Uyghur Khaganate

Quick Facts: Who was Uyghur Khaganate?

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Uyghur Khaganate

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A powerful Turkic empire that dominated Central Asia from the mid-8th to 9th centuries.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Uyghur Khaganate, self defined as the Toquz Oghuz ("Nine Tribes") and known to the Tang Chinese as the Jiuxing was a Turkic empire that existed for about a century between the mid 8th and 9th centuries. It was a tribal confederation under the Uyghur nobility. In the mid-5th century, Uyghurs were a tribe of the Tiele, which was under the Turkic Khaganate. In 657, the Western Turkic Khaganate was defeated by the Tang dynasty, after which the Uyghurs defected to the Tang. Prior to this the Uyghurs had already shown an inclination towards alliances with the Tang when they fought with them against the Tibetan Empire and Turks in 627.

Career & Major Achievements

In 742, the Uyghurs, Karluks, and Basmyls rebelled against the Second Turkic Khaganate. In 744, the Basmyls captured the Turkic capital of Ötüken and killed the reigning Özmiş Khagan. Later that year, a Uyghur-Karluk alliance formed against the Basmyls and defeated them. Their khagan was killed, and the Basmyls ceased to exist as a people. Hostilities between the Uyghurs and Karluks then forced the Karluks to migrate west into Zhetysu and conflict with the Türgesh, whom they defeated and conquered in 766.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Uyghur khagan was Kutlug I Bilge Khagan, who claimed to be the supreme ruler of all the tribes. He built his capital at Ordu-Baliq. According the New Book of Tang, the territory of the Uyghur Empire then reached "on its eastern extremity, the territory of Shiwei, on the west the Altai Mountains, on the south it controlled the Gobi Desert, so it covered the entire territory of the ancient Xiongnu". In 745, the Uyghurs killed the last khagan of the Göktürks, Kulun Beg, and sent his head to the Tang. The Tang Huiyao, vol. 98, listed nine Toquz Oghuz surname tribes (姓部 xìngbù); another list of tribes (部落 bùluò) was recorded in the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang.

Notable Quotes by Uyghur Khaganate

“They are frugal[...] and united with one another, so their power is invincible.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Uyghur Khaganate

True or False: “The Uyghur Khaganate was always recognized by the Tang Dynasty as a major geopolitical rival to the Han Chinese empire.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While they were often rivals, the relationship frequently involved strategic alliances, such as when the Uyghurs assisted the Tang in retaking Chang'an.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Uyghur Khaganate