Uyghur timeline

Ethnic timeline

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This timeline is a supplement of the main article Uyghur. Dealing with the centuries between 400 and 900 AD, it refers to a critical period in the cultural formation of the Uyghur nation, as they transitioned from a minor Turkic tribe to the Uyghur Khaganate.

## Events leading to the formation of the Uyghur Khaganate

[edit]

Date  | People  | Event  | Geopolitical Context

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546  | Bumin | Pre-emptively strikes a planned Töle revolt  | Attempt of the vassal Turks to gain ascendancy over the vassal Gaoqu people
560  | Muqan | Annexes Töle tribes under a federal system  | Muqan demonstrates his qut by the submission of the Töle (i.e. the right of taxation over their livestock); resolves internal power struggle
565  | Wu Chen-Di | Civil war divides the Wei Kingdom  | Muqan demonstrates his qut by the submission of the Töle (i.e. the right of taxation over their livestock); resolves internal power struggle
572  | Istämi | Divides Muqan's realm between his rival successors: Taspar-Qağan rules in the central region, Istämi-Yabgu in the far-west, Shetu in the east and Jotan in the west  | Traditional power transfer from elder to younger brother, subsequently from youngest uncle to eldest nephew
575  | Tardu | Takes power in far-west region  | His father dies in Taraz
575  | You-Zhou | Qi dynasty collapses  | Qi = Eastern Wei, Rouran allies; Zhou = Western Wei, Turk allies
578  | Taspar | Repeatedly raids the Zhou Kingdom  | Under the influence of the Qi exiles
578  | Wu-Di  | Gives Taspar 100,000 bales of silk and the Princess Zhou Tsienkien  | Marriage alliance prevents raids
578  | Wu-Di  | Kidnaps Prince Kaozhou as he is hunting  | To eliminate rival to power
578  | Taspar  | Takes no action against the Zhou Kingdom's violation of his power. Instead, he places 10,000 Turks as 'guests' in Zhou  | He has a secret agreement to trade the Prince Kaozhou for Princess Tsienkien. The lack of honor to a guest outrages the common people. This period shows the beginning of class separation and the movement of Turkic nobility into the Chinese cultural sphere.
580  | Shang Sun  | Arrives with Zhou Tsienkien and befriends Shetu  | To collect information about the Turks for Zhou
581  | Wen-Di  | At the death of Emperor Jing-Di, he seizes power as regent for the new Emperor who is still a child  | His dynastic claim is based on his daughter, the Emperor's Mother
581  | Taspar  | ???Muqan  | Maybe as part of an agreement between Muqan and Taspar
581  | Ishbara Qaghan | Swearing he will attack Talopien to uphold tradition, he is the voice of conservative factions  | If tradition is followed, he will be the next Qağan
581  | Änlo  | Taspar dies and the toy appoints Änlo  | To avoid conflict between the three conflicting claims of Tardu, Shetu and Talopien
581  | Talopien | Threatens Änlo  | He views himself as the legal Qağan because he has been given the title by the previous one
581  | Änlo  | Cedes title to Shetu at Ötükän and takes title of second Qağan  | In exchange for protection, the empty title and to control the Tola Valley (Uyğur tribes)
582  | Wen-Di  | Deposes Zhou Emperor and expels the 10,000 Turks from Changan  | To show his independence and to end the drain on the treasury
582  | Shetu  | Forms a coalition force with Tardu, Jotan and Talopien  | To reinforce his position as Qağan and to avenge his wife's family
582  | Wen-Di  | Sends ambassador Yuan Huei to recognize him as Qağan by presenting him with the symbolic wolf flag at Hami  | Tardu is upset that he was not made Qağan by the toy, so Wen-Di gives him diplomatic recognition which legitimizes his claim. He thereby acquires qut
582  | Tardu | Declares the far-west region as sovereign and separate with himself as Qağan  | The far-west region has de facto independence since the Istämi-Muqan era
583  | Shetu  | Blames Talopien for the failures of the campaign  | Rivalry and the influence of Shang Sun
583  | Talopien  | Joins Jotan and Boru in the west region.  | They are all opposed to Shetu's paranoia, assassination and tyranny

west

583  | Shetu  | Kills Talopien's family and burns his yurt in revenge  | Altay mountains
583  | Tardu and Wen-Di  | Attack simultaneously with Khitan (Shetu's own vassals in the east)  | To block Shetu's power. The attack by his nominal vassals and allies erodes the credibility of Shetu, meaning he has lost qut
583  | Shetu  | As he only controls the central region, it is hit by famine; he asks for Sui Imperial protection  | This act officially marks the end of his sovereignty, he is now a Chinese vassal
584  | Talopien  | Takes control of east, central and west regions  | Talopien proves himself as the true Qağan by his qut
585  | Wen-Di  | Renames Zhou Tsienkien as Sui Dai  | To make Shetu his vassal (son-in-law) because he now fears the growing power of Tardu and Talopien
585  | Shetu  | Sends his son Kohoden as a hostage to Changan  | To seal the peace agreement
585  | Talopien  | Defeats Tardu and takes over far-west region, now controlling all four regions  | Tardu no longer enjoys Sui Imperial support and is a rival to power that has to be eliminated as a threat
585  | Tardu  | Flee to Sui protection  | Tardu no longer enjoys Sui Imperial support and is a rival to power that has to be eliminated as a threat
585  | Tiele tribes  | Submit to Talopien  | He is strong enough to threaten them, therefore he has consolidated power/qut.
587  | Shetu  | Dies while hunting  | Possible accident or an assassination
588  | Chulo  | Captures Talopien  | Family vendetta, his older brother Shetu had been humiliated by this man. The Sui Empire supports this move to balance the growing power of Talopien
588  | Nili  | Replaces Talopien as Qağan; Töle tribes revolt  | Try to regain lost independence in the chaos of the dynastic struggle
588  | Chulo  | Dies fighting the Töle  | To reassert control over the tribes that had been vassal to Talopien
588  | Tülan | Takes power and returns to Mongolian Steppe  | All the rivals to power in the struggle for succession have been neutralized, so power reverts to the House of Shetu
589  | Wen-Di | Conquers Chen Kingdom, thus reunifying China  | ???
590  | Tardu  | Attacks Nili to regain the far-west region  | He is supported by Tülan who wants to see his last rival Nili eliminated. In effect, he recognizes the sovereignty of the far-west region
593  | Tülan  | Stops paying taxes  | ???
593  | Sui Dai  | Plots with Nili to attack Sui Empire  | Revenge against Sui dynasty for overthrowing her family, the Zhou dynasty
593  | Shang Sun  | Requests Tülan to kill Sui Dai, but he refuses  | To demonstrate he no longer is a vassal to the Sui
593  | Shang Sun  | Offers Princess Anyi to Zhangar Khan if he will kill Sui Dai  | To create a rival to Tülan's power and thus restore a balance of power by creating another civil war
593  | Tülan  | Suspects Zhangar of treason  | Zhangar has received so many gifts and visits from Chinese, this is tantamount to diplomatic recognition
594  | Tülan  | Makes peace with Tardu  | Tardu has eliminated his rival; this act formally recognizes the independence of the far-west region from the Khanate
594  | Shang sun  | Bribes an official of the toy and exposes Sui Dai plotting with Chinese (Chen government in exile) and Sogdians (with one of whom she is having an affair)  | To make the Tülan lose face in front of the toy to weaken his power, also to provide a pretext for killing the troublesome Sui Dai
594  | Tülan  | Executes Sui Dai  | Under Turkic custom, adultery is punished by the death penalty
597  | Zhangar | Marries Sui Anyi and rebels against Tülan  | By marrying the Princess, he has a claim to sovereignty
597  | Tülan  | Kills Zhangar's family and drives him to the Ordos Loop under Sui Imperial protection  | Asserts his authority
598  | Tardu  | Defeats Nili, Chulo takes his place  | Asserts his authority
599  | Tülan  | Killed in Töle revolt  | Töle tribes take advantage of the chaos to gain independence
600  | Tardu  | Defeats Chulo and declares himself supreme Qağan  | A vacuum of power has been created by the loss of Zhangar, Chulo and Tülan
600  | Chulo  | Takes Sui Imperial protection  | The Sui Empire needs him to balance the power of Tardu
600  | Erkin Tegin  | Initiates diplomatic contacts with China  | This is the first official account of the Uyghur tribe, which at this time lived in the Tola valley with 10,000 yurts
601  | Chang Sunsheng  | Creates an alliance with the Töle Beys including Erkin Tegin of the Uyghur tribe  | This is the first official account of the Uyghur tribe, which at this time lived in the Tola valley with 10,000 yurts
601  | Tardu  | Attacks Changan  | As a warning to the Sui Empire not to interfere in the Turk's internal power struggles
601  | Shang sun  | Poisons all the wells in the Gobi Desert  | Tardu's army is superior and cannot be defeated by conventional warfare
603  | Erkin Tegin  | Töle tribes revolt against Tardu  | The Chinese are afraid of Tardu and must eliminate his base of power
603  | Tardu  | Abdicates to Tibet  | ???
603  | Erkin Tegin  | Töle alliance dissolves in the aftermath of the revolt; three tribes come under Uyghur control (Bugut, Tongra and Bayirqu)  | The Uyghurs gained enough qut to pull in other tribes to the alliance
603  | Zhangar  | Marries Sui Yicheng and assumes the title Qağan, but as a vassal to china  | Zhangar is the last of the vassal khans to China. He is particularly devoted and loyal
603  | Chulo  | Assumes title Qağan in the far-west region, but as a vassal to China; rules from Tashkent and Kucha  | Since Tardu has been eliminated, power reverts to the House of Muqan
605  | Sui Yang-Di  | Ascends the Dragon Throne  | ???
609  | Shipi | Takes power after Zhangar  | ???
609  | Chang Sunsheng  | Replaced by Peichu  | ???
609  | Peichu  | Offers to support Shipi's brother Qağan and a Chinese Princess, but he refuses  | The traditional tactic of dividing power counter Shipi's growing strength
611  | Chulo  | Attempts to extend his authority over the Töle  | By taxing their livestock
611  | Töle  | Töle tribes revolt under Syr-Tardush drives out Chulo  | Uyghurs occupy second position in the alliance
611  | Shekuei  | Takes power and restores House of Tardu  | ???
615  | Shipi  | Subjugates the Töle  | ???
615  | Shipi  | Stops paying taxes to the Sui Empire  | Asserts sovereignty
615  | Peichu  | Lures Sogdian vizers to the city of Mai and kills them in a trap  | To keep them from exposing the Chinese plots to the Qağan
615  | Shipi  | Attacks Sui Yang-Di  | Revenge for his treachery at Mai
615  | Sui Yiching  | Lies to her husband that the Töle tribes are in revolt  | So he will leave, saving Sui Yang-Di from capture
615  | Yang-Di  | Sui Empire begins civil war  | The humiliation of his defeat damages his prestige
616  | Tang Taizong  | Captures Changan with support of Turks; he gains 20,000 horses and 5,000 cavalry in return for giving the rights to plunder all the gold and women in Changan  | ???
618  | Tang Taizong  | Places his father as Emperor of the Tang dynasty  | ???
626  | Tang Taizong  | Kills his brothers and becomes Emperor  | The Wu-men Gate incident
627  | Khile Qagan | Tries to tax the Töle to replace his horses that were killed during a summer snow  | ???
627  | Aynan Khan  | Initiates a Syr-Tardush lead revolt of Töle tribes against Khile-Qağan  | The Uyghurs again occupy second position under Pusa Ilteber
627  | Aynan Khan  | Declares a Khanate at Otuken  | ???
630  | Taizong  | Attacks in coordination with Khitan and Töle, utterly defeating the Turks and taking Khile-Qaghan prisoner  | Tang-Töle alliance replaces Sui-Töle against the Turks
632  | Tang Taizong  | Annexes all Tokharian city states as vassals  | Indirect Chinese rule of Tarim city states
640  | Tang Taizong  | Kucha (Kutsi) rebels in alliance with Onoq  | ???
640  | Songtsen Gampo  | Unifies Tibet with Buddhism as the state religion  | ???
645  | Jubi Qağan  | Unifies Onoq  | ???
646  | Pusa (菩萨), son of Tejian (特健)  | Allies with Syr-Tardush to defeat Eastern Qaġanate  | He is granted with a Chinese title of prefect creating a legal precedent for leadership
646  | Tumitu Ilteber (吐迷度)  | Assassinates Pusa and defeats the Syr-Tardush; declares a state at Otuken  | First Uyghur state; this becomes the precedent for all later claims for the right to rule. Moreover, he is a Chinese vassal paying a tax of furs
648  | Tang Taizong  | Replaces all vassal Tokharian kings with Chinese officials under the governor-general in Kaochang; the Tarim Basin is now the western protectorate  | The Chinese are now directly rule the Tarim city states
648  | Tumitu Ilteber  | Assassinated by nephew Wuhe, who is in turn assassinated by Chinese spies  | Wuhe is a Gokturk sympathizer and therefore an enemy of Chinese interests
648  | Pojuan Ilteber (婆闰)  | Installed as new Khan; he becomes a loyal vassal of China  | Uyghurs now carry Chinese titles and work as mercenaries in the 'pacifed west'
650  | ???  | China captures Kashgar and Khotan  | ???
650  | Tang Taizong  | Dies, his son Kaozong creating a scandal by marrying Taizong's former concubine Zhou Wu-Mei  | By custom, Wu-Mei should have retired to a convent after her husband's death. This unusual marriage indicates she had an extramarital affair with Kaozong prior to Taizong's death
651  | Holu Khan  | Unifies the Onoq and threatens China  | ???
651  | Pojuan Ilteber  | Defeats Korean rebellion  | The Uyghurs view the Chinese as both allies and kingmakers
651  | ???  | Arabs advance to Herat  | ???
652  | ???  | Arabs sack Balkh, then return to Khorosan  | ???
657  | Pojuan Khan  | Leads Uyğur army and defeats Holu in the name of the Tang Empire  | Onoq power is broken, the Uyghurs ally with China to defeat the last remnants of their ancestral enemy, the Turks Chu valley
657  | Pojuan Khan  | Killed during the battle of Goguryeo (高句丽)  | The Chinese break off diplomatic ties with Uyghur
659  | Kaozong  | Creates 10 tribal states in Onoq territory of which each one is governed by a vassal khan  | The far-western region of the Turks is now subdued by China
659  | Xuanzong  | China annexes Suyab and Tashkent, marking the maximum extent of Chinese power  | ???
660  | Gaozong  | Suffers stroke and delegates power to his wife Wu Zetian  | ???
661  | ???  | Onoq and Tibet drive the Tang out of Tarim  | ???
660  | Tiele  | Revolt against China  | Tribute has not been paid
661  | Pilatu  | Succeeds her brother as Ilteber  | ???
621  | Wu Zetian  | Suppresses revolt at Khangai  | ???
663  | Pilatu  | Uyghur power declines  | ???
663  | ???  | Arabs invade Bactria  | ???
663  | ???  | Tibet takes Vakhan, Gilit and Kashgar  | ???
665  | ???  | Onoq enters revolt  | ???
670  | ???  | Tibet seizes four garrisons with the Chinese army retreating to Turpan  | The Chinese divert their trade route north from Turpan to Beshbaliq, Suyab and Tashkent
679  | ???  | Tibet controls four garrisons  | ???
680  | Kutlug | Declares Orkhon Khanate  | End of Tang Imperial control of Mongolian Steppe
681  | Pro-China Tiele  | Escapes to Liangzhou  | They have lost qut and must flee to the steppe
682  | Kutlug  | Reunites the 16 tribes  | Rise of Turk power
682  | Tuchiachi  | Is defeated by Kutluk; the Uyghurs move to the Selenga valley  | The Uyghur lose sovereignty but not autonomy
683  | Wu Zetian  | Takes the Dragon Throne  | This is a coup d'état
688  | Kutlug  | Defeats Uyğurs  | ???
690  | Wu Zetian  | Seizes absolute power by appealing to Buddhist millennialism  | ???
691  | Kutlug  | Defeats Toquz-Oghuz  | ???
692  | Wu Zetian  | Recovers Karashahr and Kucha  | ???
692  | Kapğan | Succeeds his brother as the new Qağan  | Traditional succession from older to younger brother
692  | ???  | Tang Imperial army retakes the four garrisons  | ???
693  | Kapğan  | Defeats Tang Imperial army  | ???
694  | Wu Zetian  | Recovers Khotan and Kashgar  | ???
698  | Kapğan  | Defeats Türğish at the battle of Bolchu near Lake Urungu  | This rendered the western steppe region vassal to the Orkhon Khanate
700  | Bilgä shad  | Attacks Tangut Kingdom  | ???
701  | Tonyukuk-Ayguchy  | Captures Sogdiana  | This was a vassal of the Onoq to achieve total victory over his enemies
702  | Kapğan  | Attacks Xia Kingdom  | ???
703  | ???  | Turko-Tibetan alliance is formed, but fails to defeat Tang army  | ???
703  | ???  | Onoq retakes Suyab  | ???
705  | Wu Zetian  | Abdicates to Zhongzong  | ???
705  | ???  | Tibetan-Gandharan alliance is formed and drives the Arabs from Bactria  | ???
705  | Qutayba | Appointed governor of Khorosan  | ???
706  | Qutayba  | Captures Bukhara  | ???
707  | Bukharan leader  | Asks Khapgan for military support against the Arabs  | ???
708  | Xuanzong  | Offers reward to three vassal tribes for the head of Kapğan  | ???
710  | Zhongzong  | Poisoned by his wife Empress Wei who has an affair with Wu Sansi  | ???
710  | Xuanzong  | Takes power with his aunt Princess Taiping (daughter of Empress Wu)  | ???
710  | Kyrgyz tribes  | Revolt and are defeated  | ???
710  | Qutayba  | Places Tugshada on the throne of Bukhara and Ghurek on the throne of Samarkand  | ???
711  | Turgish Khan  | Revolt begins  | ???
711  | Qarluk  | Revolt and are defeated in 714  | ???
712  | Xuanzong  | Begins reign and kills Princess Taiping  | ???
712  | Qutayba  | Invades Bactria  | ???
712  | Samarkand leader  | Asks Khapgan for military support against the Arabs  | ???
712  | ???  | Turks control Sogd  | ???
712  | King of Fargana  | Flees to Kucha under Chinese protection  | ???
714  | Izgil tribe  | Revolt and are defeated in 715  | ???
715  | Toquz-Oguz tribe  | Revolt and are defeated in 716 (this revolt includes the Uyghur tribe)  | ???
715  | Qutayba  | Assassinated by his troops in the Fargana valley  | because he wishes to continue the campaign against the orders of the Caliph
715  | King of Faragana  | Returns as a Chinese vassal  | ???
715  | King of Faragana  | Returns as a Chinese vassal  | ???
716  | Bayirqu tribe  | Revolt and are defeated, but a rouge warrior ambushes Kapğan and kills him and sends his head to Changan with envoy Ho Lingchüan (July 22, Tola river)  | ???
716  | Uyğur tribe  | Revolt with Qarluk and Toquz-oguz  | Although defeated they become autonomous vassals in the Selenga valley
716  | Bilgä  | Kills Inel, Kapğan's whole family and all his officials  | Inel is not fit to rule, moreover, by Turk law the throne should pass to Bilgä
718  | Bilgä | Restores peace and ends all revolts  | ???
720  | Xuanzong  | Tries to attack Bilgä in coordination with Basmyl and Khitans, but fails, therefore accepting the terms of Bilgä's peace  | ???
721  | Xuanzong  | China controls Suyab, Kucha, Kashgar, Tashkent and Fargana  | ???
721  | Xuanzong  | Arabo-Turgish-Tibetan alliance defeats Chinese army; the Arabs take Faragana and the Turgish take Suyab  | ???
721  | ???  | Tashkent becomes independent  | ???
721  | ???  | Sogdo-Turgish alliance attacks Arabs  | ???
725  | Tonyukuk | Dies  | ???
727  | Bilgä  | Refuses an anti-Tang alliance with the Tibetans  | ???
728  | ???  | Sogdo-Turgish alliance liberates Sogd  | ???
729  | ???  | Arabs control Bactria and Samarkand  | Turgish control of Sogd, Fargana and Suyab; China control of North Tarim and Tibet control South Tarim
731  | Köl Tegin | Dies  | ???
734  | Bilgä  | Poisoned by Buyruk Chor as part of a Chinese conspiracy  | ???
736  | ???  | Sino-Arabian alliance is formed and defeats the Turgish at Suyab  | China annexes Suyab, while Arabs occupy Sogd
739  | ???  | Tibet allies with Gandhara  | China annexes Suyab, while Arabs occupy Sogd
739  | Ghurek  | Reign ends  | ???
742  | Xuanzong | Begins affair with Yang Gueifei and leaves power in the hands of An Rokhan  | ???
744  | Ozmish Khan  | Killed by Uyghur, Basmyl, Qarluk rebellion  | ???
745  | ???  | Qarluk and Uyghur overthrow Basmyl Khan  | ???
745  | ???  | Uyghur defeat Qarluk and declare a new Khanate at Otuken; the Qarluk move to the far-west region  | ???
745  | Abu Muslim  | Begins a Jihad in Sogd  | ???
747  | Bayan Chor  | Begins reign  | ???
748  | ???  | Abbasid Caliphate begins  | ???
750  | Chabish of Tashkent and Ilkhshid of Fargana  | Begin a dispute; Chinese ally Ilkhshid and Turkish ally the Chabish send for help  | ???
750  | General Kao Hsienchih  | Sacks Tashkent after it surrenders, taking the Chabish and the Khan to be executed in Changan  | ???
750  | Son of Chabish  | Petitions governor Ziyad ibn Salih in Samarkand for revenge  | ???
751  | Abu Muslim  | Sends army at the request of Governor Salih, meeting the Kao Hsienchih at Talas  | ???
755  | Abu Muslim  | Assassinated  | ???
755  | An Rokhan  | Rebels against Xuanzong  | ???
755  | An Rokhan  | Captures Changan  | ???
756  | Xuanzong  | Abdicates and Yang Guifei is killed  | ???
759  | Bogu Khan  | Begins reign  | ???
763  | Bogu Khan  | Ends Ungluk Suyluk Topilingi (An Lushan) rebellion  | ???

## References

[edit]

* Güzel, Hasan Celal; Oğuz, C. Cem (2002), The Turks, vol. 2, Ankara: Yeni Türkiye, ISBN 975-6782-55-2, OCLC 49960917.

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