authorized to appoint the new khagan refused the former kagan's will and appointed the former khagan's son who in turn acknowledged Ishbara as the new khagan.[3] This gave Tardu the necessary cause to interfere. He sent an army to back Talopien. Ishbara applied Sui China for protection and both contestants were played off against each other by China.


While the east part of the khaganate suffered from civil war, Tardu was waiting for a suitable moment to realize his plans. He establisahed hegemony on Caucasus (future Khazar Khanette). After the Battle of Blarathon in 591 in Sassanid PersiaBahram Chobin who was a short term Sasanid empreror, sought asylum in Western Turks.[5]
In 599 Tardu declared himself to be khagan of the united khaganate (east and west)[6] But his new status was not recognised widely. Probably to persuade the kurultay, he began a campaign against China. But unlike Turks of eastern part his target of campaign was too far away and his army suffered intensely from the poisoned waterwells during the long expedition through the steps. Finally, he had to retreat without serious combats. But this defeat was disastrous for him. After a rebellion of his subjects, he disappeared from the scene (probably was killed) in 603 or 604.

Western Turkic Empire in present day Turkestan was founded as the result of the partition of the main empire after the death of Tardu in 603. It was also called On Ok ("Ten arrows") referring to ten powerful tribes in the empire. Five tribes (so-called Dulo) to the northeast and five tribes to the southwest (so-called Nushibi) formed the two rival factions, the border line being Ili River.

Ishbara Qaghan reign marks the official split between East and West Turkic khaganates. He bequeathed the title of khagan to his brother Chulo-Hou.
Ishbara Qaghan (Old TurkicOld Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter G1.svgOld Turkic letter Q.svg Old Turkic letter A.svgOld Turkic letter R1.svgOld Turkic letter B1.svgOld Turkic letter SH.svgOld Turkic letter I.svg, Ϊšbara qaγan,[1] 沙缽略可汗/沙钵略可汗, Pinyin: shābōlüè kěhàn, Wade-Giles: sha-po-lüeh, alternative names: Shapolo, full name: Il Kül Shad Bagha Ishbara Qaghan 伊利俱盧設莫何始波羅可汗/伊利俱卢设莫何始波罗可汗, personal name: 阿史那攝圖/阿史那摄图, āshǐnà shètú, a-shih-na she-t'u) (before 540—587) was the first son of Issik Qaghan, grandson of Bumin Qaghan, and the fifth khagan of the first Eastern Turkic Khaganate (581 - 587).

The first son of Kelo, grandson of Tumen, fifth khagan of the Göktürk Empire, he was appointed to the throne by the high council as the legal resolution to the crisis created by his uncle Taspar Qaghan who had bequeathed the title of khagan to his nephew Talopien (son of Muqan Qaghan).


Ishibara married Princess Qianjin of Northern Zhou and accepted refugees from the Chen Dynasty, two moves that were undertaken to legitimize his authority. One of the envoys in his wife's escort was the spy/ambassador Zhangsun Sheng. He managed to become a friend of Ishibara, and spent many years with the Turks. Chang Sun-Sheng's knowledge about the customs and institutions of the Gokturks was of great importance for the Sui Empire.
In order to end the civil war Ishbara finally acknowledged the Sui Dynasty as his overlords. With the help of the Chinese he defeated his main rival, Tardu in 603 by poisoning the wells which his army needed to cross the desert into China. In the end Ishibara succeeded in saving the khaganate, albeit at the price of losing his sovereignty. His reign marks the official split between East and West Turkic khaganates. He bequeathed the title of khagan to his brother Chulo-Hou.
The old turkish name Seto or Shetu means white dragon. It was a cultural act to give this name to a boy, when a family member has dreamed about this white dragon.
Bagha Qaghan was the seventh ruler (587-589) of the Turkic Kaganate.[1] He was killed with an arrow by Persian commanderBahrām Chobin during First Perso-Turkic War.[2] He is given as Čulohóu in Chinese records, and as Šāwa, Sāva, or Sāba inSasanian-based sources.

The First Perso-Turkic War[citation needed] was fought during 588-589[8] between the Sassanid Persians and Hephthalite principalities and its lord the Göktürks. The conflict started with the invasion of the Persian Empire by the Turks and ended with a decisive Sassanid victory and the conquest of the Eastern Turks.


In 558, Khosrau I, Shah of Sassanid Persia, allied with the Göktürks to defeat the Hephthalites. The campaign was successful and the region north of the Oxus went to the Turks and the south came under Sassanid rule. However, in the 580's, the Turks once again commenced with their raids on the Silk Road and in 588, the Hephthalites, who were now part of the Western Turkic Khaganate, invaded the empire once more.
Bahram Chobin was chosen to lead an army against them. According to Shahbazi, Bahram's army consisted of 12,000 hand picked Savaran, Persia's elite soldiers. His army ambushed a large army of Turks and Hephthalites in April 588, at the battle of Hyrcanian rock,[9] and again in 589, capturing Balkh. He then proceeded to cross the Oxus river and managed to repulse the Turkic Invasion and taking over Hephthalite territory that was occupied by the Turks.
It is reputed that an arrow shot by Bahram killed the Eastern Turkic Khagan, Bagha/Yabghu Qaghan,[10] known as Ch'u-lo-hou by the Chinese .
Ferdowsi's Shahnameh (C.E. 1010) describes in legendary detail the dealings of Bahram Chubin and the Turkic "King Sawa" before and during the battle in which Bahram with his 12,000 kills Sawa.

Tulan Qaghan, personal name: 阿史那雍虞閭/阿史那雍虞闾, āshǐnà yōngyúlǘ, a-shih-na yung-yü-lü) was the son of Ishbara and the seventh qaghan (Khaqan) of the Turkic Khaganate. He married his father's wife, Northern Zhou's Princess Qianjin, now known under the Sui Dynasty title Princess Dayi. Her new name was given to her by the Sui Emperor Wendi in order to create a marriage alliance with the Turks.
In 593 he collected enough power to stop paying taxes to Emperor Wendi. Secretly, she plotted with Dulan-qaghan's rival, Tuli to attack the Sui Empire when her husband refused. This plot was exposed by Chang sun-sheng, a spy of the Sui Empire.

Yаmi Qaghan, personal name: Ashina Jankan, at one point known as Tolis Qaghan and after yìlì zhēndòu qǐmín kěhàn, son of Ishbara Qaghan (Ashina Shetu), was the eighth qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
He conspired with princess Dai to overthrow Sui dynasty, but later killed her on Sui orders to marry the princess Anyi, who in turn was assassinated by Yung-Yulu. He fled to China, and returned only after the death of Tulan Qaghan. He married Princess Yicheng, and ruled as a Chinese vassal. Succeeded by Shibi Qaghan the ninth qaghan.


Heshana Khan[citation needed] (Chinese: 曷娑那可汗, Modern Chinese: (Pinyin): hésuōnà kěhàn, (Wade-Giles): ho-so-na k'o-han, Middle Chinese (Guangyun[ɣɑt.sɑ˥˩nɑ˩ kʰɑ˥ɣɑn˩˥]or 曷薩那可汗/曷萨那可汗, hésànà kěhàn, ho-sa-na k'o-han, died 619), at one point known as Chuluo Khan (處羅可汗/处罗可汗) and (泥厥處羅可汗/泥厥处罗可汗), personal name Ashina Daman (阿史那達漫/阿史那达漫, āshǐnà dámàn, a-shih-na ta-man), was a khan of the Western Turkic Khaganate (Göktürk or Tujue empire). By 619, he was no longer in control of his khanate and was at Chang'an, the capital of China's Tang Dynasty, when Emperor Gaozu of Tang, giving in to Eastern Tujue pressure, had him delivered to Eastern Tujue emissaries to be executed.
Sheguy who was Tardu's grandson and the local governor of Caş (present Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan) was expected to be enthroned after the death of Tardu. But the Dulu clan enthroned Taman (also called Heshana Khan) who was a generation younger than Sheguy. But Taman was a very inexperienced ruler and was a puppet of Dulo clan. Nushibi clan as well as Silk road merchants who suffered from the increasing anarchy supported Sheguy to throne in 611. When Taman partisans arrested a Chinese ambassador to Sheguy, Sheguy revolted and Taman had to flee to Sui China where he was killed.[1]
Sheguy maintained order in his empire and provided security of the silk road. His term marks the beginning of Nushibi supremacy. In 618, he was succeeded by Tong during whose reign Western Turkic Empire reached to apogee.


Sheguy
Preceded by
Taman
Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate
611–618
Succeeded by
Tong

His name is usually translated as "Tiger Yabgu" in Old Turkic.[2] Another interpretation of his name is "sufficiency" or "completeness".[3] He was the brother of Sheguy (r. 611-618), the previous khagan of the western Göktürks, and was a member of the Ashina clan. Tong Yabghu maintained close relations with the Tang Dynasty of China, and may have married into the Imperial family.[6] 
Tong Yabghu's empire fought with the Sassanids of Iran. In the early 620's the khagan's nephew Böri Shad led a series of raids across the Caucasus Mountains into Persian territory.
Tong Yabghu's nephew Böri Shad, and son of Zibil/Ziebel was the commander of the Khazars, the westernmost of the tribes owing allegiance to the Western Göktürks; this branch of the family may have provided the Khazars with their first khagans in the mid seventh century.
Ziebel mentioned in Byzantine sources as having (as khagan of the Khazars) campaigned with the Emperor Heraclius in the Caucasus against the Sassanid Persian Empire in 627-628.
Tong died in 628.Tong Yabghu's uncle, murdered him and rose briefly to the throne. He was murdered by Zibil, his uncle and a partisan of Dula clan. Following the death of Tong Yabghu, the might of the Western Göktürks largely collapsed. Although the khaganate lingered for a few decades before falling to the Chinese Empire, many of the client tribes became independent and a number of successor states, including the Khazar Khaganate and Great Bulgaria, became independent.

The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang visited the western Göktürk capital Suyab in modern Kyrgyzstan and left a description of the khagan. Scholars believe the khagan described by Xuanzang was Tong Yabghu.[7] Gao and La Vaissière argue that the khagan Xuanzang met was his son Si Yabghu, rather than Tong Yabghu.[8][9] Xuanzang described the khagan as follows:
The khan wore a green satin robe; his hair, which was ten feet long, was free. A band of white silk wound round his forehead and hung down behind. The ministers of the presence,[10] numbering two hundred in number, all wearing embroidered robes, stood on his right and left. The rest of his military retinue [was] clothed in fur, serge and fine wool, the spears and standards and bows in order, and the riders of camels and horses stretched far out of [sight].[11]
According to the Old Book of Tang, Tong Yabghu's reign was once considered as the golden age of Western Göktürk Khaganate:
Tong Yehu Kaghan is a man of bravery and astuteness. He is good at art of war. Thus he controlled Tiele tribes to the north, confronted Persia to the west, connected with Kasmira (nowadays Kashmir) to the south. All countries are subjected to him. He controlled ten thousands of men with arrow and bow, establishing his power over the western region. He occupied the land of Wusun and moved his tent to Qianquan north of Tashkent. All of the princes of western region assumed the Turk office of Jielifa. Tong Yehu Kaghan also sent a Tutun to monitor them for imposition. The power of Western Turks had never reached such a state before".[12]
Western Turkic Empire in present day Turkestan was founded as the result of the partition of the main empire after the death of Tardu in 603. It was also called On Ok ("Ten arrows") referring to ten powerful tribes in the empire. Five tribes (so-called Dulo) to the northeast and five tribes to the southwest (so-called Nushibi) formed the two rival factions, the border line being Ili River.


Irbis Seguy
Preceded by
Yukuk Shad
Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate
642–651
Succeeded by
Hallig
 Irbis Seguy (I Pi She Kui) was a ruler of the Western Turkic Khaganate (Western Turkic Empire) in the 7th century.
He was Ishbara Tolis's grandson. In 642, he succeeded Yukuk Shad a member of Ashina dynasty from the Eastern Khaganate. Although, Yukuk Shad was still active and controlling a part of the territory, Irbis Seguy had the support of Nushibi tribes. During the early years of his reign the rivalry between the Nushibi and Dulo clan cooled off. In 646 he applied to Tang China for marrying a royal princess. Emperor Taizong of Tang however stipulated the return of several Silk Road cities to China. This request ended the short term peace between China and the Western Khaganate. Two years later several Dulo leaders took refuge in China. With them the khaganate also lost Dzungaria (roughly the northern half of present Chinese Turkestan) to China. In 651 Irbis Seguy was defeated by Hallig (his grandfather's nephew) who was supported by the Dulo klan (and probably Tang China).

Özmiş Khagan (ChineseWu-su-mi-shih) was the last khagan (ruler) of the Turkic Empire (Göktürks). His father Pan Kültiğin was a shad (governor) of the empire during the reign of Bilge Kutluk Khagan (also called Tengli or Tengri). Although Pan Kültiğin had staged a successful coup against Kutluk Bilge, he was killed during a battle against Basmyls, a Turkic people. Following a short and turbulent term where Kutlug Yabgu Kagan tried to restore the authority without success, Özmiş was elected as the new khagan in 742.
The policiy of Tang China was to vassalize all people to the north of Chinese border line and Özmiş was also expected to pay respect. Initially, Özmiş agreed to visit emperorXuanzong’s court and pay respect to the emperor, but then he changed his mind and tried to keep his independence. His reluctance annoyed the emperor and the emperor tasked his general Wang-Chung-ssu to arrest Özmiş. Wang-Chung-ssu organized a coalition of three Turkic people Basmyl, Uighur and Karluk, who had previously accepted the suzerainty of Chinese emperor, instead of Özmiş. The coalition defeated Özmiş. Although Özmiş escaped he was soon defeated for the second time and was killed in 744.[1]Although the Turkic people elected Özmiş’s son Kulun Beg as their new khagan, his empire is usually considered to be collapsed by the death of Özmiş.

Illig Qaghan[1] (頡利可汗/颉利可汗, Pinyin: xiélì kěhàn, Wade-Giles: hsieh-li k'o-han, Baghatur shad (莫賀咄設/莫贺咄设), personal name: 阿史那咄苾, āshǐnà duōbì, a-shih-na to-pi), later Tang posthumous title Prince Huang of Guiyi (歸義荒王/归义荒王), was the eleventh qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. He attacked the Tang empire and was defeated by a revolt of the Tiele tribes led by the Uyghurs and the Syr-Tardush. He was the final Qaghan of the first Eastern Turkic Khaganate; the Western Turkic Khaganatecontinued for 28 more years.
In 627 he attempted to levy horses from the vassal Tiele tribes after all his livestock died from a summer snowstorm. The Tiele revolted under a Xueyantuo coalition. Emperor Taizong of Tang wasted no time in allying with these Tiele and the Khitans in a joint attack. Bagatur was already facing internal dissent from the Göktürk generals jealous of the influence of Bagatur's Sogdian vizers. Bagatur was defeated and captured in 630. He was bought back to Chang'an to face Taizong. After listing his crimes against the Tang State, Taizong spared the former Qaghan. In his later years, Taizong offered Illig Qaghan military position in the frontier territories, which was turned down by the latter.




Ilterish Qaghan
Preceded by
none
Khagan of the Second Eastern Turkic Khaganate
681–694
Succeeded by
Qapgan Khagan
Ilterish Qaghan[1][2] (Old TurkicOld Turkic letter N1.svgOld Turkic letter G1.svgOld turkic letter Q.png Old Turkic letter S2.svgOld Turkic letter R2.svgOld Turkic letter T2.svgOld Turkic letter L2.svgOld Turkic letter I.svg, Elteris qaγan,[3][4] 頡跌利施可汗/颉跌利施可汗, personal name: Ashina Qutlugh, 阿史那骨篤祿/阿史那骨笃禄, āshǐnà gǔdǔlù, a-shih-na ku-tu-lu) (died 694), was the founder of the Second Turkic Khaganate (reigning 682–694). In the 680s he left the sinicized tribes near China and returned to the Mongolian steppe, from where he raised an army and reconquered most of the lands of the first Eastern Turkic Khaganate. His name Il-teris means uniter, refounder (teriş) of the nation (il). He was succeeded by his brother, Qapaghan Qaghan, because his son Bilge Qaghan was too young.

KutluKutluğ and İlter are common masculine Turkish given names, which are used in memory of Ilterish Qaghan.
Ilterish Qaghan was the head of the Ashina and distantly related to the Khagans of the first Göktürk Khaganate.[5]