Kyrgyz Khaganate

Short description: Turkic empire in the 9th and 10th centuries

State of the Kyrgyz

𐰴𐰃𐰼𐰏𐰃𐰕:𐰅𐰠
Qyrğyz El

539–1207[1]

Hypothetical extent of territory in the 9th century

Status| Khaganate (Nomadic empire)
Capital|

* Ordu-Baliq[2]
* Tuva (since 970)

[3]
Common languages|

* Orkhon Turkic language (official)
* Old Turkic language

Religion

* Tengrism (official)
* Buddhism
* Manichaeism

Government| Monarchy
Khagan (Īnāl)|

• 693–711

| Bars Bek (first)

• 847–866

| Yingwu (last)
History|

• Established

| 539

• Disestablished

| 1207[1]

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Uyghur Khaganate

|

| Liao dynasty |

|

Mongol Empire |

The Kyrgyz Khaganate (Chinese: 黠戛斯汗國, Template:Lang-otk) was a Turkic empire that existed for about a century between the early 9th and 10th centuries. It ruled over the Yenisei Kyrgyz people, who had been located in southern Siberia since the 6th century. By the 9th century, the Kyrgyz had asserted dominance over the Uyghurs who had previously ruled the Kyrgyz. The empire was established as a khaganate from 539 to 1218, lasting 679 years.[1] The khaganate's territory at its height would briefly include parts of modern-day China , Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Russia . After the 10th century, there was little information on the Yenisei Kyrgyz. It is believed the khaganate had survived in its traditional homeland until 1207.

## Contents

* 1 Periodization
* 2 History
* 2.1 Bars Khagan
* 2.2 Relations with Tang dynasty
* 3 Khagans
* 4 References

## Periodization

* 693: Bars Bek founded the state
* 711: The Second Turkic Khaganate won the Battle of Sayan Mountains
* 758: The Uyghur Khaganate conquers the Kyrgyz Khaganate
* 840: The Kyrgyz Khaganate conquers the Uyghur Khaganate
* 840–924: Imperial period

## History

The earliest records of Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate were written during the Tang dynasty. The Kyrgyz did not keep reliable written records during this period.

Before 201 BC, Xiongnu chanyu Modun conquered the Kyrgyzes, then known to Chinese as Gekun (鬲昆), along with the Hunyu (渾庾), Qushe (屈射), Dingling (丁零), and Xinli (薪犁).[4]

In 50 BC, Xiongnu chanyu Zhizhi defeated the Wusun, Wujie (Oguzes?[5]), Dinglings and Jiankun (Kyrgyzes).[6] During those times, Kyrgyz people lived in the Borohoro Mountains and the Manas River valley on east Tengir-Too, about 7,000 li (4,000 km) west of Ordos – the center of Xiongnu's territory.[citation needed]

In Chinese historiography, the Kyrgyzes' endonym was first transcribed as Gekun (or Ko-kun; Chinese: 鬲昆) or Jiankun (or Chien-kun; Chinese: 堅昆) in Records of the Grand Historian and Book of Han, respectively.[7] other transcriptions are Jiegu (結骨), Hegu (紇骨), Hegusi (紇扢斯), Hejiasi (紇戛斯), Hugu (護骨), Qigu (契骨), Juwu (居勿), and Xiajiasi (黠戛斯),[8] Peter Golden reconstructs underlying *Qïrğïz < *Qïrqïz< *Qïrqïŕ and suggests a derivation from Old Turkic qïr 'gray' (horse color) plus suffix -q(X)ŕ/ğ(X)ŕ ~ k(X)z/g(X)z.[9][10]

They were largely subordinate to the Göktürks from 560s to 700s.[1] Kyrgyz khagan Bars Bek was a brother-in-law to Bilge Khagan. His son ruled Kyrgyzs after Bars Bek's defeated in hands of Qapaghan in 710.[11] After Turkic downfall, they submitted to Uyghurs.[12] Their leader Bayanchur killed the Kyrgyz leader and appointed a new Kyrgyz khagan named Bilge Tong Erkin (毗伽頓頡斤).

### Bars Khagan

Elegest inscription

After an unsuccessful campaign against the Kyrgyz in 693, the Gokturk khagan Qapaghan was forced to recognize the title of Khagan for the Kyrgyz ruler Bars Bek and even tried to conclude a dynastic alliance with him by marrying his "younger sister-princess" to him. However, this only temporarily dulled the most acute contradictions between the Gokturks and the Kyrgyz, who fought for dominance over Central Asia. In 707 and 709 Kyrgyz envoys visited the Tang Empire twice. At this time, the Gokturks were at war with the Tang Empire and the Kyrgyz found themselves in a new coalition with the Türgesh, Chik, Az and Tang Empire. The greatest danger to the Gokturks during this period was represented by the Kyrgyz who gained strength. In 709, the Gokturk army defeated the Chiks and Azs, capturing Tuva and a bridgehead for the invasion of the Kyrgyz lands. Bars Khagan did not dare to intervene, hoping for the impregnability of their lands beyond the Sayan Mountains. However, in the winter of 710–711. the Gokturk army, having made a roundabout maneuver, crossed the Sayan Range and suddenly fell upon the Kyrgyz. As a result of the defeat in Battle of Sayan Mountains, the Kyrgyz army was defeated, the Khagan Bars died. The Kyrgyz state was conquered, Gokturk troops were stationed in the Minusinsk Basin. However, management was handed over to the Kyrgyz ruler. Already in 711, China arrived Kyrgyz embassy. Perhaps it was sent by Bars Khagan before his death in the hope of help. In 722 and 723 two arrived in Tang Empire Kyrgyz embassies headed by tegin Isibo Sheyuzhe Bishi Sygin and Tegin Juili Pinhezhong Sigin.[13]

### Relations with Tang dynasty

Template:Continental Asia in 900 CE The first embassy to Yenisei Kyrgyz was sent during reign of the Emperor Taizong of Tang, in 632.[14] He received Kyrgyz ambassador named Shiboqu Azhan (失鉢屈阿棧) who was later appointed to the Yanran (燕然) Commandery.

The Kyrgyz khagans claimed descent from the Han dynasty general Li Ling, grandson of the general Li Guang.[15][16][17] Li Ling was captured by the Xiongnu and defected in the first century BCE.[18][19] And since the Tang imperial Li family also claimed descent from Li Guang, the Kyrgyz khagan was therefore recognized as a member of the Tang imperial family. This relationship soothed the relationship when Kyrgyz khagan Are (阿熱) invaded the Uyghur Khaganate and put Qasar Qaghan to the sword. The news brought to Chang'an by Kyrgyz ambassador Zhuwu Hesu (註吾合素).

Yenisei Kyrgyz tableware and altar

> The Khitan ruler Abaoji did extend his influence onto the Mongolian Plateau in 924, but there is no indication whatsoever of any conflict with the Kyrgyz. The only information we have from Khitan (Liao) sources regarding the Kyrgyz indicates that the two powers maintained diplomatic relations. Scholars who write of a Kyrgyz "empire" from about 840 to about 924 are describing a fantasy. All available evidence suggests that despite some brief extensions of their power onto the Mongolian Plateau, the Kyrgyz did not maintain a significant political or military presence there after their victories in the 840s.[1]

> - Michael Drompp

The Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate of the Are family bolstered his ties and alliance to the Tang imperial family against the Uyghur Khaganate by claiming descent from the Han dynasty general Li Ling who had defected to the Xiongnu and married a Xiongnu princess, daughter of Qiedihou Chanyu and was sent to govern the Jiankun (Ch'ien-K'un) region which later became Yenisei. Li Ling was a grandson of Li Guang (Li Kuang) of the Longxi Li family descended from Laozi which the Tang dynasty Li imperial family claimed descent from.[20] The Yenisei Kyrgyz and Tang dynasty launched a victorious successful war between 840 and 848 to destroy the Uyghur Khaganate and its centre at the Orkhon valley using their claimed familial ties as justification for an alliance.[21] Tang forces under General Shi Xiong wounded the Uyghur Khagan (Qaghan) Ögä, seized livestock, took 5,000–20,000 Uyghur Khaganate soldiers captive, killed 10,000 Uyghur Khaganate sources on 13 February 843 at the Battle of Shahu (kill the barbarians) mountain.[22][23][24]

In 845, Are khagan was created Zong Yingxiong Wu Chengming Khagan (Chinese: 宗英雄武誠明可汗; literally: 'Fathering Heroes, Martial and Sincere, Brilliant Khagan') by Emperor Wuzong. But Wuzong died before his ambassadors departed Chang'an. The new emperor Xuanzong did not rush to create him khagan. At a general council of senior officials, they decided that the titles were given to the Uyghurs when they were strong, and if the Yenisei Kyrgyz were awarded as well, they would become proud and become dangerous. The emperor revoked the letter.[1]

After Are's murder by one of his officials in 847, new Kyrgyz khagan was created Yingwu Chengming Khagan (英武誠明可汗) by Xuanzong,[1] who sent Li Ye (李業) to award him the title.

> After the tenth century, there is little additional information regarding the Kyrgyz until their absorption into the Mongol Empire in the thirteenth century. There was a conflict between the Kyrgyz and the Qara Khitai around 1130; the Kyrgyz were not defeated, but there is some speculation that at some point they came under the sway of the Qara Khitai. Almost 80 years later, in 1207/1208, the Kyrgyz submitted to the rising power of the Mongols under Genghis Khan.[1]

> - Michael Drompp

## Khagans

According to the Tobchiyan and Jami' al-tawarikh, title of the Yenisei Kyrgyz Khagan was Īnāl (Persian: اینال, Chinese: 亦纳勒).[25][26]

Personal Name  | Title  | Reign  | Religion  | Dynasty

|
|
|
|

Bars Khagan
𐰴𐰍𐰣‎:𐰉𐰺𐰋𐰏 | Inanch Alp Bilge(𐰃𐰣𐰀𐰣𐰲𐰆 𐰀𐰞𐰯 𐰋𐰄𐰠𐰏𐰅)  | 693–711  | Tengrism | Aje dynasty
???
|  | 711–758
Bilge Tong Erkin
𐰋𐰄𐰠𐰏𐰅 𐱄𐰆𐰣𐰏 𐰅𐰼𐰚𐰄𐰤 | Pitsye Tungye Gin (𐰯𐰄𐰾𐰾𐰘𐰅 𐱄𐰆𐰣𐰏𐰘𐰅 𐰏𐰄𐰪)  | 758–795
Ajo Khagan
𐰴𐰍𐰣‎:𐰀𐰳𐰆 | Zong Yingxiong Wu Chengming Khagan (宗英雄武誠明可汗)  | 795–847
Yingwu Khagan
𐰴𐰍𐰣‎:𐰄𐰤𐰍𐰆 | Yingwu Chengming Khagan (英武誠明可汗)  | 847–866

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Drompp, Michael (January 2002) (in en). The Yenisei Kyrgyz from Early Times to the Mongol Conquest. https://www.academia.edu/10197431. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
2. ↑ The peoples of Southern Siberia in the ancient Turkic era Chapter IV. Late Turkic time. (in Russian)[1]
3. ↑ Mustafa Kalkan, (2005), “Kırgız Boylarının Yenisey’den Çıkarılmaları ve Coğrafî Dağılımları”, (in Turkish), Erdem: Atatürk Kültür Merkezi Dergisi, Vol: 15, No: 47, Page: 77-100.[2]
4. ↑ Sima Qian Records of the Grand Historian Vol. 110 "後北服渾庾、屈射、丁零、鬲昆、薪犁之國。…… 是時漢初定中國，……。" translation: "Later in the North [Modun] subdued the Hunyu, Qushe, Dingling, Gekun, and Xinli nations. [...] It was when the Han had just stabilized the Central Region, [...]. [i.e. 202 BCE]"
5. ↑ Golden, Peter B. (2012), “Oq and Oğur ~ Oğuz”, Turkic Languages, 16/2. archived pdf. p. 15 of 29
6. ↑ Book of Han "vol. 94 B – Account of the Xiongnu" quote: "郅支見烏孫兵多，其使又不反，勒兵逢擊烏孫，破之。因北擊烏揭，烏揭降。發其兵西破堅昆，北降丁令，并三國。" rough translation: "Zhizhi saw that Wusun had numerous soldiers and their [Xiongnu's] ambassador again had not returned. He commanded his armies, encountered and attacked the Wusun, defeating them. Then he attacked the Wujie in the north; the Wujie surrendered. Dispatching his armies westwards, he defeated the Jiankun (Kyrgyzes); northwards he subjugated the Dinglings. Thus, he quelled three countries."
7. ↑ Pulleyblank, Edwin G. "The Name of the Kirghiz" in Central Asiatic Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1/2 (1990). Harrassowitz Verlag. page 98-99 of 98–108
8. ↑ Theobald, Ulrich (2012). "Xiajiasi 黠戛斯, Qirqiz" for ChinaKnowledge.de – An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art
9. ↑ Golden, Peter B. (2017). "The Turkic World in Mahmûd al-Kâshgarî". Türkologiya 4: 16. https://www.turkologiya.org/saylar/turkologiya-2017-4.pdf. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
10. ↑ Golden, Peter B. (August 2018). "The Ethnogonic Tales of the Türks". The Medieval History Journal, 21(2): 302.
11. ↑ Butanaev, V. I︠A︡.; Бутанаев, В. Я. (2000). Istorii︠a︡ eniseĭskikh kyrgyzov. Khudi︠a︡kov, I︠U︡. S. (I︠U︡liĭ Sergeevich), Худяков, Ю. С. (Юлий Сергеевич), Khakasskiĭ gosudarstvennyĭ universitet imeni N.F. Katanova. Institut istorii i prava., Хакасский государственный университет имени Н.Ф. Катанова. Институт истории и права.. Abakan: Izd-vo Khakasskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. N.F. Katanova. pp. 69. ISBN 5-7810-0119-0. OCLC 47206450.
12. ↑ Barfield, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1950- (1989). The perilous frontier : nomadic empires and China. Cambridge, Mass.: B. Blackwell. pp. 152. ISBN 1-55786-043-2. OCLC 18629749.
13. ↑ "V.Ya. Butanaev, Yu.S. Khudyakov, 2000". http://kronk.spb.ru/library/butanaev-hudyakov-2000.htm.
14. ↑ Theobald, Ulrich. "Xiajiasi 黠戛斯 or Jilijisi 吉利吉思, Qirqiz (www.chinaknowledge.de)" (in en). http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Altera/kirgizes.html.
15. ↑ Veronika Veit, ed (2007). The role of women in the Altaic world: Permanent International Altaistic Conference, 44th meeting, Walberberg, 26–31 August 2001. 152 of Asiatische Forschungen (illustrated ed.). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 61. ISBN 978-3447055376. https://books.google.com/books?id=OBEIq8kTQBcC&pg=PA61. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
16. ↑ Michael Robert Drompp (2005). Tang China and the collapse of the Uighur Empire: a documentary history. 13 of Brill's Inner Asian library (illustrated ed.). BRILL. p. 126. ISBN 9004141294. https://books.google.com/books?id=NB6DEdAxLOsC&pg=PA126. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
17. ↑ Kyzlasov, Leonid R. (2010). The Urban Civilization of Northern and Innermost Asia Historical and Archaeological Research. Curatores seriei VICTOR SPINEI et IONEL CANDEÂ VII. The Urban Civilization of Northern and Innermost Asia Historical and Archaeological Research. ROMANIAN ACADEMY INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY OF IAȘI Editura Academiei Romane – Editura Istros. p. 245. Florilegium magistrorum historiae archaeologiaeque Antiqutatis et Medii Aevi. ISBN 978-973-27-1962-6. http://nbdrx.ru/pdf/bx00000168.pdf. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
18. ↑ The role of women in the Altaic world : Permanent International Altaistic Conference, 44th meeting, Walberberg, 26–31 August 2001. Veit, Veronika, 1944–. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 2007. pp. 61. ISBN 978-3-447-05537-6. OCLC 182731462.
19. ↑ Drompp, Michael R. (1999). "Breaking the Orkhon Tradition: Kirghiz Adherence to the Yenisei Region after A. D. 840". Journal of the American Oriental Society 119 (3): 394–395. doi:10.2307/605932.
20. ↑ Drompp, Michael Robert (2005). Tang China And The Collapse Of The Uighur Empire: A Documentary History. 13 of Brill's Inner Asian Library (illustrated ed.). BRILL. pp. 126, 291, 190, 191, 15, 16. ISBN 9004141294. https://books.google.com/books?id=NB6DEdAxLOsC&pg=PA126. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
21. ↑ Drompp, Michael R. (1999). "Breaking the Orkhon Tradition: Kirghiz Adherence to the Yenisei Region after A. D. 840". Journal of the American Oriental Society 119 (3): 390–403. doi:10.2307/605932. https://www.jstor.org/stable/605932. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
22. ↑ Drompp, Michael Robert (2005). Tang China And The Collapse Of The Uighur Empire: A Documentary History. 13 of Brill's Inner Asian Library (illustrated ed.). BRILL. p. 114. ISBN 9004141294. https://books.google.com/books?id=NB6DEdAxLOsC&dq=shahu+843&pg=PA114. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
23. ↑ Drompp, Michael R. (2018). "THE UIGHUR-CHINESE CONFLICT OF 840–848". in Cosmo, Nicola Di. Warfare in Inner Asian History (500–1800). Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 8 Uralic & Central Asian Studies. BRILL. p. 92. ISBN 978-9004391789. https://books.google.com/books?id=UaWODwAAQBAJ&dq=shahu+843&pg=PA92. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
24. ↑ Drompp, Michael R. (2018). "THE UIGHUR-CHINESE CONFLICT OF 840–848". in Cosmo, Nicola Di. Warfare in Inner Asian History (500–1800). Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 8 Uralic & Central Asian Studies. BRILL. p. 99. ISBN 978-9004391789. https://books.google.com/books?id=UaWODwAAQBAJ&dq=shahu+uyghur&pg=PA99. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
25. ↑ Stefan, Kamola. Making Mongol History: Rashid al-Din and the Jami' al-Tawarikh. p. Preface and Chapter 1. https://www.academia.edu/40168966.
26. ↑ 刘正寅 (2013年). "《史集·部族志·乞儿吉思部》研究". 《中国边疆史地研究》 (第1期).

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