Turgesh khaganate: sources and history of the study

The Türgesh were a Turkic tribal confederation who emerged from the ruins of the Western Turkic Kaganate. In time, the Turgesh, themselves a branch of the greater Tardush (Tulu, Dulo) subdivision of the On Okh (Onoq, Ten Arrows) or Western Turks, managed to build up a considerable if short-lived Kaganate (699-766), attested by minting of Türgesh coins.

The foundation of the Türgesh Kaganate was precipitated by anti-Ashina Türgesh rebellion. The counter-Ashina movement of Türgeshes ended in 699 with a capture of Suyab. The founder of the first dynasty of the Türgesh state before the enthronization was a Tutuk (commander) of the Talas district and a town Balu, which name symbolizes some sacred relation to a divine or heavenly sphere. The first Türgesh Kagan was called Yuzlik, he was a leader of the Manichean consortium yüz er "hundred men". In 706 his son Sakal inherited him. Both first Kagans had a church rank of Yuzlik. Their residence (Great horde) was in the city Suyab in the valley of the river Chu. Sakal younger brother Chjenu dissented, but unable to take the throne in Suyab asked for military support from the Eastern Türkic Kapagan-Kagan, starting a cruel Eastern Türkic campaign against Türgeshes in 708 that ended with the death of Chjenu.

In Chinese sources the Türgesh name first appeared in 651, by that time they dwelt in Ili Valley, and disappears after 766. The Turgesh Kaganate seems to have come into existence towards the end of the 7th century, after a massive revolt against the Western Turkic khan, a Chinese puppet. The Turgesh leader was Ushyly (Wushile), who titled himself Baga Tarkhan and led a strong army to victory, putting the puppet khan to full speed flight. His power soon spanned from present-day Zhetysu area to Turpan and Kucha.

Ushyly Kaghan then decided to ally with Tang China and the Kyrgyz people to stem the rise of the Second Göktürk Empire, ruled by Khapghan Kaghan. Turgesh and Göktürks/Türküts clashed in 698 in a battle fought at Bolchu (in modern Dzungaria) where the latter side, led by Bilge Tonyukuk, prevailed: the Yabgu (Ruler of West) and Shad (Ruler of East) of the Turgesh were killed and Ushyly Kaghan himself was taken prisoner and had to concede vassalage.

Eight years after this burning defeat, Ushyly died and was replaced by his son, Soko, who fought to retain independence from the Göktürks/Türküts. He was defeated in 701 in Transoxiana, southeast of Samarkand, again by Tonyukuk, and finally in 711, when he was killed at Bolchu against Kül Tigin and Bilge Shad as he was trying to strike an alliance with Tang China. The Turgesh were put under the rule of Bars Bek; as we know from the Orkhon Inscriptions in those years the main subdivision in Kara (Black) and Sary (Yellow) Turgesh was established. Maybe sensing the impending disaster, Soko's brother Chenu had revolted even before the battle and fled to the court of Kapagan Kaghan.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1861