The First Gok-Turk Khanate
The "ethnical" point of view in Central Asia in the 6th and 9th centuries was as follows:
1- Töles (Tölös, Tölis, Tie,le in Chinese): the most crowded Turkish group had spread out in Central Asia. It is not true to accept all those groups having Turkish origins, spread from the Lake Baikal to the Black Sea. For example, it is known that those living in the west (the Alans) were Iranians. Wu-hun (Ugor) had been a group from Ural. It is stated that names of the Töles groups, even though they are not completely analysed yet, have the origins from the Huns and probably their language and habits are the same with the Gok-Turks. According to some of the Chinese registers, in the period of Tabgaçs (363-534), Kao-kü, some groups of Töles, defined them originated from the wolf father as the other Turks since they were using the carriages with the high wheels.
2- Tarduş: in the first quarter of the 7th century, had been a group from the tribe of Töles. They were known as being the richest and the bravest of the Töles', living between the River of Orkhun and mounts Altay.
3- Uygurs: they lived in the north of the River of Tola.
4- On-Oks: they lived in the wide area from the west of Altays to Seynah (Sır-derya). They were known as "West Gok-Turks". Türgişs and Karluks originated from To'lus. Besides, in the same area, some of the Turkish tribes known as Cuyüe and Ç'u-mi, in the following years to 630, during the interregnum period of the Gok-Turks Khanate, lived in the dry steppes near Beşbalık and were named as Turks of Şa-t'o (Turks of desert).
5- Basmıls: it is claimed that the root of this tribe, although its king Idukut was Turkish, had been foreign. They generally lived in Beşbalık region in Central Asia.
6- Kirgizhs: they were in the region of the fountain of the River of Yenisey, in the west of Baikal.
7- Oğuzs: they lived in the region of the River of Selenga and Ötüken.
8- K'itan, Tatabi, Nine-Tatars: the tribes from the Mongol root such as Oğuz and Tatars, lived in the east region near the River of Onon and in Kerulen.
However, in should be remembered that all of those tribes changed their places from time to time; those separated tribes formed new ones.
The Roots of Gok-Turks
The origins of the Gok-Turks, according to the Chinese sources, came from the Asian Huns. The leader's family was named Aşına (Asena, Zena, etc.). Gok-Turks' history mixed up with the legends about the derivation of the Aşına family from a female wolf.
But, the tradition of deriving from a wolf existed also between the Asian Huns and the tale about the transportation of the Turks from the narrow and intransitive ways to safer places by the father wolf, was told in the 3rd century between the Tabgaçs. This fact shows firstly the oldness of the Turks and the close relationship with the Turkish groups. Besides, the tale of the Aşına family about the massacre and the salvation of only a boy, hides a tragedy of which we do not know exactly what happened in the earliest history of the Gok-Turks. The symbol of the kingdom of Gok-Turks had been a flag with a golden wolf head because of the belief of the father wolf.
The Establishment of the Gok-Turks State
It is known that for the first time the Gok-Turks appeared in history as being dependent to the Juan Juans. They were busy with the blacksmith's profession as their traditional art in the mountains of Altay and they manufactured guns to the Juan Juans. Even that time they were not disorganized. According to Çou-shu (Chinese yearbook, 550-557), A-hien, the ancestor of Bumin (in Chines, T'u-men) the founder of the Gok-Turks, had the title of "şad" (merry, merry wise) and Tu-wa, the leader came before Bumin, was known as Ta-ye-hu (the big yabgu). Thus, the essence of the dependence of the Turkish groups to the Juan Juans was federal. Later, Bumin in the year of 534 had political relations with the administers of the north Tabgaç (Wei), in 542 he was seen near the River of Huang-ho in front of his raiders, and in 545 he received the envoy sent by the king of West Tabgaç with the words "a committee comes from the emperorship, our state will be honoured". Işbara, one of the Gok-Turks khans, in a speech he held in 585, said that the Gok-Turks State was established 50 years ago, which means in 535.
However, Bumin established his emperorship in Ötüken (in the west of the River of Orkhun, in the 47th latitude and 101st longitude), the capital of the former Great Huns Emperorship in the year of 552. Before this establishment, Bumin in 546 suppressed the rebellion of Töles against the Juan Juans and wished to marry the daughter of that state, as he wanted to show that he had the same worth with that state's king; but he was refused rudely. Then, he occupied the lands of Juan Juans until they were collapsed totally, and he officially named himself "il-khan". Bumin died in the year of the establishment of the state, after he offered to his brother Istemiye the name of "Yabgu" and the sovereignty of the east region of the state, since he helped Bumin during the establishment of the west region of the state.
Istemi continued his conquests in the west, and the state had its precious period when K'o-lo (Kara?), the son of Bumin, and Mu-kan (553-572), the other son of Bumin that became king after the dead of his brother, had the power in Ötüken. Mu-kan Khan, as mentioned in the Chinese sources, had an awesome appearance and bright blue eyes, he had been powerful and harshness, defeated the Juan Juans with a last stroke (556), and had the control of the countries of Ki-tans and Kirghiz. He suppressed the dynasty of Chou, who replaced the West Tabgaçs in China, and the dynasty of Tsi. He prevented the military support of China to the state of Ak-huns-Eftalit and the people of Transoxiana who requested the Chinese support against the operations of Istemi. In 564, he blockaded Tsin-yang, the capital of Tsi in Şan-si and he married his daughter princess Aşına to the emperor of Chou (568). According to the sources, the Chinese emperor pacified the khan of Gok-Turks, who possessed wide countries and army of 100.000 people, by forming a kinship.
Istemi Khan and the Gok-Turk State Becoming a World State (552-576)
The power Mu-kan had commanded had been the army of the east wing of the emperorship. The other army under the command of Istemi (552-576) was active in his own region. In a short time, the Turkish emperorship raised to be a world state by Istemi, who after he had the sovereignty of the west of Altays, the Lake of Isik and Tien Shang Range, affected the two biggest states of the Middle Age, such as the Emperorship of Sassanids and Byzantium with his military and political movements in the wide range, to adapt to the Gok-Turks' politics.
After his first pressure experience over the Ak-Hun-Eftalits in the year 561, Istemi who accepted the Sasani Emperorship to be a natural allied against this state, that held the Silk transit trade in their hands, made an agreement with Şehinşah Anuşirvan Adil. By this means, his daughter became the empress to the palace of Iran by marrying Anuşirvan. The state of Ak-Huns-Eftalits collapsed by the suppression of the allies and its lands had been shared between the two emperorships, with the Oxus River (Amu Darya) as a border (564). The Transoxiana, a part of Fergana, Kaşgar, Hoten etc. had been transferred to the Gok-Turks. Thus, the Turkish had the Middle Asian Silk caravan road for the third time in their hands.
The Relations of Gok-Turks and Byzantium Against the Sasani's
However, Anuşirvan was not happy with this sharing, although he had the "lion's share" in comparison to his additions for the victory. He also wanted to obtain the Transoxiana route of the caravan road. With this intention, he stopped the silk transport from his country to the harbours of Mediterranean and Byzantium. In this manner, he applied his idea to bring disorder by sabotaging the activities of the people of Sogd (the region of Semerkant), the famous caravanians of the silk trade and the dependent group to the Gok-Turks. He also wanted to deprive the Turks from the high income such as the charges of silk transit. He even killed the envoys Istemi had sent to him by cheating.
Istemi hit out the hope of reconcile, returned to Byzantium and sent a committee to Istanbul with a silk merchant from Sogd and the diplomat Maniah as the president (568) of the committee. This was the first official committee that went from Middle Asia to East Rome in the history. Since the silk problem interested also Byzantium as well as the Gok-Turks, the Byzantine Emperor Justinos II welcomed the Turkish envoys with the desire of getting rid of the Sassanids' interventions, changing the transport route to the Indian Ocean, and making contacts with the state of Himyeri in south Arabia.
He read Istemi's letter that was written in "Iskit" (Turkish) and from Maniah's explanations, he understood the seriousness of the initiative. He sent out a committee with Zemarkhos, the general governor as the president of the committee, to make an agreement (568, beginning of August). It was a precious document that showed the life style, strength and splendour of the Gok-Turks in the memories of the Byzantine envoys, who came to Ak-Dağ passing from the Tien Shan Range by the route of Black Sea, Caucasia, Caspian Sea, and the Lake of Aral to the presence of Istemi (according to the Byzantine sources, Dizabulo, Dilzibulos, Silzioulos, Stembis: Sincibu in Altaris). Istemi realized his desire to suppress Anuşirvan to open the Silk Road by cooperating with Byzantium and in the year of 571 the struggle between Sassanids and Byzantium began. But there is no evidence that the Gok-Turks joined to this war.
However, they interfered within the last years of Ormuzd IV. (579-590), as he had been the son of Anurşivan, born from a Gok-Turk princess and therefore named as "Turkish-born". The reason of this lateness can be understood from the words of Turk-şad, the person who met Valentinos in the Turkish region near the Lake of Aral in 576, one of the envoys that Byzantium sent to oppress the Gok-Turks to join to the war. This Turkish prince blamed Byzantium to protect the Avars, the unforgivable enemies of the Gok-Turks, and to give shelters to those "who deserved to crush under the legs of the horses like ants, instead of being killed with a sword"; and this blame was true.
The most important conclusion of the politics of Istemi was that: after the Sassanids-Byzantium struggle which lasted for 19 years (571-590), these two emperorships' relations did not improve and with the attacks of the Emperor Heraklaious to Madain (Ktesiphon), the capital of the Sassanids (622-628), The Sassanids Emperorship had no more power left. This situation, which is also mentioned in the Koran, made the sovereignty of the Islamic Religion in Iran easier.
The Death of Mukan Khan
Mu-kan, the khan for whom all the military-political activities, including the movements of Istemi, had been done in the Emperorship of Gok-Turks, died in 572. During the kingdom of this big khan that the map of the state reached an enormously wideness (according to the Chinese sources, the wideness of the kingdom was more than 10.5 billion km2) and this was also reflected in the inscriptions of Orkhon: "they mobilized the armies to four directions and suppressed, controlled the tribes; they made the Turkish people sovereign from Kadirgan, in the east and to Temir Kapig (Iron Gates, on the road of Belh-Semerkand, width of 10-12 meters and length of 3 kilometres), in the west; between those countries the Gok-Turks were free and independent, the wise khans, the brave khans, rulers were all brave and wise…" It is understood that to the big funeral arrenged in Ötüken besides the states in the neighbourhood (such as China, Tibet, Arab, Kirghiz, Three-Kurikan, Thirthy- Tatar, Kitan, Tatabi), there was also the Emperorship of Byzantium.
The Period of Khan Tapo (Tapar) and Wrong Applications (572-581)
Mu-kan's brother T'a-po (Tapar? in 572-581) took his place. The new emperor of the powerful kingdom, called the Emperor of Chou who had sent beneath gifts, 100 thousand rolls silk to celebrate him, and the Emperor Tsi, the enemy of the Chou, who had sent besides various gifts his supreme commander for celebration and showing special attention, "my sons". This showed that all the north China was under the Turkish control.
Since the country was too wide, Istemi divided the control of his lands into two between the son of K'o-lo, his brother (in the east), and his little brother Jo-tan (in the west) by giving them the name of "khan" and recognized the sovereignty of T'a-po. He became "the great khan" by this recognition. He wanted to marry a princess of Tsi and he believed to a Buddhist missionary (Jnagoupta)'s inspirations; then he tried to protect the Buddhist religion in the country, although the harmful aspects of the Buddhist religion was mentioned by the preceding Turkish administrators. He built a Buddhist temple and a statue of Buddha. Gok-Turks' grandeur was to begin to collapse. T'a-po made mistakes also in foreign politics. After the Tsi had been repelled in 575 by the Tchin dynasty, he announced a prince of Tsi, who had escaped and sheltered to him, as "Chinese khan".
This act spoiled the relation between T'a-po and Chous; he was stopped with the promise of a new Chinese princess when he progressed with a crowded army to the region of Pekin (579). However, the king of Chou wanted the submission of the Tsi prince, "the Chinese khan", in return for the Chinese princess. During a hunting the prince had been kidnapped by the Chou, tolerating this, the khan's prestige totally shook in the eyes of his folk. Another important event in those years, when splits occurred in the unity and culture of Gok-Turks, had been the death of Istemi (576).
The Death of Istemi (576)
Although his official name should have been "Yabgu" (the Gok-Turks people dependent of him were sometimes called as Yabgu Turks), we are being informed about the death of this great personality, who even is called "khan" in inscriptions, by the words of the above-mentioned Turk-şad. One of the subjects that made the Turk-şad angry, had been the disturbing of the Turks during the days of their mourning for their dead "forefathers". This speech, which had been an important road memory from the point of view of the tribes who lived at the west regions of the Gok-Turk khanate, and had been addressed to the ambassador Valentinos' name, further on contained important explanations about the style and the philosophy of the Turkish conquests: "I know how our prisoners the Uar-Huns (Avars) went to Byzantium.
I know where Dinyeper, and Maritza Rivers are and where the Danube flows and pours. The countries from the east to the west kneeled down in front of us. You see the Alans and On-Ogurs. They tried to disobey, but their hopes became naughty. We will also come to Rome". These words which showed that the borders of the Gok-Turks extended up to the north of Caucasia, also had been an open threat to Byzantium. But Turk-şad showed that he was not joking. The East Roman envoys still had been in the lands of Gok-Turks when the famous Castle of Kerç in Crimea, which belonged to the Byzantines, had been invaded by the Turkish armies (576). This is the date when the borders of the Gok-Turk Khanate extended from Mançurya to the Black Sea.
Although Tardu, son of Istemi, who took his place after his father (576-603) (Ta-teu in Chinese, actually a title), had been similar to his father by means of being powerful and for his love for war, had deepened the separation that the Khan T'a-po wanted, due to his passion. The Chinese took advantage from his weakness: First of all, using him against T'a-po, they inspired Ta-lo-pien (son of Mu-kan), who had been offended as for the reason that a part of the khanate had not been given to him, to go to Tardu. Whereas, even Mu-kan had not nominated him as a candidate for the throne, because his mother was not noble (from a Turkish family). Even though the great khan T'a-po, who died in 581, wanted him to be the khan instead of his own son, the Senate (Parliament) refused this and brought Işbara (Şa-po-lüe in Chinese), the son of K'o-lo as the khan
The Period of Işbara and The Split of the State into Two (582)
China continued encouraging the disagreements among the Gok-Turks. While Ta-lo-pien prepared for the struggle with the new great khan together with Tardu, the west Yabgu, Işbara was sending soldiers to China to realize the inspirations given by the princess of Chou, his wife who wanted to take vengeance of her family from the khan of Sui (581-618), who obtained the power instead of the Chous and built a political unity for the first time since 350 years in China. Meanwhile, Ven-li, the Emperor of Sui, was trying to drive away from China nearly 10 thousands of Turks who worked as merchants in the Chinese cities and had privileges due to their friendship relations.
In spite of this, when Işbara came with his armies to China, the Chinese cheating activities increased. Wen-li sent Tardu a flag with golden had of a wolf in order to inform him that he was greeted as the great khan of Gok-Turks. Tardu whom ambitions had increased, at first refused Işbara who proposed to act in common against China and announced that he did not recognize the kingdom of the east region (582). Meanwhile, Işbara had to struggle with Ç'ang Sun-şeng, the diplomat-general who knew the Turks very well and to work with the discord of this Chinese between the Turkish commanders. In this way, the empire was divided officially into two.
The Kingdom of East Gok-Turks
The Never-Ending Tricks of the Chinese
Isbara (587) died in the confusion as the Gok-Turks Kingdom dissolved, the dependent tribes revolted, the Turks began to take refuge in China and the family members of the Turkish khan started to quarrel. Even when his brother Ye-hu and later on Tülan (588-600), who had been announced as khan by the parliament, took his place, the situation did not get better. The famous Ç'ang Sun-şeng prepared rapports, showing the ways how to collapse the Gok-Turks Kingdom, presented them to the Emperor, and in Ötüken, from where came as an envoy, he tried to agitate members of the Turkish dynasty against each other with various intrigues.
His biggest assistant had been Ts'ien-kien, the Chinese princess, who first had been the wife of Ta-po than Işbara and later on after the death of Tülan (600) the wife of K'i-min (600-609), who became king with the consent of China. K'i-min, this time, was being used against Tardu, who was trying to control the Eastern Kingdom. K'i-min, in a letter had written to the Emperor Yang-ti, that "he had been a powerless slave of the majestic protector" and that he himself was "ready to make the Turkish tribe", whom even Işbara formerly denied "like the Chinese".
The Period of Khan Şi-pi: The Refreshment of the Honour of Gok-Turks (609-619)
However, after his death, Şi-pi (Shih-pi), his son and his successor, could save the Gok-Turks' honour. Although he married a Chinese princess, he used this issue as a fake in order to prevent the interventions of China in the internal affairs. He annihilated the disorder in the lands of Eastern Kingdom in 5-6 years, and he began to control from Tibet in the west, to the River of Amor in the east (615). The emperor that became anxious for the development of the events, began to apply again the unchangeable Chinese plans of bringing conflicts into the Turkish family members of the kingdom: This time, his advisor was P'ei-chu, the envoy who prepared the special trick rapports and whom books written for the west recognized as being the main sources.
The little brother of the khan, Ç'I-ki-şad, was proposed to be the "khan". However, this young man who knew the wretchedness of the people and the corruptions of the Chinese oppression, refused this offer together with the Chinese princess promised to him. The Chinese people tried another way: they trapped one of the Turkish commander and killed him, and informed the khan as they found appropriate to remove him because of t"he friendship they had toward the Turks", saying that he was referred to them wishing the opposition. The aim was to spoil the relationship between the Khan Si-pi and the leaders of Gok-Turks. But, the khan did not believe this fake too. He did not pay the yearly taxes and prepared for the war asserting that the last event had been damaged the Chinese-Turkish agreement.
His plan was to catch with a sudden attack the emperor who was on a journey to the north provinces. But the information of the attack reached secretly to China to the emperor by Chinese princess, the wife of those three khans mentioned before, who was in Ötüken. The emperor tried to return quickly but he was surrounded in the city of Şan-si Yenmen (today's Tai-hien) by the Gok-Turks cavalrymen who followed him. The same princess helped Emperor Yang-ti who cried for his despair, as being told so: she proved to recede of the Turkish armies with the rumour of the rebellion in the Gok-Turks country (615).
The Successful Chinese Politics of Si-pi
The last situation of Yang-ti resulted in disorders in China and the number of the opponents to him increased. This time it was witnessed to the dependency of the Chinese nobles to the Gok-Turks and Khan Şi-pi was repeating the Chinese tactics against them. Şi-pi gave a flag with a had of wolf to the refugee Liang Shi-tu (617) by announcing him as "the Eastern Chinese Khan" since he offered the precious objects plundered from the Chinese Palace to the Gok-Turks' Khan. Şi-pi announced another commander named as Liu Wu-chou, as "Western Chinese Khan", and sent him for the mobilization of war against Suis.
Between all of these, the most important historical thing was that he protected one of the Chinese general governors, Li-yuan, and he supported him so that Li-yuan, according to the agreement, after he removed the Suis from the power of the government with the help of the Turks, offered the empire's wealth in the Ch'ang-an to the khan and promised to give 30 thousands of silk and to pay yearly taxes. Then, he established the famous Family of T'ang (618-906) which had the sovereignty about 300 years in China and he announced himself as Kao-tsu as the emperor.
The Period of Kie-li: The Beginning of the Chinese Sovereignty (621-630)
After Si-pi, his brother Ç'u-lo (619-621) who became the khan, followed the hard politics of his brother, and he was determined to strengthen the Sui Family against the Emperor of T'ang who had changed his conduct towards the Kingdom. But he was poisoned and killed by his wife I-ç'ing, the Chinese princess. His brother, Kie-li (621-630) who was not an adequate person became the khan. He married the traitor princess I-ç'ing, and he provoked the emperor with the stinging letters he wrote to him. He was under the influence of his wife.
He was defeated in a few military attacks since being based merely on courage they were deprived of planning and program. People lost confidence because of his conduct. The Sir-Tardus, Bayirkus, and Uygurs rebelled (627). Lots of Chinese who were previously under Turkish protection were returning to their countries apologizing the Chinese Emperor of T'ang; Ki-tans and other tribes were searching ways to establish contacts with China, and they were uniting China at the border regions. The emperor Tai-tsung (627-649) was waiting for the deterioration of the situation to strike the Turks. The khan was captured while he was withdrawing after the defeat of a city he was surrounding, and he was sent to the Chinese capital under protection (630
Chinese Slavery and Attempts for Independence: the Great Hero Kurshat (630-680)
The year of 630 in which Tai-tsung announced himself as "the Gök (Sky)-Khan of the Turks" is accepted as the end of the Eastern Kök Turks' independence. The tribes linked to the kingdom and foreign communities were disintegrating and since there was nobody around the Kök Turks' princes to offer help everybody was looking for his own solution, the Turks were taking refuge in China. Although the khans from the Aşına Family followed each others, they were like puppets at the service of the Chinese Palace, they were going to visits of fidelity, giving presents and having different titles from the emperor. The tragic condition of the Kök Turks can be understood from the arguments done in the Chinese Palace in front of the emperor about what can be done against the Turks. Finally, "6 providences" in Northern China, along the Great Wall were determined for the settlement of the Turks.
In this manner, it was hoped that the Turks could become Chinese. In the 50 years until 680, the Turkish people did not forget its identity, it protected its language, habits and traditions, and lived in the spirit the glorious memories of history. Meanwhile, there were minor rebellions. For example, the attempt of a prince from the Aşina family to restore the Turkish Kingdom in the Altays (646-649), Tu-çi, from the family of Kök Turks' khans and the commander of On-Oks, was announced to be the "khan" (676-678) and he made agreement with the people of Tibet against China… The most surprising actions among the ones that were severely suppressed by the Chinese was Kür-şad's
The Slavery Years and Kür-sad's Rebellion
The Chinese who ruined the Eastern Turkish Kingdom brought the people from the family of the khan to the capital and gave them some duties in order to keep them under control. They thought to annihilate the Turks and convert them to Chinese in order to get rid of the Turks completely. Thus, they settled a big part of the Turks along the Great Wall of China. But this suppression helped Turks to increase their resistance. They embraced with determination their language, habits and traditions, and they got ready for revenge. During their enslavement, which lasted 50 years they rebelled when ever they found a chance.
One of these rebellions known as "the rebellion of Kür-şad" forms the golden pages of Turkish history. The Turkish Prince Kür-şad was the younger son of Çuluk, an ex Turkish khan. He was charged as the bodyguard in the Chinese Emperor's Palace. At that time, the emperor of China was Tay-çung from the family of Tang. Kür-sad formed a secret rebellion committee together with thirty-nine friends of his in order strengthen the Turkish State and free it from slavery. These forty patriots who were strong and brave and good gun users prepared an attack plan. The Emperor Tay-çung used to go around sometimes in the garden wearing the clothes of a king and sometimes he was walking in the city alone and disguised. The plan was to kidnap him, to take him to the Turkish cities and exchanged him with the Turkish nobles hold in the Chinese Palace as slaves and the Turkish lands that were under the control of China. Then, they would call all Turks to rebellion. It was not difficult for the forty young Turks to kidnap the Chinese Emperor.
The secret committee received information that the emperor was going around that night, they informed each other to start the action. Kür-şad's friends arrived at the determined place after abandoning their duties. But, that night there was a very big storm and the emperor did not get out of his palace. It was dangerous to postpone the plan, because it would become clear they had abandoned their duties and the plan for the preparations of a rebellion would be uncovered. This could result in the massacre of all Turkish slaves. Thus, the forty Turkish heroes attacked suddenly the palace without waiting for the emperor to come outside. Hundreds of the palace guards were killed. But the Chinese armies filled up the palace upon getting information from those who had escaped. They could not kidnap the emperor under such conditions. Kür-şad had to leave the palace and apply the second part of his plan, which was "an attack to the palace's stable".
The forty heroes rode outside the town on horses after they killed the guards and the stablemen. The whole army was after them. They stopped compulsorily when they reached the River of Vey near the city and turned into an attack position. They killed hundreds of soldiers, but the army was crowded. The Turkish heroes died fighting until the last drop of their blood.The rebellion was not successful but the desire for freedom in the hearts of the Turks increased and spread rapidly in all Turkish cities. This event happened in 639. The desire for freedom lasted 41 years until they regained their freedom.
The Western Gok-Turks Kingdom
The Successful Years of Tardu: 582-603
In 582, Tardu was trying to terminate officially the relation with the Eastern Kingdom and was trying hard to unify both sides under his protection. Tardu marched to China when China that was suppressing the Eastern Kingdom, tried to collide the two brothers by being in the side of T'u-ti against the Khan Tülan. But while he was successful in the North China, he became the victim of the tricks of the above-mentioned general-diplomat Ç'ang Sun-şeng. This Chinese had poisoned the waters and the springs on the ways where the Turkish armies and their horses would pass. Since Tardu did not realize something like that, he had lots of lost and suffered losses. He had to withdraw (600).
Until that date, the Khan Tardu had had lots of success in the west, he was realized the dependence of the region of Hoten to the empire, he interfered with the internal affairs of Iran during the wars between Byzantium and Sassanids in the period of Şehinşah Ormudz V. "Turkish-son" (579-590), when a Turkish commander was surrounding Derbend, another Gok-Turks' army was conquered the region of Heart and Badgis. The Sassanids' famous commander, Bahram Çupi who stopped this army, rebelled and made his son, Husrav Parviz, to ascend the throne after he dethroned Ormudz. This event resulted in the confusions in the Sassanids Empire and Bahram defeated with the intervention of Byzantium, had to refuge to the khan. In this manner, Tardu's realization of his desire, even though for a little of time, to unify both of the kingdoms under his control (towards 598), and at the same time his gaining a dominating position on the Iran, was seemed to be shown in a letter he sent to Mauriacus, the Emperor of Byzantium in the year of 598: "From the Khan, the king of the seven climates and the leader of the seven races of the world, to the Roman Emperor…".
According to the Chinese sources, in this date Tardu had the position as a sovereign in the regions of Ötüken, North-west Mongolia, near the Lake of Aral, Kaşgar, Transoxiana and Khorasan until Merv and he was known as "Wise Khan" as being the great khan. However, Tardu, in order to realize the unity of the Gok-Turks, behaved severely. In 601, some Turkish clans and foreign rebelled when they did not have a good result in the war done near the Chinese capital. Tardu could not handle the events and disappeared in the region of Köke-naur (603).
The Short Weakness Period After Tardu (603-619)
After the disappearance of Tardu, the number of the rebellious increased in the country, and the order spoiled. The grandchild of Tardu, who tried to cooperate with Suis against the Khan Şi-pi, who had been the new power in the Eastern Khanate, had left his country and preferred to live in the Palace of China, from where he had been taken over and killed (619) by Şi-pi. The things began to improve during the period of Şi-koen, one of the relatives of Tardu, who was announced as being the khan by the Parliament.
The Period of Tong Yabgu (619-630)
But the real repose was in the period of the little grandchild of Tardu, T'ong-Yabgu (619-630). According to the Chinese source T'an-shu, this "clever and brave" khan was "an expert warrior and a distinguished strategist". He took under his control the Töles that were spread over the Orkhun, the River of Tola and the Lake of Aral, defeated Iranians and advanced until the Kandahar in the south. His army was formed by a few hundred of the cavalrymen who knew to string the bow very well.
He was settled in the famous region of Bin-yul (thousand of sources), found in the south-east of the capital Talas 75 km's away. According to Tang-shu, "there was no one seen in the west as powerful as him". During the period of T'ong-Yabgu, who had a friendly relationship with China, Chinese Buddhist priest Hiuen-Tsang, who passed the Gok-Turks' Empire from end to end, visited T'ong-Yabgu and informed about the ways, cities, religious and cultural lives.
The Darkest Year in History of the Gok-Turk's: 630
In the brightest periods of the Gok-Turks Empire, the On-oks and Karluks rebelled. It is very likely that those are proved by Küe-li, the Eastern khan who supposed his position to be in great danger. The murder of T'ong-Yabgu by his uncle Se-pi, the commander of the west side of the kingdom, during a dispute resulted with confusion in the country (630). Eventhough the Nu-şi-pis from the On-oks preferred themselves to choose a king since they did not want Se-pi as the king, they decided on Se-Yabgu, the son of T'ong-Yabgu. This time, the rebellion of Töles became determinative in the dependency of the state to China.
The year of 630 is the darkest year of the great Gok-Turks' history. The Eastern Kingdom, in this year, submitted to China. In the same year, also the Western Kingdom had to bear the same consequence. After this time, even though there were lots of "khans" and sometimes at the same time, in front of the Western Gok-Turks groups, these were only employees of China. The annexation of the Western Gok-Turks' countries to China was completed in 658.
The Second Gok-Turks Kingdom
The Reasons why the Gok-Turk's Lost Their Freedom
The 50 years between the years of 630-680, in which the Gok-Turks had lost their freedom, was a period of mourning. Even though in the Middle Asia the Turks protected their language, belief and traditions and existed as a nation, they were deprived of an independent state. It was a source of suffering to be "the slave who deserved to be the Sir and the Lady" for the Gok-Turks who thought this issue as the event breaking their honour. The people were saying: "I was a tribe with a country, now where is my country? I was a tribe with a khan, now where is my khan?" According to the inscriptions, there are three reasons for those disasters, which the Gok-Turks lived through.
1) The inadequacies of the successor statesmen and administrators: "… The khan was wise and brave, his orders were wise and brave, and so his tribe, in this manner they organized the country recording to the customs… Then the brothers and sons became khans, since the little brother did not resemble to the big one and the son to the father, the ignorant khans ascended the throne, their orders were unwise and not suitable… The Turkish nobles threw away the Turkish names and used the Chinese names, they were dependent on the Chinese khan and worked for him for fifty years…"
2) The inadequate conducts of the Turkish nations: "Turkish nation… You don't think about the satiety when you are in hunger, you don't know what is hungry when you are satiated. For this reason you did not listen well the words of the khan, you leaved your country, you ruined and exhausted. You lost your independent kingdom… You went to the east and to the west. What did you do where you have gone leaving the happy homeland Ötüken? You caused a general massacre, your bones piled up like a mountain…", "The Turkish nation has left his own khan, and gone under the control. Since it is under control, God brought the death, the Turkish nation has died, destroyed…".
3) The shrewd Chinese politics and the destroying propaganda: " The Chinese nation do pleasant speech, its present is soft, soft words and soft gifts bring together the nations far away. Then, he begins to spread the corruptive knowledge, he does not let the good and the wise men. Lots of Turkish nations died believing his soft words and soft presents…", "… Since the Chinese people are tricky and shrewd, the Turkish nation begins to collapse because of the rebellions of the little brothers against the big ones, and because of discords between the nobles and the nation, the independent nation terminated…", "The Chinese khan decided to destroy the Turkish nation instead of killing, even though the Turkish nation was working for him, then he begin to destroy…".
The Establishment of the Gok-Turk Second State By Khan Ilteriş Kutlug: 682
Kutklug and Tonyukuk firstly attacked the providence Yün-çu in the north China in 681 and captured about 30 thousand of horses, sheep and camels and withdrew to the region between the Desert Gobi and River Orkhun, strengthened with the new ones who joined them. They finished their preparations determining Çugay Kuzi (Çung-tsai in Chinese, in the south of Ötüken) as their summer center and Kara-kurum at the more southern place as their winter center. Their first target was Ötüken. The Ötüken Plateau was at the south-west of Lake Baikal, surrounded by the high mountains, protected and easy to defence but at the same time located in a strategic place suitable for the attacks to the places around, with a moderate climate and abundant grasslands.
It was the government capital during Asia Huns and Gok-Turks Kingdom I. And it was a sacred place of the Turks. It was possible to collect and to control the Turkish people spread out, only near Ötüken, "the place where the spirit of the Turkish statesmen settled down". It was necessary a Gok-Turks' attack since near the River of Selenga, the Oguzs, getting anxious for the development of the Kutlug's movement, attempted to make an agreement with K'itans and China as a precaution. The Oguzs' danger disappeared in 682 after the war realized in the edge of the Lake Inekler (on the branches of Orkhun) as an unexpected attack done with the recommendation of Tonyukuk.
This war that had historical importance resulted in the control of Otuken by the Gok-Turks. Kutlug was announced as being the "khan" and obtained the name of Ilteris (Il= the one who gathers the state) and he organized the second kingdom: he appointed his brother Kapagan (or Kapgan) as "şad" and the other brother To-si-fu as "yabgu". He made Tonyuku, who had a primary role in the regaining of the independency and the reestablishment of the state, as the councillor of the state (Ayguçi) and he gave him the arrangements of the preparation of the army, administration and the diplomatic works
The Attacks Done to China
It was certain that the new kingdoms' attack target would be China. The attacks of China, that had been like a parade of glory and victory, aimed on one hand keeping this old and "trickster" enemy under suppression and on the other hand to control the new Gok-Turks' state that had been in need of indispensable materials by means of food, clothes and especially horses. The attacks were directed to the region from Pekin to Kan-su; to the region of south of the Great Wall of China to the south of Huang-ho, and to the centers of providence and garrisons that Chinese called as "Çu"; there were 46 attacks to China between the years of 682 and 687. During these attacks, the Chinese governors and commanders were defeated, the armies were dispersed, the resistance annihilated in everywhere. The victories of the great size were obtained in Hin-çu (685, April) and So-çu (687, October).
The Death of Khan Ilteris Kutlug
Khan Ilteris took under his control the Turks and the foreign tribes in the places from the Mountains of Kogmen (Tannu-ula) in the north, to the high plateaus of the River of Onon and Kerulen in the east, to the Altays in the west ("He attacked for 47 times, he fought for 20 times, he controlled the enemies according to the God's order, My father Khan had won such countries..." Inscriptions I). In this manner, the national hero Ilteris, who reorganized the Gok-Turks State and mde effective again the traditions, died under the shadow of the flag with the head of wolf in the plateau of sacred Ötüken (692). It is asserted that the Ongin inscription in the south of Orkhun, which is claimed to be posted in the name of Ilteris, was posted in 720 and did not belonged to Ilteriş.
Khan Kapagan
When Ilteris died, he had two sons, one was 8 year-old (Bilge) and the other 7 year-old (Kül Tegin). His brother Kapagan (Kapgan) became the khan (692-716). Kapagan, mentioned as Mo-ç'o (Bekçor in Turkish) in the Chinese sources, was one of the biggest conquerors in the Turkish history. Tonyukuk had the duty of councilor of the state, his brother, his nephews and his sons slowly were being the nobles of the Gok-Turks' Kingdom. Khan Kapagan had the plans suitable to great and future point of view statesman; the principles can be summarized in such manner:
The Principles of the State Politics of Khan Kapagan
a) to keep China under suppression. He had two aims: to protect the order of the Turkish state and to provide the opportunities of the agricultural acquisition enough for the people.
b) to draw back the Turks living disorganized in China to the motherland (Ötüken). He had also two aims for this subject: to save the Turks from the foreign dependency and to increase the military and economical development in the Turkish countries.
c) to connect all the Turks, living in the continent of Asia, to the unity of Gok-Turks. Kapagan is increased among the Turkish nobles for his political and economical views. Especially the third point calls attention to this political comprehension.
The Attacks of Khan Kapagan
Young, harsh and ambitious Kapagan began to his series of attacks and victories with the raid of China in 693. He sabotaged severely the province of Ling-çu and he arranged seven more attacks to the same region in the same year. Then, he pioneered to Ordos. When he increased the military acts again in Ling-çu (in 696) he was done 8 more attacks. He appraised in his favour the disturbance between Ki-tans and China, and he supported Wu, the Empress of T'ang. He defeated severely the horrible Ki-tans in the region of Hopei (696, October), and then he ordered his wishes to the empress: the seed millet weighing 100 thousand of "hu" (hu= the scale weighing 12.5 kilograms), 3 thousand of pieces of the agricultural devices, 10 thousand (40 thousand according to T'ang-shu) of irons, the return of the Turks, who settled in the land of China (most of them were in the land of "6 providence" in Ordus) to the motherland.
Then, Kapagan directed to Kirghizs who were occupying the region of Yenisey. The season was winter (697-698), it was a long journey and the road was difficult, but this attack was necessary. "They said: Let's make an agreement (with powerful Khan of Kirghiz) with the khans of China and On-ok, join in the Forest of Altun (Altays), unite our forces and attack to the Turkish Khan, or else the brave khan and his wise ayguçi would destroy us" (Tonyukuk Inscription). The Gok-Turks' army under the command of Kapagan and Tonyukuk, past over the Kögmen Mountains "by holding to the branches of the trees, sometimes by taking the horses as reserves", from the plateaus without roads; they attacked to the Kirghizs near the River of Ani in the Yenisey sources. They surrendered the country of Kirghiz whom the khan was dead.
The Organization of the State of the Khan
The Khan Kapagan reorganized the army and the administration again suitable to the conditions in the summer of 697: he gave his brother the duty of the left side of the kingdom, "the yad", he appointed Bilge, the son of Ilteriş who was 14 year-old, as "şad" on the Tarduş in the right side, and he made his own son, Bögü (Inal Khan in the inscriptions, Fu-kü in the Chinese sources) as "little khan". In this manner, two lines were constituted in the Turkish Empire, the military forces also were organized as two army groups.
While Kapagan was preparing for a war with China, the western group of the forces, which was under the order of Khan Inal and Şad Bilge but in reality Tonyukuk had its leadership administration, had the duty of unifying the On-oks to the state. The severe and determined conduct of Kapagan against the Chinese envoys prevented an armed quarrel in the east for that monument. China, anxious for the power of Mo-ç'o, sent immediately three thousand of agricultural devices, and 40 thousand "şi" (1şi= 10 hu) of seed millet, and the Turks sent back to their motherland (698). The two of great" khan's" plans were realized.
The New Attacks of Khan Kapagan to China
However, contrary to his wish to marry his daughter with a prince of T'ang, the Empress Wu exposed a prince from her own family as the son-in-law; then he got mad and declared the General Çen-çi-wei (he most be from the T'ang family), one of the committee from Chinese embassy, "the Chinese khan", and suddenly appeared in the Chinese lands like a storm: he made 30 attacks to different providences in the same year (698). All the Chinese forces who tried to resist them were crushed, they obtained lots of spoils, especially the horse crowds, and the slaves.
They directed to the north. The commander of the Chinese forces Şa-Ça-Cung-i, eventhough he had a few thousands of forces, could not find the courage to attack to Turks and he only watched the cavalrymen divisions of Gok-Turks from aside. At the same time, the Chinese Palace had lost the hope and sent a daily and secret order to the army and noticed that the one "who could kill the khan" would be the prince.
The Attack of the Khan Kapagan Towards the Turgis
Meanwhile, the group of the western forces that dispatched by Inal and Bilge under the command of Tonyukuk, progressed through the Plateau of Yariş (Cungarya) passing through the Altays. They were victorious (698) over the army of On-Oks which included 100 thousand of soldiers and was under the command of "the Khan Turgiş", who was attacking like "fire and storm" in Bolçu (in the south-west of the Lake of Urungu; the small town of today's Tokoi). The Bolçu war that ended with the slavery of Uçe-le, the khan of Turgiş, helped the unification of all of On-oks' tribes, To-lu and Nu-şi, all the Turks living in the regions of Balkaş, Ili, Lake of Işik, Çu and Talas to the Gok-Turks.
The borders of the kingdom were extended to the Taşkent and Fergana. According to the Chinese sources, "Mo-ç'o was proud for his victories and despised our empire. He has high goals. He sends his armies to everywhere. The width of his lands are more than 10 thousands of "li" (= nearly 4500 km.). All the Barbarians (except China) are under his control…". In this manner, 100 years later of the realization of Tardu the Turkish unity, Khan Kapagan, by the collection of the East-West kingdom's lands under one administration, "restored the horrified Turkish unity". But, it was necessary to conquer the Transoxiana in order to complete the 3rd point of the Kapagan's plan.
The Transoxiana Attack of Khan Kapagan
There was not any force that could resist to the Gok-Turks' armies in the Transoxiana, a place geographical position of which with its climate, and productive lands were praised very much in all sources. From 675, "the city kingdoms" commanded by some Turkish families, resisted successfully with the small forces spitefully to the commanders of Muslim Arabs (Abdullah b. Ziyad, Said b. Osman, Musa, Mühelleb etc.) by small attempts. Under the command of Tonyukuk again, the Gok-Turks' group of western forces that were led and administrated by "Khan Inal" and Bilge and that included also Kül Tegin who was 16-year-old that year, reached to the edges of Inci (Seyhun=Sirderya) passing through Altays-Borçlu-Plateau of Yariş-"the Gate of Tribes"-the regions of Çu and Talas- north of Karadağ, and by passing the river entered the Kizil-Kum, Transoxiana and directed to the south.
A part of the army, for a possible attack from the sides, was remained under the command of Inal and Tonyukuk progressed and defeated firstly the army which was under the command of Sok, that was ready to the struggle in the south-east of Semerkand (701), obtained the slaves and spoils: "yellow gold, white silver, girl and child…" (Tonyukuk Inscription). At the same time, they had a victory against Chinese: Bilge and Kül Tegin defeated the Chinese general Ong-Tutuk (Wei Yuan-çung) in the region of "Idukbaşi". The general was commanding an army which included 50 thousands of soldiers with the Alti-çub (Chao-wu) tribe's aids in the east of the city of Keş. Kül Tegin who showed for the first time his bravery and warriorship in this war, took by himself the Chinese commander as prisoner. Thus, when Gok-Turks' army got rid of the obstacles, reached to Tarnir Kapig (Demir Kapi). This place, as it was known to be the natural border from Iran-Turan (Turks) from the B.C centuries.
First Relations With Arabians
Thanks to the attack of Transoxiana, for the first time the Muslim Arabians (Tazik) were mentioned in the Orkhun Inscriptions. The name Tazik (by the Turks, lately used for the Iranians: Tacik), Iranians called Arabians as Tazi (an Arabian tribe called Tay) should be related to the forces of Mühelleb, the general governor Khorasan, who set up quarters in the city of Keş in that time. It appears that the force under the Inal's command was left there for an Arabian attack, but the army of Mühelleb did not do any action.
First Relations With Arabians
Thanks to the attack of Transoxiana, for the first time the Muslim Arabians (Tazik) were mentioned in the Orkhun Inscriptions. The name Tazik (by the Turks, lately used for the Iranians: Tacik), Iranians called Arabians as Tazi (an Arabian tribe called Tay) should be related to the forces of Mühelleb, the general governor Khorasan, who set up quarters in the city of Keş in that time. It appears that the force under the Inal's command was left there for an Arabian attack, but the army of Mühelleb did not do any action.
The Continuous Attacks to China
On the other hand, Kapagan continued to the attacks to China. Between the years of 700-702, there were 21 attacks done to China. In 704, in the war of Ming-şa, to which Kül Tegin and Bilge were joined, the Chinese army formed by 80 thousand of soldiers, was defeated and continuously 11 more attacks were organized. The Emperor of T'ang gave a daily order that the one who would take as a slave and kill Kapagan, would be announced as prince and gained a 2 thousand balls of silk. Besides, he ordered all the people in charge to prepare plans in order to defeat the Gok-Turks. Thereupon, in the rapport given to the emperor by Lu-Fu, one of the highest officials in the palace, proposed as a remedy: 1) to provoke the Barbarians against each others, 2) to obstacle the Barbarians in two sides, and he reminded that in the year of 36 B.C Çi-çi's defeat.
The Control Khan Kapagan of the Turkish Groups in the Neighbourhoods
Meanwhile, the Basmils, who had political relations with China from the date of 649, were taken again under control (704). In 709, Khan Bilge began to control the kingdom the Ciks and the Azs (the two neighbours of the Kirghiz). The Kirghizs that tried to rebel taking the advantage of the preoccupation of the Gok-Turks' armies, were defeated for a second time by the Gok-Turks' armies which "passed the region of Kögmen by breaking down the snow having the length of a spear" commanded by Kül Tegin (710).
In the same year, the Bayirkus near the River of Tolga were defeated in the war of Turgi-yargin Lake. In the year of 711, the Turgiş forces were attacked again near Bolçu, their khan, şad and yabgu were killed. The Turgiş country and the "Black Turgiş" people were taken under the control; and another Transoxiana attack was realized. According to the inscriptions, the reason of this attack was the organization of the "Sogdak (region of Semerkand) tribe".
The Rebellions of Black Turgiş and Karluk
Khan Kapagan's severity, intolerant harshness was increasing the disorder, and as it was seen, was resulting the Turkish clans to rebel. In 711, although Kül Tegin suppressed the Black- Turgiş's rebellion, the Karluk rebellion lasted for 3 years beginning from that year. The Chinese provoked, and it increased violently with the contributions of On-oks. In those distressful days in which the Emperor Çung-tsung mobilized his forces to the providence of Kan-su against the Gok-Turks, the Karluks and their allies, that came from their countries of "Turkistan" to Ötüken, would be stopped only by Kapagan, Bilge and Kül Tegin's common act and destroyed with a harsh war done in the Tarnig Iduk-başi (the source of the River of Tarnir.
The place where the Gok-Turks used to organize ceremonies in every May). Some of the Karluk group and the others took shelter from China, and they were settled to the region of San-yuan. The Tarnig Iduk-başi War was won at just the right moment, and the intervention of the Chinese forces, that chose as the target of force the Gok-Turks to fight in the two sides, was prevented which was planned to be to the advantage of Karluks. Now, it was necessary to get rid of the preparations of China. There had been an attack to Beş-balik, the Chinese center of concentration (714). According to the Chinese sources, the army, led by Khan Inal, Tung-iç Tegin and the uncle of khan, surrounded Beş-balik. It is understood from the inscriptions that Bilge was also joined to this act but they could not possess the city. But with this act, the attack to the Turks by the China, that was contended to gain the victory on the Turkish clans in the Tokmak by making use of the disorder, was removed.
The Rebellion of Nine-Oguzs and the Death of Khan Kapagan (716)
But the kingdom was boiling like a boiler. The conditions can be understood from the words written in the inscriptions, such as "when my khan uncle's administration is under the disorder, and there is duality between the people…". The Azs and then İzgis were severely defeated (715). But, the rebellion of Oguzs resulted in the big wounds in the social structure of Gok-Turks, since Oguzs were constituted the basic group of the kingdom; so their rebellion shocked the state fundamentally. And the biggest consequence of the rebellion was the independence of the west )the country of On-oks, namely Karluks, Turgişs and Transoxiana).
It can be perceived from the inscriptions that the rebellion of Oguzs which began in the autumn of the year of 714 -for the relationship of Oguzs with the state- was received with surprise. " -Nine-Oguz clan was my clan, because of the disorder of the sky and the land, it became enemy". In the spring of 715, the animals of Oguzs, who were defeated during the Khan's Nine-Oguzs attack. In the year of 716, the Bayirkus from the clan of Oguzs were severely repressed. However, this was the last one of the victories of Khan Kapagan, who had a bad-tempered nature. He was trapped by Bayirkus while he was turning back to Ötüken sure of himself, and he was killed by one of Bayirkus who jumped upon Khan (716, July 22). Bayirkus' relations with China can be understood from the presence of a Chinese envoy at that time. According to a rumour, the Kapagan's head was cut and brought to China by this envoy.
The Period of Khan Inal (Bögü)
Inal, the successor son of Kapagan, did not have enough power to take the charge of the state's reins in that critical period of the kingdom. He could not prevent the disorders, and bring the peace to the country. However, the Turkish people were waiting those conditions to be realized by the khan. The duty of saving the state was shouldered by the sons of Ilteriş, Bilge and Kül Tegin; since the Oguzs altogether grew violently. In the year of 716, Kül Tegin had done 5 Oguz attacks, and to the four of them Bilge was joined too. On the inscriptions, there are some passages talking about the Gok-Turks' army getting exhausted and loosing the courage.
All those events were referred to the incapability of the new khan, and were creating the public opinion of withdrew of the quality of being the khan given by God. Fot the country in order to get rid out of this disaster, it was necessary to change the khan. According to the explanations in the Chinese sources, the change was realized by force, probably as a result of the resistance of Bögü. Khan Inal, his brother, nobles and the supporters were killed. The revolution plan was formed by the brothers, Bilge and Kül Tegin, but it was realized by Kül Tegin.
The First Years of Khan Bilge and the Rebellions of Oguz
Bilge, with the insistence of his brother, became Khan (716-734). And Kül Tegin undertook the duty of being the supreme military command of the Gok-Turks' armies. Tonyukuk, who was a member of the high court from 705, and who was not touched for being the father-in-law of Bilge, was given his ex duty, the duty of being the "Ayguçi" (councilor of the state). But, there was a general fatique and weariness: "God enthroned me in order the Turkish clan would survive. I've been the khan to a clan, internally without food and externally without clothes. We agreed with my brother in order not to be forgotten the name and the esteem of our nation which was gained by our father and uncle. I did not sleep at nights, and sit at days for the Turkish Nation. We worked to death with Kül Tegin and şads". (Inscriptions).
The struggle with Oguzs was continuing severely as it was before. That year Bilge was on the mobilization even though it was the year of dearth and famine which caused to the death of most f the animals. The Three-Oguzs who were coming through Ötüken were driven away. The Oguzs that attacked with Nine Tatars, were defeated in two wars realized in Agu, and the Oguz groups were with driven towards the Chinese borders by leaving their country (717-718). There were wars with the Uygur Il-Tebers who rebelled in 717, and Karluks that attempted to rebel again in 718, and they got the victory.
The Success of Khan Bilge Over China
Khan Bilge had the desire to have a good relations with China. He had this opinion according to Tonyukuk's belief about the strength of China, and the Gok-Turks' fatigue and needs of carefulness. However, China, that was encouraging the refugee Gok-Turks' prince and the people around him to struggle with gun against Bilge, responded to the Gok-Turks' peace proposal with the preparation of a army formed by 300 thousands of soldiers (721) with the strong desire of Turkish exploitation of the situation.
At the same time, China, that obtained the military support of K'itans and Tatabis, made agreements with Basmils at Beş-balik. The delicate condition was saved by the great stateman and strategist Tonyuku. Under his plans, leadership and administration, firstly the Basmils were defeated, and Beş-balik was surrounded. The danger of K'itans and Tatabis was eliminated (722-723); then China that was remained alone, was taken under the control with a severe suppression: The regions of Liang-çu, Kan-çu, Yuan-çu were obtained with 10 attacks, after the Chinese army was defeated in the war of Santan (in Kan-su) and Beş-balik was conquered. The kingdom was regained ex vitality and honor. Whole the east and the west until Tarbagatay was under the control of kingdom. Bilge even recognized as dependent to himself, the kingdom of Turgiş which was a state on his own after it broke off relations with Ötüken in the disorder of 717.
These success were obtained with the determination and effort of the three Turkish great nobles: Tonyukuk, Bilge and Kül Tegin. China, of course, was aware of the situation. They talked in a meeting led by the Emperor Huang-sung such that: "It can not be known what and when the Turks would do. Khan Bilge is good, he likes his nation, and the Turks are content with him… Kül Tegin is the master of the art of war, there can be hardly found a force that could resist against him…
Tonyukuk is authoritarian and wise, he was full of intentions and shrewdness. Here, these three " barbarians" having the same understanding are altogether…". In 724, there was an agreement made with China. The Emperor sent an envoy to Ötüken to discuss the marriage of Khan Bilge, who requested a Chinese princess. Khan received this envoy in front of the Hatun (Lady), Kül Tegin and Tonyukuk (725), then he sent an envoy, Mei-lu-ç'o (Buyrukçur), one of the ministers, to the capital of China. As a result of the relations of this envoy, who was treated with respect and care, it was decided that the city of Sofank (Ling-çu) would be a place of a common Bazaar that the Gok-Turks could engage in commerce freely.
Bilge Tonyukuk
The last information about the great statesman of Gok-Turks was in 725. He must be dead after this date. From the time of the preparations of the independency war of Gok-Turks, at the time of Ilteriş, Kapagan and Bilge, "wise and strategists Khan Tonyukuk, who had the titles of "Boyla Baga Apa Tarkan", was in the service of the state for 46 years, he was never met with the unsuccessfulness, and he was the first in the organization of the army, economy, and court system of the kingdom. Even in the Chinese sources his abilities were mentioned, and some evidence showing his effects on the khans as being the "Ayguçi", and at the same time, how he closely followed and evaluated that period's religious tendencies in the point of view of the Turkish Nation, were indicated. Khan Bilge, as it was the same in China, wanted to surround the Turkish country by the city walls, and to construct the castles.
Tonyukuk objected: "Those should not be done. We are a nation that pass the time in the watery and grassy steppes. Our life style always keeps us in the exercise of war. The number of Gok-Turks is not even %1 of the Chinese people. Our success come from our living style. In our powerful periods we led the armies, and do the attacks. If we are weak, we withdraw to the steppes and fight. If we stay in the castles and city walls, Tsng's armies surround us, and invade our country…". Another opinion of Bilge was to spread the religion and the philosophy of Buddhists and Taoists among the Turks by building the temples. Tonyukuk used to say: "Both of them weaken the person's feeling of domination and power. The way of having power and to be the warrior is not that.
This is not suitable for us. If we want the Turkish nation survive, we should not give places to such practices, and such temples". As the source (T'ang-shu) adds, the "deeper meaning" in those recommendations was understood well in the capital of Gok-Turks. Today the western researchers called Tonyukuk as "Bismark of Gok-Turks".
The Inscription of Bilge Tonyukuk
After the death of Tonyukuk, an inscription has been built to his memory in the region of Bayin-çokto in Orkhun (perhaps in 726-727). This is not only a source of national history remained from the Turks, but at the same time, since it is the first monument of the Turkish language and literature that can be read easily and long enough, it has an important place in the cultural history. The possibility of writing out of the text of this inscription by Tonyukuk himself, has gained the honour to Ayguçi, Bilge Tonyukuk to be the first person known, his name and his personality, in the Turkish literature.
The Death of Kül Tegin (731)
In the year of 731, Kül Tegin had died (in the old Turkish calendars, 17th day of the year of the "sheep"=731, February 27). He had 47 year-old, and he had the titles of Inançu, Apa, Tarkan. He devoted his life to the exaltedness of the Turkish nation from 7 year-old. His strength, and warriorship was praised in the documents of the Turks and the Chinese people. One of Kül Tegin's great heroic acts was seen when the Nine-Oguzs were attacked unexpectedly to the headquarters of Gok-Turks in 716. Khan Bilge explains as: "My mother could be the Lady, and the big women, my bride, and my princesses could be the concubines. The dead ones could be remained on the road.
Kül Tegin did not delivered the headquarters. You all would be dead if he would not be". (inscriptions). Her are some sincere expressions on the inscriptions about the hero whom death created a big grief in the kingdom (by Bilge): "My little brother Kül Tegin has died, my seeing eyes become blind, my knowing knowledge becomes ignorant. The time is under God's preordaining. The noble was created to die. I'm in the mourning, I become decrepit with the tears on the eyes, and with the cry from the heart… I become cautious with the idea of my nation's eyes, and eyebrows getting bad from crying". The same sadness was felt also in China, and the Emperor was sent a letter of condolence to Ötüken with a special envoy. He desired to scratch a Chinese text on the monument which would be constructed in the memory of Kül Tegin.
The Inscription of Kül Tegin
The Turkish text of the Kül Tegin's inscription, that was prepared according to the wish of Bilge, was written by Kül Tegin's "tutor" (atabey), Prince Yollig Tegin and was scratched on the stone in 20 days. Together with this inscription which is very important because of the Gok-Turks' history, culture, Turkish language and literature, Kül Tegin's mausoleum and its embroidered pictures were completed and the big funeral was realized in 1 November 731 (the year of "Sheep", 9th month, 27). Besides the Gok-Turks people and nobles, the other states and klans, like China, K'I-tans, Tatabi, Tibet, Iran, Sogd, Buhara, Turgiş, Kirghiz also joined to the funeral with special committees.
The Death of Khan Bilge (734)
There is not any action of Bilge, who was lost two of his helpers, instead of the victory he had gained in the Mountain of Töngkes against the K'i-tans and Tatabis in the summer of 734. Bilge sent an envoy to the Emperor to inform about his expressions of gratitude for the decision of his marriage with a Chinese princess; but this marriage did not realize. Because Bilge was poisoned by the Buyrukçur mentioned before. Until his death, this minister at first and then his allies were annihilated by Bilge, who died in 25 November 734 (the year of "Il", 10th month, 26). He had become for 19 years "şad" and for 19 years the "khan". As it is mentioned in the Chinese sources, he was known with "his love towards the Turkish Nation", to which he was trusting very much.
"O Turkish Nation, if above the sky that does not fall down, below the earth does not hole, who could be destroy his state and traditions" (inscriptions) said Bilge. He also said such on the monument constructed by his son: "… Since God is in the above, and the earth in the below ordered, I brought my nation to the places, their eyes did not see, and that the ears did not hear, especially to the east in front, to the west in behind, to the noon in here, and to the up until midnight. I made my Turks, to my nation gain the yellow of the gold, the white of the silver, the pure of the silk, the special of the house, the black of the ermine, and the grey of the squirrel".
The death of Khan Bilge made the Turkish Nation, that they were still remembering the grief of Kül Tegin, in mourning. The Emperor of China announced the mourning in his country, and informed about his condolence. A preparation of the construction a mausoleum and an inscription for Bilge, was begun. The text was written by Yollig Tegin again and he scratched it on the stone in 4 days and a month (735). A Chinese inscription was also added on it according to the wish of the Emperor of China.
T
he Collapse of the State of Gok-Turks (745)
After the death of Bilge, some collapse evidences appeared in the Kingdom of Gok-Turks. Firstly Khan Turk Bilge (in the Chinese sources, I-jan) who replaced his father and then his little brothewr Khan Tengri (in Chinese, Teng-li) succeeded to the trone and sovereignty. In 740, there was again on the throne a khan named "Khan Tengri", and this was the son of Bilge (the khans after Bilge are a little bit mixed). Since the khan was a little boy, the administration was done by his mother (the daughter of Tonyukuk), P'o-fu.
The Lady could not control the state, there were struggles between the members of the kingdom, and the disorder spread through the country. The Basmils, Karluks and Uygurs come together by making use of this disorder, and announced as "the khan" (742) the supreme-commander of Basmils from the family of Aşina, after they began to control the situation. They killed firstly the Gok-Turks Khan Ozmiş (Vu-su-mi-şi), and then his little brother, the last Gok-Turks' khan Po-mei. Meanwhile, the allies' frienship was broken. The Basmil Commander (Khan) was killed and the Uygur Commander was announced as the "khan": Khan Kutlu Kül Bilge (745). The period of the Uygur Turkish State was beginning in Ötüken. Nevertheless, some families of the period of Gok-Turks, even the ones coming from the family of Tonyukuk, continued to be important even in the Uygurs' State and in the period of Mongols.
The Importance and the Place of the Gok-Turks in the Turkish History
In general Turkish history, it is known that the period of the Gok-Turks had a central identity by being the leader to the Turkish nation. Until our days from the 6th century it was established, the entire Turkish world protected its deep traces. The Asian Huns widely and much conscious way if it may be said so, unified under their control the Asian Turks, even during the time when the Gok-Turks Kingdom has lost the density of the Turkish people in the western borders of Middle Asia, and when they got weakened politically, they had an important role in the spread of the Turkish people. The Kingdoms of Uygur, Turgiş, Karluk, and Khazar were the continuation of the Kingdom of Gok-Turks.
The clans of Uz, Peçenek, Kurnan-Kipçak were the groups that were separated from them. The Kirneks in the region of Up Irtiş, one of the Kipçak group, the Kanglis in the north of the Lake Aral, one of the Karluks, the Yagmas in the region of north-east of Kaşgar, Özkent, Talas, and Çu, one of the Karluks again, the Çigils in the region of the south-west of the Lake İsik, and then in the region of Talas,Kaşgar and Transoxiana, again one of the Karluks, the Tohsils in the region of the Lake İsik and Çu, the Kalaçs in the Tuharistan, Ghazna, Belh, Sicistan, and north India, the Argus in the Kaşgar-Balasagun-Talas-Fergane, the groups of Argu, Yabaku Çomul, Igrak, Çaruk, Ezgiş, Kençek were the Turkish tribes dependent on the Gok-Turks. Moreover, the Indian Turkish States, Ghanavids, and Harezmsahs by the Karluks, Yagma, Çigil and Tohsi; the Big Seljuk Empire, the Seljuk States, the Atabegs, the Turkoman Principalities, the Anatolian Principalities, the States of Kara and Ak-Koyunlus, the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic by the Oguzs, become the administrative, structural, ethnical-social, military and cultural inheritors of the Kingdom of Gok-Turks.
Monuments of Orkhuns
The first Turkish text, in which the name of Turk and the Turkish Nation is mentioned… First Turkish history… The history written on stones… The Turkish statesmen's explanation to the nation, the accounting for the nation… The mutual duties of the state and the nation… The great document of the Turkish system, Turkish traditions, Turkish civilization, and the high Turkish culture… The principles of the Turkish military genius, Turkish military art… The divine altitude of the Turkish honour… The great example of the Turkish sacrifice and virtue… The celestial picture of the Turkish social life… The first masterpiece of the Turkish literature… The unreachable masterpiece of the art of Turkish rhetoric… The royal and splendour style of rhetoric… The amazing sample of the pure and sharp style… The basic book of the Turkish nationalism… A work of art that will made a tribe to a nation… The light that illuminated a national direction through centuries… The blessed source of the Turkish language… The first but unusually productive sample of the Turkish written language… The proof that indicates the beginning of the Turkish written language in the first centuries of the birth of Christ…. The document that brings the establishment of the Turkish army to at least 1250 years further… The work of art that becomes the greatest glory of Turks… The most meaningful tomb stone by means of the social contents of the humanity… The 1250 years ago Turkish warning about China, which is maybe the biggest issue of the today's world…etc. (Muharrem Ergin).
Those explanations come at first when it is desired to describe the Orkhun Inscriptions. The Orkhun Inscriptions are the products of the period of Khan Bilge in the Kingdom of Gok-Turks. The monument of Kül Tegin that was built by the Khan Bilge in the name of his brother in 732, and the second one, the monument of Khan Bilge was built by his son in 735, one year later from his death. The third monument, the monument of Tonyukuk, was built by himself in the years of 720 and 725. There are some other inscriptions written in the Orkhun calligraphy near Orkhun. Only six pieces of them are well known, but only three pieces are the biggest and the most important ones.
The Orkhun monument is called also the Orkhun Inscriptions. These are monument certainly, but those monuments are indisputably inscription materialistically and spiritually. They have an identity of monuments for their contents and grand edifices.
Thus, the best title that describes those is the Orkhun Monuments. The monument of Kül Tegin, is the eternal description of Khan Bilge's feelings toward his brother: his feelings of praise to the hero brother who had a primary role in the become strong of the state and his becoming the khan, and the feelings of terrible sorrow for which he had the mood of artistically enthusiasm. Khan Bilge directed personally the preparation of the work of art under this mood and by being from beginning to end on the construction of the monument. The celestial and blessed speech was written from his mouth, he is talking in the monument, he is the author.
In the Chinese inscription of the monument, the Turk-China friendship, the Turkish Empire, and Kül Tegin is praised and introduced. With the arrangement of the expressions like: "We built a marvellous monument in order to relive everyday the magnificence of their common success in the unlimited and inconsiderate memories of the coming generations, in order that everyone living in the distant and living nearby learn about this" and "Who can say that those men could not be forgotten forever? Now it is built a monument high as a mountain to announce forever the lucky news", the dates are recorded.
During the construction of the monument and the mausoleum, the Turkish and Chinese artists worked together. The inscriptions on the monument are written by Yollig Tegin, the nephew of Khan Bilge and Kül Tegin. The Khan Bilge's Monument was constructed by his son in 735, one year after his death in 734. In this monument, Khan Bilge is talking. Meanwhile in this monument, the events after the death of Kül Tegin are added. The Tonyukuk Monument is constructed during his old ages by Tonyukuk himself, the one that joined to the rebellion of Khan Ilteriş, the big Turkish statesman and the supreme commander who was the biggest helper of the state administration until the period of Khan Bilge. In this monument, Tonyukuk is talking, he made this monument.
The Orkhun Monuments' coming into light is one of the biggest discoveries of humanity.
It is a real national worship for a Turk to read with great pleasure the Orkhun Monuments, in the old Turkish country thousands of kilometres away from today's Turkey, and those blessed stones which rise as a Turkish index finger in today's Mongolia, to think deeply on every word, to purify the spirit by looking at the pictures with the pious reverence… Muharrem Ergin.
From the Monuments of Kül Tegin and Bilge Khan
Turkish Bilge Khan who was in the sky as the God, I sat right now. Hear my words completely… All the nations in the east where the day lights, in the south in the noon, in the west in the sunset, in the north until the midnight, are dependent to me. All those people | I have organized. He is not bad now. There is no any discomfort in the city, when the Turkish Kah would sit in his forest in Ötüken. I led the army until the plateau of Şantung in the east, I almost reached the sea. I led the army until the Nine Ersin in the south, I almost reached to Tibet. I led the army until Demir Kapi by passing the river of Inci in the west. I led the army until the Yir Bayirku in the north. I made them walk almost to everywhere; there is no better place then the Forest of Ötüken. The place to live is the Forest of Ötüken.
I stayed there and made agreements with China. It gives gold, silver, silk, and silken goods without any trouble. The speech of Chinese people is pleasant, the silken fabrics are soft. They bring far away nations near to themselves with pleasant speech and by their soft silken fabric. After the approach of the other nations, they begin to think the bad things. They do not let walk the good, wise and brave person. If one person mistakes, they do not give shelter in their clan, nation, relatives. Turkish Nation, you are dead while being persuaded to the pleasant speech, soft silken fabric; Turkish Nation, you will die! If you wish to camp in the Plateau of Tögültün, the Forest of Çogay in the south, Turkish Nation, you will die!
The bad person teaches there: he teaches that if it is a place away from here, the goods bought are spoilt, but if it is a place closer, the goods are good. You unwise man, you are dead if you take these words and go near! Turkish Nation, you will be dead if you will go towards there! You don't have any discomfort if you stay in Ötüken and sent caravans, and convoys. You will stay in the Forest of Ötüken, it will be your city forever.
Turkish Nation, you do not know the value of being satiated. You do not think about the hunger, and satiety. If you are satiated, you do not think about the hunger. Since this is the situation, you went everywhere without the permission of your khan who is feeding you. You are destroyed, damaged there. You were walking there with the remained people getting much more weak, and dying. I became the khan, since God ordered this, since I was prosperous. I collected all the hungry and poor people, when I became khan.
I made the poor people the rich ones. I made the few to the many. Is there any lie in my words? The blue sky on the top, the black earth in the bottom, and between them the human being is created. And on the human being there were my ancestors, Khan Bunun, and Khan Istemi. By being there, they organized the traditions and the power of the Turkish Nation. All four directions were full of the enemies. They made all the nations depending on themselves by sending their troops in four directions. They bowed, and they made to kneel down the rebellious ones. They arrived to the forest of Kadirgan in the east, and to the Demir Kapi in the west. Between those places, there were unorganised Gok-Turks. He was a wise khan, a brave khan. His order was wise too, brave too. The nobles and the nation were right. Thus, he had the power and organized the tradition. He in this manner died. All the nations, the crying people in the mourning, the People of Bökli Çöllü from the east, China, Tibet, Avar, Byzantium, Kirghiz, Three Kunkan, Otuz Tatar, Kitay, Tatabi came, cried, he was such a famous khan.
Since the Chinese people are tricky and liar, and they are deceptive, since they make the brothers fight against each other, since they make the nobles and the nation to dispute, Turkish Nation has lost the power, has lost the khan whom they made the khan. The noble sons become slaves, the daughter's concubines to the Chinese Nation. The Turkish nobles left their Turkish names. The Chinese nobles began to use Chinese names; they obeyed to the Chinese khan. He worked for fifty years. He led the armies to the Khan of Bökli in the east, he led the armies until Demir Kapi in the west. He gave his power, his tradition to the khan of China.
The Turkish People said so: I was a powerful nation, now where is my power, for whom I'm gaining power? I was a nation with a khan, where is my khan, for whom do I work for? They became enemies to the Chinese Khan. They became enemies, but gave themselves up to him since they did not organize and arrange themselves. He was saying to kill and annihilate the Turkish Nation without thinking about their manpower. He was going to cease to exist. The Turkish God in the skies has arranged the Turks' cerebral lands, and water that way. He rose my father Khan Ilteris, and my mother Ilbilge Hatun up from the hills of the sky, so that the Turkish Nation should not be annihilated, and it should become a nation. My father khan went out with seventeen soldiers. The others heard his footsteps, the ones in the city went to the mountains, the ones on the mountains came down to the city, they came together and became seventy soldiers.
Since the god gave the strength, the soldiers of the khan were like the wolfs, and the enemies like the sheep. He sent the soldiers to the west and to the east, and piled them up. All of them became seven hundred soldiers. The seven hundred soldiers created the weakened nation, which was without a khan, which became concubines and slaves, according to the traditions of the ancestors. There they organized the nations of Tölis, Tarduş. There they gave the Yabgu, şad. The Chinese people were enemies in the south. The tribes of Khan Baz and Nine Oguzs in the north were enemies. Kirghiz, Kunkan, Otuz Tatar, Kitay, Tatabi, they all were the enemies. My father khan led the soldiers for 47 times, he made wars for 20 times. Since the God wished, he made the powerful to the weak one, the one with the khan without the khan, he made the enemy to depend on him, he bowed and knelt the rebellious ones. My father khan, after he gained the power and the tradition, flew away.
It is firstly constructed by Khan of Baz for my father khan. According to the rule, my uncle became the khan. My uncle by being the khan organized again, and fed the Turkish Nation. He made the poor rich, the few many. I was şad in the Tarduş Nation when my uncle became the khan. We led the army together with my uncle until the River of Yeşil in the east, and to the Plateau of Şantung, until Demir Kapi in the west. We led the army until the country of Kirghiz by passing the Kögmen. We led the army in total 25 times, we fought 13 times, we made weak the powerful, the country with the khan without any ruler. We made the rebellious to bow and to kneel. The Khan of turgiş was one of our Turks, our nation. The khan had died as he did not know, he behaved wrongly toward us. His commander and his nobles had died, too. The On-ok clan suffered.
We settled the country by passing the Forest of Kadirgan in the east, we organized them so. We arranged the Turkish Nation until the Kengü Tarman in the west, we organized them so. In those times, the slave became the one who own the slaves, the concubine became the one who own the concubines. The little brother did not know his big brother, the son did not know his father. We had such strength, and the rules that we have gained and organized.
O Turkish, Oguz nobles, nation, listen! who can destroy the Turkish Nation, its power and rules, without the weigh down of the sky at the top, and without the holes in the earth at the below? Turkish Nation, give up, be regretful! Because of your undisciplined character, you made mistakes to your wise khan who was feeding you, and to your free and independent strength, you made it to be seen badly. From where did the ones with the guns come, destroyed and sent? From where did the ones with the pears come, draw away, and sent? The people of the cerebral Forest of Ötüken, you have gone. You went to the east. You went to the west. Your purpose should be this: your blood should ran like water, your bones should pile up. Your noble son became the slave, your daughter became the concubine. My uncle khan flew away because of your ignorance, because of your badness.
I firstly beat the Kahn of Kirghiz. The god that rose my father khan and my mother lady so that the Turkish Nation did not become annihilated, the God that gave the power, made myself the khan so that the Turkish Nation did not become annihilated. The nation was not rich when I became the khan; the nation was ruined, poor, naked, unemployed, poverty-stricken. We talked with my little brother Kül Tegin. I did not sleep at night, did not sit on daytime, so that the Turkish Nation our father and uncle had gained, did not become annihilated. Together with my little brother Kül Tegin and two şads we gained the wars with our last strength and did not put our nation into fire.
When I became the khan, the nation, that had went to everywhere, rushed back by food, naked and poverty-stricken. In order to feed the nation, I led the big army for 12 times against the clan of Oguz in the north, the Tatabi, tribes of Kitay in the east and China in the south, … I fought. Then, God forgives; I fed the nation, which was dying, since my state existed, since I was lucky. I made the bare people dressed, the poor people rich. I made them much more powerful, valuable than a khan. I made the nations in the four directions dependent on me. They all obeyed me. After winning all this rules, my little brother Kül Tegin died.
When Kü-l Tegin had been 26-years-old, we led the army to Kirghiz. They were asleep when we arrived there, after we had passed the Forest of Kögmen. We fought with the khan in the Forest of Songa. Kül Tegin attacked the white horse of Bayirku. He shot a soldier with an arrow, he speared two soldiers. When he attacked, they shot the Bayirku's white horse. We killed the Khan of Kirghiz, we captured his country.
In that year, we walked by passing the Forest of Altin, and the River of Irliş toward Turgiş. We attacked to Turgişs while they were sleeping. The army of Turgiş khan came like a storm. We fought. Kül Tegin attacked on the grey horse with a white forehead.The grey horse with the white forehead caught two of them. Then he caught the minister of Az, who was the commander of the khan of Turgiş. The khan was killed there. The Turgiş people became dependent on us. We settled that clan in the Tabar…. We led the army to Demir Kapi by passing the River of Inci in order to bring the order to the Nation of Sogd.
When Kül Tegin had been 27-years-old, The Karluk Nation, that was free and independent, became enemy. We fought in the Tarnag Iduk Baş. Kül Tegin had been 30-years-old in that war. He attacked on his horse named Alp Şalçi. He killed two soldiers with arrows. We killed Karluk and won. The Nation of Az became enemy. We fought in the Lake of Kara. Kül Tegin was 31-year-old. He attacked on his horse named Alp Şalçi.
He caught the Az commander. The Nation of Az was destroyed there. When my uncle khan weakened, when the nation and the khan separated in two, we fought with the nation of Izgil. Kül Tegin attacked on his horse named Alp Şalçi. The horse fell down there. The Izgil nation was destroyed. The Nine Oguzs were my own nation. They became enemy because of the mixture of the sky with the earth. We fought 5 times in a year. First we fought in the Togu Balik. Kül Tegin attacked on his horse named Azman.
He killed six soldiers with the arrows. Upon the soldiers attack, he killed the seventh private with a sword. Second we fought in the Kusalguk with Ediz. Kül Tegin on Azman, his gray horse, attacked and killed a soldier with an arrow. He shot 9 soldiers. The Ediz clan was destroyed there. Third, we fought in Bolçu with Oguzs. Kül Tegin attacked on his horse called Azman. We speared soldiers, we took their power.
Fourth, we fought in the Çuş. The Turkish Nation resisted. We were going to be destroyed. Kül Tegin drew away their army, we destroyed a clan from Tongra, we killed 10 brave soldiers in the Tonga Tigin's funeral. Fifth, we fought with Oguzs in the Ezginti Kadiz. Kül Tegin attacked on his grey horse. He speared two soldiers. That army was destroyed there. We stayed in the Castle of Amga for the winter, in the spring we sent an army toward Oguzs. We left Kül Tegin at home as a precaution of protection. The Oguz enemy attacked the center. Kül Tegin spared 9 soldiers on his horse, and he did not give the center. My lady mother, my mothers, my sisters, my brides, my princesses all the livings would become concubines. You all would be dead if Kül Tegin did not existed.
My little brother Kül Tegin has died. I'm in deep sorrow. I'm likely blind, my mind that knew, does not know anything. I'm mourning. God lives the time, the human-beings die. I'm thinking while I suppress my tears coming from my eyes, my sorrow from my heart. I'm thinking that my two şads, my little nephews, my son, my nobles, my nation will fall in deep sorrow.
Kitay, and general Utay from the nation of Tatabi came to cry and to mourning. Isiyi Likeng came from the kingdom of China. They brought a treasure more than 10 thousand of gold and silver. A vizier came on behalf of the khan of Tibet. Sogd, Iranian, general Enik from the country of Buhara, The Son Tarkan came. Maharaç from the Turgis, the minister of khan Oguz came. Inan-çu Çor came from the khan of Kirghiz. As the mausoleum constructor, designer, and constructor of stone monuments, General Çang, the nephew of the khan of China came.
Anthology of Tonyukuk Inscription
I am Bilge Tonyukuk and I was born in the State of China. The Turkish nation was subject to China. When the Turkish nation could not find its khan, it got separated from China and attained a khan. It left its Khan and got submissive to China again. The God ordered, I endowed you a Khan; however, you left your khan and surrendered. Since you surrendered, the God had killed you. The Turkish nation died, and it was totally destroyed and it vanished. There has not been any tribe left within the region of Turkish Sir State.
Those who remained among the rocks in the forest collected together and the number of these people was seven hundred. The two sections of these people were cavalrymen, and one section was composed of infantrymen. Their leaders that commanded Seven hundreds of people was Şad. He ordered me to join. I, Bilge Tonyukuk joined them. When Iltiris became the Kagan (Ruler), Bilge Tonyukuk annihilated a lot of Chinese people in the south, Kitay people in the east and Oguz people in the north together with Boyla Baga Tarkan. We dwelled in the northern skirts of Çogay and in Kara Kum.
We would eat deer and rabbits. The people were not hungry. Our enemies were like kilns within our environs and we were fires. While we were living in these conditions, our spy came from Oguz people. The words that the spy declared were as follows: Kagan (ruler) ascended the throne for the domination over Nine Oguz communities. He sent Ku'yu as general to China and Tongra Esim to Kitay State. He also sent some messages to them stating that: A little group of Turkish nation were advancing; their ruler was brave; their counsellor was a wise person; I say that if that person survives, he would kill you, and China. I also say that he will abolish the Kitay State; I also say that he will kill Oguz people and me. China, attack from the southern direction; Kitay, attack from the eastern direction; I shall attack from the northern direction; Let's prevent the advance of the Turkish Sir nation; and if possible, let's annihilate them.
When I heard of this news, I could not sleep at night and I was disturbed all day long. Then, I entered the presence of my ruler. I told him the situation as follows: If China, Oguz and Kitay States collaborated, we will be left alone. We are surrounded by interior and exterior sources. It is easy to pierce the thin sheet of though and it is east to break it into pieces if it is thin. If the plough sheet is thick, it is difficult to pierce it and if it is thin but concentrated, it is also difficult to break it into pieces. I wonder if our three thousands of soldier will arrive for our future when we will have been besieged by the Kitay people in the east, China in the south, and Oguz people in the north. I told him the situation as I stated above. My ruler listened to what I, Bilge Tonyukuk told him in person. He ordered me to manage the situation under my own discretion.
We were composed of two thousands of people. We had two armies. There had not been any people who had reached to the city of Şanturg and the sea since the foundation of the Turkish nation and the enthronement of the Turkish ruler. I informed my ruler about the situation and sent an army. I had them to reach to the city of Şantung and the sea. This army captured twenty-three cities. They would forsake their sleep and stay in the homeland.
The ruler of China was our enemy. The ruler of On Ok (Ten Arrows) was our enemy. The powerful khan of the Khirghiz people who were very crowded became also our enemy, too. These three khans collaborated and resolved, Let's meet in the region over the Golden forest. They had resolved the following plan: Let's send an army against the Turkish ruler in the east. If we did not send an army against him, they - their khan is a hero, and their counsellor is a wise scholar- will kill us under any circumstances no matter what happens. Let's unite together and send an army and totally defeat and annihilate them. Then, Turgis ruler said, My nation is there, he said. Turkish nation is in a civil turmoil again, he said. Oguz people are under difficult conditions, he said.
We advanced at full speed all days and nights. We busted the Khirghiz people in the sleep. We woke them up with spears. Their khan and army got arranged. We fought with them and speared those people. We killed their khan. The Khirghiz tribe gave in and surrendered to the domination of Ka-gan (ruler). We returned and we got wound and tangled around Kogmen forest.
We returned from Khirghiz country. Our spy came from the Turgis ruler. His statements are as follows: Let's send an army against the khan in the east, he said. If we would not do this, they - their khan is a hero, and their counsellor is a wise scholar- will kill us under any circumstances no matter what happens, he said. The Turgis khan had departed, he said. On Ok nation left their country without any absent person, he said. Furthermore, the Chinese army enjoyed them.
Bögü Kagan (Ruler) had sent some news about me. He had sent a confidential message to Apa Tarkan: Bilge Tonyukuk is an evil person, he is envious and he would get astonished. He will order to move the army, do not accept it. When I heard of these statements, I moved the army. We passed through the Golden forest despite the lack of any tracks. We passed over the Irtish River despite the lack of any passage or board. We spent our nights in the course of our advance and we reached to Bolçu in the daybreak.
A messenger was brought. His statements were as follows: One hundred thousands of soldiers are collected in the savanna of Yariş, he said. Upon hearing this news, all of the beys said, Let's return, and it is beneficial to remain clean and well mannered, they said. I say that, I Bilge Tonyukuk say, We passed through the Golden forest, We passed over the Irtish River. Those who came to this place are braves, you did not hear. The God, Holy Umay, the sacred ground and water must have given way. Why are we running away? Why are we afraid of them due to their crowded number? Why will we despise ourselves due to our little number? Let's attack, I said.
Since Iltiriş Ruler was a wise person and a brave leader, he fought against China for seventeen times and against the Kitay State for seven times and against Oguz people for five times. In the course of these wars, I was his counsellor in person, I was also his commander in person. I was the counsellor of Ilteris Ruler, Turk Bogu Ruler and Turk Bilge Ruler. I grew old and became an aged person. What kind of a problem can arouse within any nation with such a ruler, if any? I dictated these statements in the country of Turk Bilge Kağan (Ruler). I am Bilge Tonyukuk.