Karluk Yabghu
756–840 Karluk Turkic polity in Central Asia
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The Karluk Yabghu (simplified Chinese: 葛逻禄叶护国; traditional Chinese: 葛邏祿葉護國; pinyin: Géluólù Yèhùguó) was a polity ruled by Karluk tribes, estimated to have existed between the 5th-8th centuries CE.
Karluk Yabghu State | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 742–840 | |||||||||
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.png)  Location of the Karluk Yabghu, with contemporary polities circa 800 CE | |||||||||
| Capital | Suyab later Balasagun | ||||||||
| Common languages | Karluk Turkic | ||||||||
| Religion | Tengriism, Nestorian Christianity[1] | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 742 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 840 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan | ||||||||
History
The first information about the tribes of Karluks that occupied the territory between Altai and the Eastern coast of Lake Balkhash dates back to the 5th century.[5] The Karluks were part of the First Turkic and Uyghur khaganates. Karluk leaders held the title Kül-Erkin as vassals of Göktürks, a rank of medium importance in the First Turkic Khaganate.
They were composed of three tribes, therefore their ruler was mostly called Üç Karluk Bey (Chinese: 三姓葉護, Sanxing Yabghu; lit. 'Yabghu of Three Tribes') in the 8th century (Although Bey and Yabghu are different.).[6] At least one Kül Erkin held the title Yabghu while still acknowledging the suzerainty of Gokturk Khagan.
In 742, they were named "Saɣ Yabghu ( 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆 𐰽𐰀𐰍, tr. Right Yabghu) " by Basmyl khagan Ashina Shi. Like Basmyls, they were ruled by a branch of the Ashina tribe.[7] However, the reign of Basmyl was cut short when they were defeated by a Karluk-Uyghur coalition. Uyghur Khagan gave the Saɣ Yabghu a new and higher title: 'Sol Yabghu (𐰽𐰗𐰞 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆, tr. Left Yabghu)'.[8]
At the same time a group of Karluks elected Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor (Old Turkic:𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆 𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰀𐰯𐰀 𐰖𐰄𐰏𐰅𐰣 𐰕𐰎𐰗𐰺; Bilgä Yabɣu Toŋa Apa Yigen Čor, Chinese: 毗伽葉護頓阿波移健啜; pinyin: Píjiā Yèhù Dùn ābō Yíjiàn Chuài) who submitted to the Uyghur Khaganate in 746.[9] He may be same person as Yigen Chor (𐰘𐰃𐰏𐰤𐰲𐰆𐰺) mentioned in Kul-Chor stele.[10]
He was succeeded by Tun Bilge Yabghu (Chinese: 頓毗伽葉護; pinyin: Dùn Píjiā Yèhù) in 753.[9] A ruler of Karluks were mentioned in Turco-Manichean book "Sacred Book of Two Fundamentals" (Iki Jïltïz Nom), fragments of which were found in 1907 at Kara-Khoja in the Turpan oasis by Albert von Le Coq. The book was dedicated to the ruler of the Chigil tribes, named Alp Burguchan, Alp Tarhan, Alp İl Tirgüg.[11] He probably was the one who conquered Turgesh state and resettled Karluks in Zhetysu basin, making Suyab their capital.[12]
Another ruler was Köbäk,[13] whose coins were found in modern Kyrgyzstan. He used the title 'Khagan' in his coins.[12]
When the Yenisei Kyrgyz destroyed the Uyghur Khaganate in 840, Karluk yabghu declared himself khagan with title Bilge Kul Qadir Khan, forming the Kara-Khanid Khanate.[14]
Known Yabghus
- Bilga İshbara Tamgan Tarkan? (𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰀 𐰄𐰽𐰎𐰉𐰀𐰺𐰀 𐱃𐰀𐰢𐰏𐰀𐰣 𐱃𐰀𐰺𐰚𐰀𐰣) – Nephew of Ilterish Qaghan.
- Ishbara Tamgan Chor? (𐰃𐰽𐰎𐰉𐰀𐰺𐰀 𐱃𐰀𐰢𐰏𐰀𐰣 𐰕𐰎𐰗𐰺) – Brother of Bilga İshbara Tamgan Tarkan.
- Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor (𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎 𐰆 𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰀𐰯𐰀 𐰖𐰄𐰏𐰅𐰣 𐰕𐰎𐰗𐰺) (? - 753 ) – Relative of Özmiş Khagan, submitted to Uyghur Khagan following the destruction of the Second Turkic Khaganate.
- Tun Bilge Yabghu (𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆) (753 –? ) – Son of Bilge Yabghu.
- Yigen Chor? (𐰘𐰃𐰏𐰤𐰲𐰆𐰺) – Might be the same person as Tun Bilge.
- Unknown Yabghu – Karluk Yabghu were mentioned in the Turkic religious book 'Iki Jïltïz Nom'. His identity remains unknown.
- Inal Tegin (𐰄𐰣𐰀𐰞 𐱃𐰅𐰏𐰄𐰣 𐰚𐰎𐰀𐰏𐰀𐰣) (8th century) – Known from coins.
- Köbäk – Known as 'βγy xr’lwγ x’γ’n pny' in Sogdian, meaning 'Karluk Kaghan Köbak.' Belonged to the Arslanids of Ashina.
- Arslan Kul Erkin – Belonged to the 'Arslanid' branch of Ashina dynasty, hence the name. Their relation to Arslanid dynasty of Chigils is unknown. Known from coins.
- Bilge Kul Qadır Khan (Karakhanid language: کُلْ بِلْكا قَادِرْ خَانْ) (? – 893) – Following the destruction of Uyghur Khaganate, he declared himself Khagan and founded the Kara-Khanid Khanate.
Anikova dish
The Anikova dish is a Nestorian Christian plate with decoration of a besieged Jericho, by Sogdian artists under Karluk dominion, in Semirechye.[2] It is dated to the 8th century, of which an ast silver of the 9th-10th century is known, copied from an original.[3][15]
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