Taspar Qaghan

One passage of the Sogdian transliteration text on the Bugut stele has been read (in the standard scholarly edition) and can be tentatively rendered as: (Sogdian Transliteration: βγy wr-kwp-’r cr-’’cw mγ’’ t’tp’r x’γ’n, Transcription: Baġa Urkupär (Urkäpär) Črāču (Čor Aču) Maġa Tatpar Qaɣan) ^[1]

A literal gloss of this rendering is:

• (βγy) (Sogdian: bgy) is read as bäg / bagha (a lordly/epithet form often translated as "lord" or "divine")
• (wrkwp’r) corresponds to Urkäpär (a personal epithet or nick-name element)
• (cr) corresponds to the Turkic rank čor (a known steppe/military title)
• (’’cw) corresponds to the personal name Aču / Aju^{[Note 1]}
• (mγ’’) is read as Maġa / Magha (an epithet/title attested in Sogdian contexts)
• ("t’tp’r x’γ’n) corresponds to Tatpar Qaɣan (the regnal name and the title "qaγan")

This reading treats the Sogdian text as a chain of epithets and titles (epithet + rank + personal name + epithet + regnal name + qaγan), rather than a single continuous birth-name. The reconstruction is tentative: the Sogdian orthography and the epigraphic damage permit several alternate readings, and editors note possible variant spellings and uncertainties in individual graphemes.^[1][3]

Taspar Qaghan's reign saw further rise of Turkic power even to the point calling both Zhou and Qi emperors his sons.^[7][8] He appointed his nephews Ashina Shetu as Erzhu khagan in the east and Börü khagan in the west as lesser khagans.^[8]

He switched his alliance from Zhou to Qi. He sent a horse as gift in 572 and granted defeated Qi prince Gao Shaoyi asylum. He transferred former Northern Qi subjects, whether they fled to or were captured by the Göktürks, to be under Gao Shaoyi's command. However, he still maintained good relationship with Zhou, sending another horse as a gift in 574.^[8]

Around the new year 578, Gao Baoning, sent a petition to Gao Shaoyi, requesting that he take the imperial title. Gao Shaoyi therefore declared himself emperor, with military assistance from the Göktürks.

Taspar attacked Zhou repeatedly until the spring of 579, when he sought peace with the Northern Zhou. Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou made the daughter of his uncle Yuwen Zhao (宇文招) the Princess Qianjin, offering to give her to Taspar in marriage if he would be willing to surrender Gao Shaoyi. Taspar refused.

In 580, after Emperor Xuan's death, Yang Jian, the regent for Emperor Xuan's son Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou, nevertheless sent Princess Qianjin to the Göktürks to marry Taspar Qaghan. After the marriage, Yang sent the official Heruo Yi (賀若誼) to the Göktürks to bribe Taspar to give up Gao Shaoyi. He agreed, and as a ruse, he invited Gao Shaoyi to a hunt, but instead had Heruo Yi capture Gao Shaoyi. In the fall of 580, Gao Shaoyi was delivered to the Northern Zhou's capital Chang'an, and he was exiled to modern Sichuan.

Taspar died in 581 from illness, leaving the throne to his nephew Talopien.

Taspar (Tabo) according to Chinese annals had at his disposal several hundred thousand soldiers (356). Under Tabo, both dynasties of the Northern Zhou and the Northern Qi competed in efforts to form link with the (Türk) ruler's family by marriage. They emptied their treasure chests to be of service to them. (503).^[9]

The first steps for an official introduction of Buddhism into the religious practice of the Turks were made by Muhan-qaghan. Taspar has given such a swing to the Buddhist mission that secured cultural and political priority to its followers in the Empire. The Bugut inscription gives evidence of the most important stage in the spread of Buddhism among the Turks, of the foundation of a Buddhist samgha in the centre of the Empire (B2, line 10: RBkw nwh snk' 'wst «establish a great new samgha»), an event known to us from Chinese sources as well. Judging from the preserved parts of the inscription it speaks either of the deeds of Taspar himself carried out in accordance with divine orders or of the establishment of the samgha by Mahan-tegin on the command of Taspar (cf. B2, lines 9-10). The official acknowledgement of Buddhism by Taspar followed immediately the beginning of its persecution in the Northern Chou by emperor Wu-ti (574). After leaving that country, a famous missionary, the Indian monk Jinagupta stayed with the Turks for ten years (574-584) together with his followers and successfully preached Buddhism in the Turk Empire. Certain sūtras were translated into Turkish and also written down for Taspar in this period (A. von Gabain was right in supposing that only Sogdians could render in writing the translation (cf. [39], p. 196). Buddhist temples and monasteries were established where Taspar himself also took part in the ceremony.^[10]

Taspar's death created a dynastic crisis in the khaganate. His Chinese wife Qianjin survived him, but Taspar bequeathed his throne to Talopien, the son of his elder brother Muqan Qaghan. His bequest ran contrary to the traditional system of inheritance which demanded the throne to be passed to the son of the eldest brother, in this case Ishbara Qaghan. The council rejected the legality of Taspar's will stating his mother was of non-Turkic origin. Thus they appointed Amrak as the next khagan. Talopien's faction did not recognize Amrak. This crisis ultimately resulted in the civil war of 581–603, which greatly weakened the state.

He had at least two issues:

• Amrak Khagan
• Tughrul shad
  • Qilibi Khagan^[11]