Turgis-Gok Turk Relations
It has been determined that the name of Turgiş was formed as "Turk+ş". The Turgiş people lived in the region of Talas-Çu-Ili-Isik Lake and they constituted one section of the To-lu branch of the Western Gok-Turk people (On-Oklar= Ten Arrows). Within the Chinese resources, the Turgiş people were cited firstly in relation with the events in 651.
It is beyond doubt that the Turgiş people had existed in this region in the periods even before the foundation of the Gok-Turk Khanate. Actually, Istemi was appointed as "yabgu" (prince) in the capacity of the leader of On-Ok people that included the Turgis people. In the years after 630, it has been understood that the Turgis people came into existence as an organised powerful unit just like the other Turkish communities. U-çe-le titled as Baga Tarkan that seemed to be the first Turgiş chief benefited from the incapable government of the Western Gok-Turk Ruler that he was dependent in the beginning. Then, he collected some forces around him. Within a short period, he succeeded in the arrangement of an army composed of 20 commanders and each commander had a military unit composed of 7 thousands of soldiers.
He moved its centre that was located in the north-west end of the Çu valley to the north-east. Therefore, he had possessed two centres, one over Çu and the other in the north of the Ili region. Apart from the region of Çu, he expanded his domination towards the "provinces" of Turan and Kuca. The appointed "kagan" (ruler) who perceived that they were on the verge of decline abandoned his country and went to the capital city of China. Pursuant to his departure, he established his dominion in nearly the entire On-ok region. However, in this powerful period of his domination (towards the end of the 7th century), he collaborated with Khirghiz and Chinese people in order to stop the Gok-Turk people that experienced their glorious period under the government of Kagan Kapagan. This collaboration did not yield a positive result.
Since he was a member of the ternary alliance, he was defeated and taken prisoner by Tonyukuk who advanced against him (Bolçu War in 698). The region of On-Ok was annexed to the Gok-Turk Khanate. Since U-çe-le's son, So-ko had been disobedient to the central government and collaborated with China, he was totally defeated and annihilated by Kagan Kapagan (Ruler) with the alliance of Kül Tegin and Bilge near Bolçu in the year of 711. Within the Chinese resources, the reason of war was stated as the conflict that aroused in the course of sharing the Turgiş lands. It was also stated within the inscriptions that the "Kara-Turgiş people were subdued. These statements show that there was not any disintegration within the Turgiş khanate.
It has been understood that the Kara-Turgiş people under the command of So-ko were defeated; however, the group under the command of So-ko's brother, Çe-mu (probably Sari Turgiş) had not participated in this war. Due to the oppression of the Ruler Kapagan, the civil turmoil and rebellious movements increased in the country. As a result of the incessant provocation of China, they were obliged to fight with Turgiş people again. In the years of 712 and 713, a Kara-Turgiş military expedition was organised by Kül Tegin and this expedition ended up with success despite the unsuitable conditions for the Gok-Turk people. Pursuant to this expedition, the Turgiş people elected the commander named Su-lu-çur as their "kagan" (ruler) (717). According to the Chinese news, a major group of the Turkish tribes got separated from Bilge and got into the service of the new Turgis ruler.
Resistance against Arabians
In the period of long sovereignty of Su-lu, the capital city was the city of Balasagun that was located in the north-west of Talas. Su-lu has been considered as the ruler that stopped the Arabian advance from the Transoxania towards the east and prevented the Central Asian Turkish peoples from becoming "Arabian subjects".
Therefore, he had tried to recapture and establish dominion in the region of Transoxania where the Turks were the holders of historical rights. In the period of resistance against Arabians, all of the rebellious people and renegades that resisted against the Arabian armies were determined as "Turks" in the Islamic resources. It is beyond doubt that this region played an important economical role since this region and the Turkish countries beyond the Seyhun River were located over the famous Central Asian caravan routes. The Caliph Ömer b. Abdülaziz (717-720) had appointed El-Cerrah b. Abdullah as the first governor of the region and he this governor attempted to advance beyond the Seyhun River. However, the Turks stopped this commander and besieged him. Against this Turkish resistance that developed and repulsed the Arabian forces, he could not withstand the situation.
Therefore, he encouraged the Emevi people to establish some relations with China in order to eliminate the Turkish barrier between them. To this effect, the "rulers" of the Transoxania and directly the Arabians had sent some committees upon the approval and encouragement of the Arabians. However, any result could not be obtained. Actually, the Chinese policy of expansion towards the west -that was defeated by the Gok-Turk Khanate- that was initiated concurrently with the penetration of the Arabian armies beyond the Seyhun River would encounter the risk and danger of running into the Turgis wall.
Upon the stance of China towards "maintaining balance", the Turgiş people felt comfortable and they performed some activities in the west. Upon this event, the movements against the Arabians that took place in Transoxania provided gradual assistance for the establishment of the Turgiş pressure. Kül-çür who was the commander of the Turkish army passed over the Seyhun River and penetrated into Transoxania. He was able to penetrate towards Samarkand and he won the first great victory. He defeated the Arabian forces that were commanded by the new commander named as Said b. Abdülaziz and he besieged the commander for a specific period (721). This governor was substituted. el-Haraşî (autumn of 721) who replaced him resorted to violence and he forced the people who abandoned their places to surrender in the region of Hocand and he totally annihilated them. Those who saved their lives took shelter in the Turgiş people in crowded groups.
There was an air of revolution in the region of Transoxania. The Caliph Hişam (724-743) dismissed this governor and he appointed Müslim b. Said in his place (in the beginning of 724). There were some conflicts that aroused among the Arabian soldiers and the Yemeni forces were disciplined. The Arabian army that set off towards Ferghana under the command of Müslim b. Said passed over the Seyhun River. They encountered with the Ruler Su-lu in person. Muslim who beat the retreat to his army retreated from the region following waterless tracks through a non-stop and forced movement that lasted for 11 days. They were forced to incinerate all the heavy transport since they could not carry them. Pursuant to this movement, they were stopped by the native forces that were in collaboration with the Turgiş people in the banks of Seyhun River. He could not reach the water. Since the ruler was chasing him at full speed, the Arabian forces surpassed this obstacle under great difficulties. They could retreat towards Samarkand at the cost of terrible casualties and losses.
This expedition ended up with the repulse of all of the Arabian forces beyond the Seyhun River and the elimination of the Arabian influence in every region in the year of 724. This defeat in this expedition forced the Arabians to stay in defence for a long period. The governors and the people had started to consider the Turgiş people as saviours in not only the Transoxania, but also Tohoristan and the other southern regions. The Turkish forces expanded to the entire country and they were even seen in front of Samarkand that was the centre of the Arabian troops of guardsmen in Transoxania.
Meanwhile, the governor of Khorasan was changed again. However, the new governor Esed b. Abdullah was defeated by Su-lu Kagan (Ruler) in Huttal in the year of 726. Therefore, the Arabian domination in the entire region of Transoxania was in jeopardy. Meanwhile, he was dismissed. The Shiite and Abbasi propaganda was accelerated against the Emevi people in the country. The Ruler Su-lu benefited from the situation. He worked in cooperation with the native opponents in an harmonious manner and he captured Bokhara (725).
The Arabian domination was restricted within the cities of Samarkand and Debusiya and two small castles. The new governor named as Eşres b. Abdullah es-Sulemî could not attract the interest and attention that he expected despite the fact that he had granted several freedoms and permissions to the people. He was cornered by the ruler within the environs of Beykent and he was subject to another "event of drought".
Finally, while he was retreating towards Samarkand, the ruler and the Turgiş forces under the command of Kül-çur caught up with him and these forces besieged him in the castle of Kemerce for a period of 58 days. Henceforth, there were some slight movements against the Arabians even in Harezm. The purpose of Su-lu was to destroy the Arabian central quarters in Samarkand and to repulse the Arabians from the entire Transoxania. To this effect, he started to arrange the preparations for the military blockade of Samarkand. Meanwhile, Sevre b. Hur who was the commander of the quarters did not dare to fight with him and he asked help from Cuneyd b. Abdurrahman el-Murî, Khorasan Governor that was newly appointed in Merv.
However, the Turgiş people had waylaid him. Cavdar that was forced to follow the mountainous tracks that were difficult to surmount was cornered by the ruler in the narrow passages of the Savdar Mountains. His army that was exhausted and suffering from drought was also subject to frequent attacks and raids. Finally, he could arrive in Samarkand at the cost of the annihilation of 10 thousands of his soldiers that totally constituted 12 thousands (Passage War= Vak'atü'ş-Şi'b). Upon the order of the Caliph Hişam that was informed about the news, a backup army that was composed of 20 thousand of people set off from Küfe and Basra towards Samarkand. Since the season of winter drew by, the ruler did not want to stay in this region any more and he evacuated Bokhara and he withdrew (732). Upon the death of Cuneyd in the year of 734, Haris b. Sureyc who was an Abbasi supporter that "planted a black flag" rebelled in the province of Khorasan where the Arabian influence and power was on the verge of fadeout. He captured Belh and then, Merv that was the centre of governorship. All these events caused much more turmoil and conflicts in the region of Transoxania.
The new governors had to fight with Haris for a period of 3 years (734-737). Afterwards, Haris took refuge in Turgiş people. The Ruler Su-lu had attained a lot of allies in the course of his last military expedition towards Transoxania. Apart from the supporters of Haris, Sogd ruler (in other words, Gurak or his son), Usruşana governor, Şaş (the region of Tashkent) ruler, and Hutta ruler. This list clearly indicates that "the Arabian influence in the region of Transoxania was surrendered to the Turks". The Ruler advanced towards Belh. He penetrated into Cuzcan. He considered it beneficial that a local support could be obtained through causing a rebellion against the Arabians in Tuharistan. However, the governor Esed bi. Abdullah was able to attack to the army of the ruler from the rear-guard troops (Haristan War in 737).
Actually, Su-lu was betrayed by the Cuzcan ruler who collaborated with Arabians. Su-lu Kagan who returned to his country would probably continue this struggle that he dedicated his life to. However, he was killed by Kül-çür (= Baga Tarkan) that had provided great services until that period (738). Therefore, the Chinese provocative policy that was based on bringing discord among the Turkish leaders had accomplished one of its targets and Kara Turgiş (Black Turgiş) people and Sari Turgiş (Yellow Turgis) people had become enemies of each other. Sari Turgiş people won the fight between them.Their leader, Baga Tarkan defeated his rival, Tu-mo-çe who was the leader of Kara Turgiş people. He killed the son of Su-lu that he had bequeathed to be enthroned as the "kagan" (ruler) and then, he declared himself as the "ruler". Meanwhile, he defeated and killed Hin who was the last ruler from Aşina dynasty that was appointed as the "kagan" (ruler) of On-Ok people by China. Upon this event, China was oriented towards supporting the Kara Turgiş people.
In the year of 742, the Turgiş ruler, Il-etmiş Kutlug Bilge was a Kara-Türgiş commander. Tangri Bulmuş who was declared as the ruler in the year of 753 was also a Kara Türgiş person. The Karluk people were also involved in the struggle between both sides that lasted for a long time and the Turgiş domination got weakened. Finally, Karluk people who gained power gradually within the period of 20 years became superior to To-lu and Nu-şi-pi peoples. Then, they established their own domination with the central region of Çu valley (766).